Warnings From Our Ancestors' Failures
10 1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and they all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet our Father was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.
6 Now these things became examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they craved. 7 Do not become idolaters, as some of them were; 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 some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 Let us not test Christ, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 These things happened to them as examples, and they were written down as a warning for us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 So then, let anyone who thinks he stands take care that he does not fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And our Father is faithful: he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out, so that you can endure it.
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves 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 bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share in the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but what those who don't know the Father sacrifice, they offer to demons and not to our Father; and I do not want you to become partners with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot share in the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he is?
23 "Everything is permitted" — but not everything is helpful. "Everything is permitted" — but not everything builds up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without asking any questions for conscience's sake, 26 for "the earth is our Father's, and everything in it." 27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is set before you without asking any questions for conscience's sake. 28 But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience 29 —I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person's. For why should my freedom be judged by someone else's conscience? 30 If I eat with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something for which I give thanks?
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of our Father. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of our Father, 33 just as I also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own advantage, but that of the many, so that they may be saved.