English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,

1I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground.

2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

2In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses.

3and all ate the same spiritual food,

3All of them ate the same spiritual food,

4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

4and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.

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

5Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.

6These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did,

7Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”

7or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.”

8We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.

8And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.

9We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents,

9Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites.

10nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.

10And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death.

11Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

11These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.

12Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

12If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.

13No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

13The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

14Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

14So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.

15I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

15You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true.

16The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

16When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ?

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

17And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body.

18Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?

18Think about the people of Israel. Weren’t they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar?

19What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

19What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods?

20No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.

20No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons.

21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

21You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too.

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

22What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is?

23“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

23You say, “I am allowed to do anything” —but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial.

24Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

24Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.

25Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.

25So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience.

26For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”

26For “the earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it.”

27If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.

27If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience.

28But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience—

28(But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you.

29I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience?

29It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks?

30If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?

30If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?

31So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

31So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

32Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,

32Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.

33just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

33I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.