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¹ For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the fact that all of our ancestors were under the cloud, and they all went through the sea,[xr] ² and they all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³ and they all ate the same spiritual food,[xr] ⁴ and they all drank the same spiritual drink, for they continually drank from the spiritual Rock that went with them, and that Rock was Christ.[xr] ⁵ But God wasn't pleased with most of them, and so they were struck down in the wilderness.[xr]

⁶ Now these things became examples for us so that we won't set our hearts on evil as they did.[xr] ⁷ Let us stop being idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to play."[fn][xr] ⁸ Let us stop sinning sexually, as some of them were doing, and on a single day 23,000 fell dead.[xr] ⁹ Let us stop putting the Lord[fn] to the test, as some of them were doing, and were destroyed by snakes.[xr] ¹⁰ You must stop complaining, as some of them were doing, and were destroyed by the destroying angel.[xr] ¹¹ These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down as a warning for us in whom the climax of the ages has been realized.[xr] ¹² Therefore, the person who thinks he is standing securely should watch out that he does not fall.[xr] ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you that is unusual for human beings. But God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength. Instead, along with the temptation he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to endure it.[xr] ¹⁴ And so, my dear friends, keep on running away from idolatry.[xr]

¹⁵ I am talking to sensible people. Decide for yourselves what I am saying.[xr] ¹⁶ The cup of blessing that we bless is a sign of our sharing in the blood of Christ, isn't it? The bread that we break is a sign of our sharing in the body of Christ, isn't it?[xr] ¹⁷ Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, because all of us partake of the one loaf.[xr] ¹⁸ Look at the Israelites from a human point of view.[fn] Those who eat the sacrifices share in what is on the altar, don't they?[xr] ¹⁹ Am I suggesting that an offering made to idols means anything, or that an idol itself means anything?[xr] ²⁰ Hardly! What they offer, they offer to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become partners with demons.[xr] ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot eat at the table of the Lord and at the table of demons.[xr] ²² Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than he is, are we?[xr]

²³ Everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible, but not everything builds up.[xr] ²⁴ No one should seek his own welfare, but rather his neighbor's.[xr] ²⁵ Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising any question about it on the ground of conscience,[xr] ²⁶ for "the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord."[fn][xr] ²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to his house and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you, raising no question on the ground of conscience.[xr] ²⁸ However, if someone says to you, "This was offered in sacrifice," don't eat it, both out of consideration for the one who told you and because of conscience.[xr] ²⁹ I mean, of course, his conscience, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by someone else's conscience?[xr] ³⁰ If I eat with thankfulness, why should I be denounced because of what I am thankful for?[xr] ³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God.[xr] ³² Stop being[fn] stumbling blocks to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God,[xr] ³³ just as I myself try to please everybody in every way, not looking for my own advantage but for that of many people, so that they might be saved.[xr]