1 Corinthians 10

1 I do not want [desire or wish] you to be unaware [ignorant or lacking knowledge], brothers [fellow believers], that our forefathers [ancestors, fathers] were all under [beneath, subject to] the cloud [a visible mass of water vapor], and that they all passed [traversed, crossed] through [by means of, because of] the sea [a large body of water]. word study 2 They were [symbolically, in a figurative sense] all baptized [immersed, fully identified] into Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver, leader] in the cloud [a visible mass of water vapor, a symbol of God’s presence] and in the sea [a large body of water, the Red Sea]. word study 3 They [every one of them] all ate [consumed, partook of] the same [identical, uniform] spiritual [non-carnal, supernatural] food [nourishment, sustenance] word study 4 and drank the same [holy] spiritual drink; for they drank from the [supernatural, divine] spiritual rock [that followed them, accompanying them] that accompanied them, and that rock [the Anointed One] was Christ [the Messiah, the Anointed One]. word study 5 Nevertheless [in spite of their experiences], God [the supreme Deity] was not pleased [did not delight, was displeased] with most [the majority, many] of them, for [because, as a result] they were struck down [overthrown, thrown to the ground] in [within, during the time of] the wilderness [desert, deserted place]. word study 6 These things [as examples, for our instruction] took place [happened, occurred] as [types, patterns] examples [models, warnings] to keep us [prevent us, warn us] from craving [lusting after, desiring] evil things [bad things, worthless things] as [just like, in the same way] they did [also lusted, coveted]. word study 7 Do not be [nor become] idolaters [those who worship false gods], as some of them were [had been in the past]. As it is written: “The people [a specific nation or group] sat down to eat [partake of food, feast] and to drink [consume liquids, indulge], and got up [arose, stood up] to indulge [engage in, play] in revelry [pagan worship, immoral celebration].” word study 8 We should not commit [unlawful, immoral] sexual immorality [fornication, prostitution], as some of them did [in a similar manner, just as], and in one day [a single 24-hour period] twenty-three thousand [23,000, a large multitude] of them died [fell, perished, came to an end]. word study 9 We should not [nor ever] test [tempt, put to the proof] Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], as some of them did [in the wilderness, by rebelling], and were killed [destroyed, lost] by [under the power of] snakes [serpents, symbolizing sly cunning]. word study 10 And do not complain [murmur, grumble, say evil things], as some of them did [also murmured, and perished], and were killed [destroyed, perished] by the destroying angel [the destroyer, one who ruins or causes harm]. word study 11 Now these things [as examples, for our instruction] happened to them [in the past, as a warning] as examples and were written down [recorded, for our admonition] as warnings [admonitions, gentle reminders] for us, on whom [upon whom, at this time] the fulfillment [completion, goal] of the ages [eternal periods, long periods of time] has come [arrived, been reached]. word study 12 So [therefore, as a result] the one who thinks [believes, supposes, has an opinion] he is standing [in a secure position, upright] firm [strong, steadfast] should be careful [take heed, watch out, be aware] not to fall [collapse, stumble, fail] [into sin, into temptation, spiritually]. word study 13 No [common to humanity, shared by all people] temptation [testing, trial] has seized you except what is [human, characteristic of mankind] common to man. And God [faithful, trustworthy, and true] is faithful; He will not let you be tempted [tested, tried] beyond what you can [are able, have the power] bear. But when you are tempted [tried, tested], He will also provide [make, bring about] an escape [way out, deliverance], so that you can stand up [endure, persevere] under it. word study 14 Therefore [for this reason, because of this], my [dearly] beloved [loved or cherished by God], flee [run away, shun or avoid] from [away from, moving away] idolatry [worshiping false gods or images, giving devotion to]. word study 15 I speak [as to wise men, to thoughtful people] to reasonable people [who are wise and discreet]; judge [make a decision, form an opinion] for yourselves [you personally, individually] what I say [declare, assert, speak]. word study 16 Is not the cup [of thanksgiving, communion] of blessing [praise, benediction] that we bless [give thanks, praise] a participation [fellowship, sharing] in the blood [the atoning sacrifice] of Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah]? And is not the bread [loaf, food] that we break [share, distribute] a participation [communion, partnership] in the body [the physical person, the church] of Christ [the Anointed One, Savior]? word study 17 Because there is [unified] one loaf, we