Don't Worship Idols
1 Friends, I want to remind you that all our ancestors walked under the cloud and went through the sea. 2 This was like being baptized and becoming followers of Moses. 3 All of them also ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink, which flowed from the spiritual rock that followed them. That rock was Christ. 5 But most of them did not please God. So they died, and their bodies were scattered all over the desert.
6 What happened to them is a warning to keep us from wanting to do the same evil things. 7 They worshiped idols, just as the Scriptures say, “The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance around.” So don't worship idols. 8 Some of those people did shameful things, and in a single day about 23,000 died. Don't do shameful things as they did. 9 And don't try to test Christ, as some of them did and were later bitten by poisonous snakes. 10 Don't even grumble, as some of them did and were killed by the destroying angel. 11 These things happened to them as a warning to us. All this was written in the Scriptures to teach us who live in these last days.
12 Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall. 13 You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.
14 My friends, you must keep away from idols. 15 I am speaking to you as people who have enough sense to know what I am talking about. 16 When we drink from the cup we ask God to bless, isn't that sharing in the blood of Christ? When we eat the bread we break, isn't that sharing in the body of Christ? 17 By sharing in the same loaf of bread, we become one body, even though there are many of us.
18 Aren't the people of Israel sharing in the worship when they gather around the altar and eat the sacrifices offered there? 19 Am I saying that either the idols or the food sacrificed to them is anything at all? 20 No, I am not! This food is really sacrificed to demons and not to God. I don't want you to have anything to do with demons. 21 You cannot drink from the cup of demons and still drink from the Lord's cup. You cannot eat at the table of demons and still eat at the Lord's table. 22 We would make the Lord jealous if we did this. And we are not stronger than the Lord.
Always Honor God
23 Some of you say, “We can do whatever we want to!” But I tell you not everything may be good or helpful. 24 We should think about others and not about ourselves. 25 However, when you buy meat in the market, go ahead and eat it. Keep your conscience clear by not asking where the meat came from. 26 The Scriptures say, “The earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.”
27 If an unbeliever invites you to dinner, and you want to go, then go. Eat whatever you are served. Don't cause a problem for someone's conscience by asking where the food came from. 28-29 But if you are told it has been sacrificed to idols, don't cause a problem by eating it. I don't mean a problem for yourself, but for the one who told you. Why should my freedom be limited by someone else's conscience? 30 If I give thanks for what I eat, why should anyone accuse me of doing wrong?
31 When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God. 32 Don't cause problems for Jews or Greeks or anyone else who belongs to God's church. 33 I always try to please others instead of myself, in the hope that many of them will be saved.
1 Moreouer, brethren, I woulde not that yee shoulde bee ignorant, that all our fathers were vnder that cloude, and all passed through that sea, 2 And were all baptized vnto Moses, in that cloude, and in that sea, 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat, 4 And did all drinke the same spirituall drinke (for they dranke of the spiritual Rocke that folowed them: and the Rocke was Christ) 5 But with many of them God was not pleased: for they were ouerthrowen in ye wildernes. 6 Nowe these things are our ensamples, to the intent that we should not lust after euil things as they also lusted. 7 Neither bee ye idolaters as were some of them, as it is written, The people sate downe to eate and drinke, and rose vp to play. 8 Neither let vs commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and fell in one day three and twentie thousand. 9 Neither let vs tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted him, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither murmure ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11 Nowe all these things came vnto them for ensamples, and were written to admonish vs, vpon whome the endes of the world are come. 12 Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth, take heede lest he fall. 13 There hath no tentation taken you, but such as appertaine to man: and God is faithfull, which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able, but wil euen giue the issue with the tentation, that ye may be able to beare it. 14 Wherefore my beloued, flee from idolatrie. 15 I speake as vnto them which haue vnderstanding: iugde ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we blesse, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we breake, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we that are many, are one bread and one body, because we all are partakers of one bread. 18 Beholde Israel, which is after the flesh: are not they which eate of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What say I then? that the idole is any thing? or that that which is sacrificed to idoles, is any thing? 20 Nay, but that these things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to deuils, and not vnto God: and I would not that ye should haue fellowship with the deuils. 21 Ye can not drinke the cup of the Lord, and the cup of the deuils. Ye can not be partakers of the Lords table, and of the table of the deuils. 22 Doe we prouoke the Lord to anger? are we stronger then he? 23 All things are lawfull for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawfull for me, but all things edifie not. 24 Let no man seeke his owne, but euery man anothers wealth. 25 Whatsoeuer is solde in the shambles, eate ye, and aske no question for conscience sake. 26 For the earth is the Lords, and all that therein is. 27 If any of them which beleeue not, call you to a feast, and if ye wil go, whatsoeuer is set before you, eate, asking no question for conscience sake. 28 But if any man say vnto you, This is sacrificed vnto idoles, eate it not, because of him that shewed it, and for the conscience (for the earth is the Lords, and all that therein is) 29 And the conscience, I say, not thine, but of that other: for why should my libertie be condemned of another mans conscience? 30 For if I through Gods benefite be partaker, why am I euill spoken of, for that wherefore I giue thankes? 31 Whether therefore ye eate, or drinke, or whatsoeuer ye doe, doe all to the glory of God. 32 Giue none offence, neither to the Iewes, nor to the Grecians, nor to the Church of God: 33 Euen as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine owne profite, but the profite of many, that they might be saued.