1 Corinthians 10:9

New King James Version

nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
We should not test Christ as some of them did. Because of that, they were killed by snakes.

Revised Standard Version
We must not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Nether let vs tempte Christ as some of them tempted and were destroyed of serpentes.

Hebrew Names Version
Neither let us test the Lord, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents.

International Standard Version
Let us stop putting the LordChrist">[fn] to the test, as some of them were doing, and were destroyed by snakes.Exodus 17:2,7; Numbers 21:5-6; Deuteronomy 6:16; Psalm 78:18,56, 7; 95:9; 106:14;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
Nor are we to put the Lord to the test, as some of them did, and were killed by the snakes.

New Century Version
We must not test Christ as some of them did; they were killed by snakes.

Update Bible Version
Neither let us make trial of Christ, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.

Webster's Bible Translation
Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents.

English Standard Version
We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents,

World English Bible
Neither let us test the Lord, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents.

Weymouth's New Testament
And do not let us test the Lord too far, as some of them tested Him and were destroyed by the serpents.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Nethir tempte we Crist, as summe of hem temptiden, and perischiden of serpentis.

English Revised Version
Neither let us tempt the Lord, as some of them tempted, and perished by the serpents.

Berean Standard Bible
We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.

Contemporary English Version
And don't try to test Christ, as some of them did and were later bitten by poisonous snakes.

Amplified Bible
We must not tempt the Lord [that is, test His patience, question His purpose or exploit His goodness], as some of them did—and they were killed by serpents.

American Standard Version
Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.

Bible in Basic English
And let us not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did, and came to their death by snakes.

Complete Jewish Bible
And let us not put the Messiah to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes.

Darby Translation
Neither let us tempt the Christ, as some of them tempted, and perished by serpents.

Etheridge Translation
nor tempt the Meshiha, as also (some) of them tempted, and perished by serpents.

Murdock Translation
Neither let us tempt the Messiah, as some of them tempted; and serpents destroyed them.

King James Version (1611)
Neither let vs tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

New Living Translation
Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites.

New Life Bible
We must not test the Lord as some of them did. They were destroyed by snakes.

New Revised Standard
We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Neither let vs tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted him, and were destroyed of serpents.

George Lamsa Translation
Neither should we tempt Christ, as some of them tempted; for they were destroyed by snakes.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Neither let us be putting the Lord to the test, as, some of them, put him to the test, and, by the serpents, were perishing;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them tempted and perished by the serpent.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Neither let vs tempt Christe, as some of them tempted, and were destroyed of serpentes.

Good News Translation
We must not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did—and they were killed by snakes.

Christian Standard Bible®
Let us not test Christ as some of them did and were destroyed by snakes.

King James Version
Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

Lexham English Bible
nor put Christ to the test, as some of them tested him, and were destroyed by snakes,

Literal Translation
Neither test Christ, as some of them tried Him , and perished by serpents.

Young's Literal Translation
neither may we tempt the Christ, as also certain of them did tempt, and by the serpents did perish;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Nether let vs tempte Christ, as some of them tempted him, and were destroyed of serpetes.

Mace New Testament (1729)
neither let us provoke Christ as some of them provoked him, and were destroyed by serpents.

New English Translation
And let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Some of them even decided to test Christ and died because of snake bites.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.

Legacy Standard Bible
Nor let us put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.

Contextual Overview

⁶ Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. ⁷ And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Exodus 32:6">[fn] ⁸ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; ⁹ nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; ¹⁰ nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹ Now all [fn] these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. ¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. ¹⁴ Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

tempt: Exodus 17:2, Exodus 17:7, Exodus 23:20, Exodus 23:21, Numbers 21:5, Deuteronomy 6:16, Psalms 78:18, Psalms 78:56, Psalms 95:9, Psalms 106:14, Hebrews 3:8-11, Hebrews 10:28-30

and were: Numbers 21:6

Reciprocal: Genesis 48:16 - Angel Numbers 14:22 - tempted Isaiah 7:12 - tempt Isaiah 63:9 - the angel Malachi 3:15 - they that tempt Matthew 4:7 - Thou Mark 8:11 - tempting Mark 10:2 - tempting Mark 12:15 - Why Luke 4:12 - Thou Luke 20:23 - Why John 8:6 - tempting Acts 5:9 - to tempt

Cross-References

Genesis 6:4
There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

Genesis 6:11
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

Genesis 13:13
But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD.

Genesis 25:27
So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents.

Genesis 27:30
Hebrews 12:17">[xr] Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

2 Chronicles 28:22
2 Kings 16:12-20">[xr] Now in the time of his distress King Ahaz became increasingly unfaithful to the LORD. This is that King Ahaz.

Psalms 52:7
"Here is the man who did not make God his strength, But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness."

Jeremiah 16:16
"Behold, I will send for many fishermen," says the LORD, "and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.

Ezekiel 13:18
and say, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves [fn] and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive?