who are many [a large crowd, numerous] are one body [a unified whole, a single entity]; for we all [together, as one] partake [share, participate] of the one [single, unique] loaf [bread, food]. word study 18 Consider the people of Israel [after the flesh, as a physical nation]: Are not those who eat [consume, participate in] the sacrifices [offerings to God, gifts] fellow partakers [partners, participants] in the altar [table of sacrifice, place of worship]? word study 19 Am I suggesting [as a consequence], then, that food [offerings, sacrifices] sacrificed to an idol [a false god, image] is anything [of value, significant], or that an idol [a mere image, false deity] is anything [real, of substance]? word study 20 No, but the sacrifices [offered to idols, pagan rituals] of pagans [Gentiles, non-Jewish people] are offered to demons [evil spirits, unclean beings], not to God [the one true deity]. And I do not want you to be participants [fellowship, communion] with demons [malevolent beings, false gods]. word study 21 You cannot drink the cup [a drinking vessel] of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake [share, participate] in the table [of fellowship, spiritual nourishment] of the Lord and the table [of darkness, evil spirits] of demons too. word study 22 Are we trying [or do we] to provoke [stir up, arouse] the Lord [God, the supreme authority] to jealousy [envy, rivalry]? Are we [do we think we are] stronger [more powerful, mighty] than He [the Almighty, God]? word study 23 “Everything [all things, every action] is permissible [lawful, allowed],” but not everything [all things, every action] is beneficial [profitable, expedient, advantageous]. “Everything [all things, every action] is permissible [lawful, allowed],” but not everything [all things, every action] is edifying [constructive, building up, for the common good]. word study 24 No one [not a single person, no individual] should seek [look for, try to find] his own [personal, self-centered] good [benefit, well-being], but [instead, on the contrary] the [that which is for the advantage of] good [well-being, prosperity] of [belonging to, concerning] others [different, neighboring people, those around him]. word study 25 Eat [anything, whatsoever] anything sold [that is being sold, available for purchase] in the [public] meat market [shambles, provision market] without [not, never] raising questions [asking no question, making no inquiry] of [because of, for the sake of] conscience [moral awareness, inner sense of right and wrong], word study 26 for [as a reason, because of this], “The earth [the land, the material world] is the Lord’s [God, the supreme Ruler], and the fullness [the abundance, the completion] thereof [of it, belonging to it].” word study 27 If an unbeliever [one who does not have faith, an unbelieving person] invites you to a meal [a feast, a dinner] and you want [are willing, desire] to go, eat [consume, partake of] anything [all that is] set before you [presented to you, laid out] without [not, by no means] raising questions of [examining, inquiring about] conscience [moral awareness, inner sense of right and wrong]. word study 28 But if someone tells you, “This food [offered as a sacrifice, dedicated to idols] was offered to idols [false gods],” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one [that person, the individual] who told you and for the sake of conscience [moral awareness, inner guidance]— word study 29 the other one’s conscience [moral awareness, inner sense of right and wrong], I mean, not your own [personal conviction]. For why should my freedom [liberty, exemption from sin’s bondage] be determined by someone else’s [another person’s, a different individual’s] conscience [inner judgment, sense of guilt or innocence]? word study 30 If [in the event that, under the condition] I partake [share, participate] in the meal [food, feast] with thankfulness [gratitude, appreciation], why am I denounced [evil spoken of, blasphemed] because of that [on account of] for which I give thanks [express gratitude, offer praise]? word study 31 So whether [in any circumstance, at any time] you eat [consume food, take nourishment] or drink [swallow liquids, satisfy thirst] or whatever [any other thing, all actions] you do [perform, accomplish, make], do [perform, act, carry out] it all [everything, every action] to the glory [honor, praise, admiration] of God [the one true deity, Creator]. word study 32 Do not become [give no occasion of stumbling, be without offense] a stumbling block [cause of trouble], whether to [among] Jews [people from Judah] or Greeks [Gentiles, non-Jews] or the church [assembly, community] of God [the one true deity]— word study 33 as I also try to please [give way to, be agreeable with] everyone in all I do [in every way, at all times]. For I am not seeking [looking for, trying to find] my own good [profit, benefit], but [rather] the good [profit, benefit] of many [the multitude, a large number], that they may be saved [rescued, delivered from sin]. word study