¹ BUT I would not that you should be ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

² and were all baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

³ and did all eat the same spiritual meat;

⁴ and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual rock which followed them; but that rock was Christ.

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

⁶ Now these things were examples for us, that we might not be coveters of evil things, as they also coveted.

⁷ Neither be ye idolaters as some of them; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to sport themselves¹.”

1. Exod. xxxii. 6-19.

⁸ Neither let us commit whoredom, as some of them also committed, and in one day fell twenty-three thousand¹.

1. Num. xxv. 1-9.

⁹ Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted¹, and were destroyed by serpents.

1. Num. xxi. 16.

¹⁰ Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and perished by the destroyer¹.

1. Num. xiv 37.

¹¹ Now all these things happened unto them as examples, but they are written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages are come.

¹² Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.

¹³ No temptation hath overtaken you, but what is common to men. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what ye are able to bear; but will with the temptation make also a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear up under it.

¹⁴ Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

¹⁵ I speak as unto wise men: judge ye what I say.

¹⁶ The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

¹⁷ For we, though many, are one loaf, one body; for we all partake of that one loaf.

¹⁸ Behold Israel after the flesh. Are not they who eat of the sacrifices partakers with the altar?

¹⁹ What do I say then? that an idol is any thing, or that which is sacrificed to an idol is any thing?

²⁰ But that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to daemons, and not to God: and I would not have you in communion with daemons.

²¹ Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of daemons: ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and the table of daemons.

²² Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

²³ All things are lawful for me, but all things are not profitable; all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

²⁴ Let no man seek his own gratification, but every one another’s good.

²⁵ Every thing which is sold in the shambles eat, asking no question for conscience sake;

²⁶ “for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof¹.”

1. Psalm xxiv. 1.

²⁷ And if any one of those, who do not believe, invite you, and ye incline to go, eat every thing set before you, asking no question for conscience sake.

²⁸ But if any person say unto you, This is an idol’s sacrifice, eat not of it, for his sake who pointed it out, and for conscience sake. For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.

²⁹ Conscience indeed I say, not merely thine own, but that of the other person.

³⁰ For why is my liberty abridged by another’s conscience? If I truly with thanksgiving am a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

³¹ Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all things to the glory of God.

³² Give no occasion of stumbling either to the Jews or the Gentiles, or the church of God:

³³ even as I please all men, not seeking my own advantage, but that of the many, that they may be saved.