Micah 7:2
The faithful man has perished from the earth, And there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; Every man hunts his brother with a net.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Neither let us tempt Christ,.... As all such persons do, who, presuming on the power and grace of Christ to keep them, or upon what they have received from him, unnecessarily expose themselves to snares and temptations, and so to danger; and as many of the Corinthians did, who are here chiefly respected, who trusting to their gifts and attainments, their knowledge and Christian liberty, would go into an idol's temple, sit down at meat there, and exposed themselves great and imminent danger; which was a tempting Christ, whether he would preserve them or not:

as some of them also tempted; that is, as some of the Israelites tempted, which they did more than once; but what is referred to here, is the time they spake against God and Moses, in Numbers 21:5 as appears from the punishment annexed, their being destroyed by serpents. The Arabic version adds "him", meaning Christ, which is a right interpretation of the text; otherwise there would be no force in the apostle's reasoning; for Christ was the angel that went before the Israelites in the wilderness, the angel of God's presence, that bore, and carried, and saved them; he is the Jehovah they tempted at Massah and Meribah, and elsewhere, and God they spake against at this place referred to; hence it is clear that our Lord existed before his incarnation, and that he is truly and properly God; the Alexandrian copy reads, "neither let us tempt God", and so the Ethiopic version: "and were destroyed of serpents"; fiery ones, which were sent among them by the Lord Christ, they tempted and spoke against, which bit them, and of these bites many of them died. This might lead to the consideration, of the original cause of man's sin and fall, and the ruin of human nature, by the means of a serpent; and may be an emblem of the future destruction of the wicked, which will be everlasting fire, prepared for the devil, the old serpent, and his angels.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Neither let us tempt Christ ... - The word “tempt,” when applied to man, means to present motives or inducements to sin; when used with reference to God, it means to try his patience, to provoke his anger, or to act in such a way as to see how much he will bear, and how long he will endure the wickedness and perverseness of people. The Israelites tempted him, or “tried his patience and forbearance,” by rebellion, complaining, impatience, and dissatisfaction with his dealings. In what way the Corinthians were in danger of tempting Christ is not known, and can only be conjectured. It may be that the apostle cautions them against exposing themselves to temptation in the idol temples - placing themselves, as it were, under the unhappy influence of idolatry, and thus needlessly trying the strength of their religion, and making an experiment on the grace of Christ, as if he were bound to keep them even in the midst of dangers into which they needlessly ran. They would have the promise of grace to keep them only when they were in the way of their duty, and using all proper precautions. To go beyond this, to place themselves in needless danger, to presume on the grace of Christ to keep them in all circumstances, would be to tempt him, and provoke him to leave them; see the note at Matthew 4:7.

As some of them also tempted - There is evidently here a word to be understood, and it may be either “Christ” or “God.” The construction would naturally require the former; but it is not certain that the apostle meant to say that the Israelites tempted Christ. The main idea is that of temptation, whether it is of Christ or of God; and the purpose of the apostle is to caution them against the danger of tempting Christ, from the fact that the Israelites were guilty of the sin of tempting their leader and protector, and thus exposing themselves to his anger. It cannot be denied, however, that the more natural construction of this place is that which supposes that the word “Christ” is understood here rather than “God.” In order to relieve this interpretation from the difficulty that the Israelites could not be said with any propriety to have tempted “Christ,” since he had not then come in the flesh, two remarks may be made.

First, by the “angel of the covenant,” and the “angel of his presence” Exodus 23:20, Exodus 23:23; Exodus 32:34; Exodus 33:2; Numbers 20:16; Isaiah 63:9; Hebrews 11:26, that went with them, and delivered them from Egypt, there is reason to think the sacred writers understood the Messiah to be intended; and that he who subsequently became incarnate was he whom they tempted. And secondly, We are to bear in mind that the term “Christ” has acquired with us a signification somewhat different from that which it originally had in the New Testament. We use it as “a proper name,” applied to Jesus of Nazareth. But it is to be remembered that it is the mere Greek word for the Hebrew “Anointed,” or the “Messiah;” and by retaining this signification of the word here, no small part of the difficulty will be avoided; and the expression then will mean simply that the Israelites tempted “the Messiah;” and the idea will be that he who conducted them, and against whom they sinned, and whom they tempted, was “the Messiah,” who afterward became incarnate; an idea that is in accordance with the ancient ideas of the Jews respecting this personage, and which is not forbidden, certainly, in any part of the Bible.

And were destroyed of serpents - Fiery serpents; see Numbers 21:6.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 10:9. Neither let us tempt Christ — I have already supposed, in Clarke's note on "1 Corinthians 10:4", that Christ is intended by the spiritual rock that followed them: and that it was he, not the rock, that did follow or accompany the Israelites in the wilderness. This was the angel of God's presence who was with the Church in the wilderness, to whom our fathers would not obey, as St. Stephen says, Acts 7:38, Acts 7:39. Instead of χριστον, Christ, several MSS. and a few versions have κυριον, the Lord, and some few θεον, God. But though some respectable MSS. have the Lord instead of Christ, yet this latter has the greatest proportion of authority on its side. And this affords no mean proof that the person who is called Yehovah in the Old Testament, is called Christ in the New. By tempting Christ is meant disbelieving the providence and goodness of God; and presuming to prescribe to him how he should send them the necessary supplies, and of what kind they should be, &c.