1 F or I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea;

For I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, that our forefathers were all under and protected by the cloud, and every one of them passed safely through the Sea,

2 a nd all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

And each one of them to be baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 a nd all ate the same spiritual food;

And all ate the same spiritual (supernaturally given) food,

4 a nd all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.

And they all drank the same spiritual (supernaturally given) drink. For they drank from a spiritual Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

5 N evertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.

Nevertheless, God was not pleased with the great majority of them, for they were overthrown and strewn down along in the wilderness.

6 N ow these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved.

Now these things are examples (warnings and admonitions) for us not to desire or crave or covet or lust after evil and carnal things as they did.

7 D o not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “ The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.”

Do not be worshipers of false gods as some of them were, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose to sport (to dance and give way to jesting and hilarity).

8 N or let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.

We must not gratify evil desire and indulge in immorality as some of them did—and twenty-three thousand fell dead in a single day!

9 N or let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.

We should not tempt the Lord as some of them did—and were killed by poisonous serpents;

10 N or grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

Nor discontentedly complain as some of them did—and were put out of the way entirely by the destroyer (death).

11 N ow these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Now these things befell them by way of a figure; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period).

12 T herefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall.

13 N o temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man '> adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful, and He not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

14 T herefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Therefore, my dearly beloved, shun (keep clear away from, avoid by flight if need be) any sort of idolatry (of loving or venerating anything more than God).

15 I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say.

I am speaking as to intelligent (sensible) men. Think over and make up your minds about what I say.

16 I s not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?

The cup of blessing upon which we ask blessing, does it not mean we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the blood of Christ (the Messiah)? The bread which we break, does it not mean we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the body of Christ?

17 S ince there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.

For we numerous we are, are one body, because we all partake of the one Bread.

18 L ook at the nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar?

Consider those people of Israel. Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners of the altar ?

19 W hat do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything or that an idol itself is a thing?

20 N o, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons.

No, I am suggesting that what the pagans sacrifice they offer to demons (to evil spiritual powers) and not to God. I do not want you to fellowship and be partners with diabolical spirits.

21 Y ou cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

You cannot drink the Lord’s cup and the demons’ cup. You cannot partake of the Lord’s table and the demons’ table.

22 O r do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?

Shall we thus provoke the Lord to jealousy and anger and indignation? Are we stronger than He ?

23 A ll things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.

All things are legitimate, but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive and edifying.

24 L et no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.

Let no one then seek his own good and advantage and profit, but each one of the other.

25 E at anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience’ sake;

eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising any question or investigating on the grounds of conscientious scruples,

26 f or the earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains.

For the earth is the Lord’s and everything that is in it.

27 I f one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience’ sake.

In case one of the unbelievers invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is served to you without examining into its source because of conscientious scruples.

28 B ut if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake;

But if someone tells you, This has been offered in sacrifice to an idol, do not eat it, out of consideration for the person who informed you, and for conscience’s sake—

29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other man’s; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience?

I mean for the sake of his conscience, not yours,. For why should another man’s scruples apply to me and my liberty of action be determined by his conscience?

30 I f I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?

If I partake with thankfulness, why am I accused and spoken evil of because of that for which I give thanks?

31 W hether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God.

32 G ive no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God;

Do not let yourselves be an offense to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God '> do not lead others into sin by your mode of life];

33 j ust as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.

Just as I myself strive to please all men in everything I do, not aiming at or considering my own profit and advantage, but that of the many in order that they may be saved.