¹Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud , and all passed through the sea ;

²and were all baptised into Moses in the cloud and in the sea ;

³and all ate the same spiritual food ;

⁴and all drank the same spiritual drink . For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them , and the rock was Christ .

⁵However with most of them , God was not well pleased , for they were overthrown in the wilderness .

⁶Now these things were our examples , to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted .

⁷Don’t be idolaters , as some of them were . As it is written , “The people sat down to eat and drink , and rose up to play .”[#Exodus 32:6]

⁸Let ’s not commit sexual immorality , as some of them committed , and in one day twenty-three thousand fell .

⁹Let ’s not test Christ , as some of them tested , and perished by the serpents .[#10:9 NU reads “the Lord” instead of “Christ”.]

¹⁰Don’t grumble , as some of them also grumbled , and perished by the destroyer .

¹¹Now all these things happened to them by way of example , and they were written for our admonition , on whom the ends of the ages have come .

¹²Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall .

¹³No temptation has taken you except what is common to man . God is faithful , who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able , but will with the temptation also make the way of escape , that you may be able to endure it .

¹⁴Therefore , my beloved, flee from idolatry .

¹⁵I speak as to wise men . Judge what I say .

¹⁶The cup of blessing which we bless , isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ ? The bread which we break , isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ ?

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

¹⁸Consider Israel according to the flesh . Don’t those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar ?

¹⁹What am I saying then ? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything , or that an idol is anything ?

²⁰But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice , they sacrifice to demons and not to God , and I don’t desire that you would have fellowship with demons .

²¹You can ’t both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons . You can ’t both partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons .

²²Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? Are we stronger than he ?

²³“All things are lawful for me ,” but not all things are profitable . “All things are lawful for me ,” but not all things build up .

²⁴Let no one seek his own , but each one his neighbour’s good .

²⁵Whatever is sold in the butcher shop, eat , asking no question for the sake of conscience ,

²⁶for “the earth is the Lord ’s , and its fullness .”[#Psalms 24:1]

²⁷But if one of those who don’t believe invites you to a meal, and you are inclined to go , eat whatever is set before you , asking no questions for the sake of conscience .

²⁸But if anyone says to you , “This was offered to idols ,” don’t eat it for the sake of the one who told you , and for the sake of conscience . For “the earth is the Lord ’s, with all its fullness.”

²⁹Conscience , I say , not your own , but the other ’s conscience . For why is my liberty judged by another conscience ?

³⁰If I partake with thankfulness , why am I denounced for something I give thanks for ?

³¹Whether therefore you eat or drink , or whatever you do , do all to the glory of God .

³²Give no occasion for stumbling, whether to Jews , to Greeks , or to the assembly of God ;

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