1 Corinthians 10 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~AD 53-55
Location
Written to Corinth, a major port city in Roman Achaia (Greece)
Audience
The Christian church in Corinth, composed primarily of Gentile converts with some Jewish believers
Situation
Paul addresses the controversial issue of Christians participating in meals associated with pagan idol worship and eating meat sold in markets that had been sacrificed to idols. He uses Israel's wilderness failures as warnings against presumption and idolatry.
Key Background
Corinth was a wealthy, cosmopolitan city filled with pagan temples where animal sacrifices were routine. Meat from these sacrifices was often sold in public markets or consumed at social gatherings in temple precincts, creating a dilemma for Christians about how to navigate social and economic life without compromising their faith. Some Corinthian believers felt their knowledge made them free to participate in these practices, while others were troubled by any association with idolatry.
I don't want you to miss this, and — our ancestors were all under the and they all passed through the
They were all into through the cloud and through the sea.
They all ate the same
and they all drank the same spiritual drink. They were drinking from a spiritual that traveled with them — and that was The
But God was not with most of them — their bodies were the
Now these things happened as for us, so that we wouldn't the way they did.
Don't become like some of them did. As it's written: "The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up to a
And let's not be like some of them were — twenty-three fell dead in a single day.
And let's not The to the like some of them did — and were killed by
And don't like some of them did — and were destroyed by the of
All of these things happened to them as and they were written down as warnings for us — we're the ones living at the of
So if you think you're watch out — you might
Every you've faced is the kind that everyone faces. And God is — he won't let you be tested beyond what you can handle. When the comes, he'll also provide the it so you can endure.
So then, my from
I'm talking to you as — judge for yourselves what I'm saying.
The we in — isn't that a of The One's The we — isn't that a of The One's body?
Because there is loaf, we who are many are — we all share the loaf.
Look at the of in their — don't those who eat the sacrifices become with the
So what am I saying? That food sacrificed to a actually means something? Or that a is actually real?
No — what I'm saying is that when sacrifice, they're sacrificing to not to God. And I don't want you becoming with
You can't drink the of the and the of demons too. You can't eat at the Lord's and at the of demons too.
Or are we trying to the Lord to Are we than he is?
is — but not is is — but not up.
Nobody should be looking out for just their own — look out for each other's too.
Eat whatever is sold in the without asking questions for the sake of your
After all, "the and in it to the
If an invites you to dinner and you want to go, eat whatever is put in front of you without asking questions for the sake of your conscience.
But if someone tells you, "This was in then don't eat it — for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.
I'm talking about the other person's conscience, not yours. Now, why should my be judged by someone else's conscience?
If I eat with why should I be criticized for food that I've thanked God for?
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to bring to God.
Don't cause anyone to — not Jewish people, not Greek people, and not the of
I do the same thing — I try to in everything I do, not looking out for my own advantage but for what's best for the so that they might be