Chapter 10

For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,

and all were baptized in Moses, in the cloud and in the sea.

And all ate the same spiritual food,

and all drank the same spiritual drink (for they drank from the spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was Christ).

Yet with most of them God was not well pleased, for "they were laid low in the desert."

Now these things came to pass as examples to us, that we should not lust after evil things even as they lusted.

And do not become idolators, even as some of them were, as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."

Neither let us commit fornication, even as some of them committed fornication, and there fell in one day twenty-three thousand.

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

Neither murmur, as some of them murmured, and perished at the hands of the destroyer.

Now all these things happened to them as a type, and they were written for our correction, upon whom the final age of the world has come. Application

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

May no temptation take hold of you but such as man is equal to. God is faithful and will not permit you to be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also give you a way out that you may be able to bear it. The Table of the Lord

Therefore, beloved, flee from the worship of idols.

I am speaking as to men of sense; judge for yourselves what I say.

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not the sharing of the blood of Christ? And the bread that we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?

Because the bread is one, we though many, are one body, all of us who partake of the one bread.

Behold Israel according to the flesh, are not they who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

What then do I say? That what is sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

No; but I say that what the Gentiles sacrifice, "they sacrifice to devils and not to God"; and I would not have you become associates of devils.

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils; you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of devils.

Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? Practical Directions All things are lawful, but not all things are expedient.

All things are lawful, but not all things edify.

Let no one seek his own interests, but those of his neighbor.

Anything that is sold in the market, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake.

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof."

If one of the unbelievers invites you, and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you, and ask no question for conscience' sake.

But if someone says, "This has been sacrificed to idols," do not eat of it, for the sake of him who told you and for conscience' sake---

I mean the other's conscience, not thine. For why should my liberty be called to judgment by another's conscience?

If I partake with thanksgiving, why am I ill spoken of for that for which I give thanks? Give No Offense

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or do anything else, do all for the glory of God.

Do not be a stumbling-block to Jews and Greeks and to the church of God,

even as I myself in all things please all men, not seeking what is profitable to myself but to the many, that they may be saved.