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1 I do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea.
2 All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
3 and all ate the same spiritual food.
4 All drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.
5 But God was not well pleased with most of them, and their corpses were scattered about in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were examples for us, so we would not be those who lust for evil things as they lusted.
7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. This is as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."
8 Let us not commit sexual immorality, as many of them did. In one day, twenty-three thousand people died because of it.
9 Neither let us put Christ to the test, as many of them did and were destroyed by snakes.
10 Also do not grumble, as many of them did and were destroyed by an angel of death.
11 Now these things happened to them as examples for us. They were written for our instruction—for us on whom the end of the ages has come.
12 Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands be careful that he does not fall.
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to all humanity. Instead, God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. With the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, so that you may be able to endure it.
14 Therefore, my beloved ones, run away from idolatry.
15 I speak to you as people who have understanding, so you may judge what I say.
16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?
17 Because there is one loaf of bread, we who are many are one body. We all take of one loaf of bread together.
18 Look at the Israel that is according to the flesh. Are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything? Or that food sacrificed to an idol is anything?
20 But I say about the things they sacrifice, that they offer these things to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons!
21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot participate at the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he is?
23 "Everything is lawful," but not everything is profitable. "Everything is lawful," but not everything builds people up.
24 No one should seek his own good. Instead, each one should seek the good of his neighbor.
25 Eat everything sold in the market without asking questions of conscience.
26 For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it."
27 If an unbeliever invites you to eat a meal, and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you without asking questions of conscience.
28 But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— [[ Some ancient copies of the Greek text add, " For the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord " . But the best ancient copies of the Greek text do not have this. Many scholars see this addition as a duplication of verse 26. ]]
29 the conscience of the other man, I mean, and not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience?
30 If I partake of the meal with gratitude, why am I being insulted for that for which I gave thanks?
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Be blameless both to Jews and to Greeks, and to the church of God.
33 In the same way I try to please all people in all things. I do not seek my benefit, but that of the many. I do this so that they may be saved.