Worsley - I Corinthians - 10

10:1  Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

10:2  and were all baptized into Moses by the cloud and by the sea;

10:3  and did all eat the same spiritual food;

10:4  and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them: and that rock was an emblem of Christ.

10:5  But with the greater part of them God was displeased: for they were destroyed in the wilderness.

10:6  Now these things were examples for us, that we might not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

10:7  And be ye not idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play."

10:8  Neither let us commit whoredom, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

10:9  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted Him, and were destroyed by serpents: nor murmur,

10:10  as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

10:11  Now all these things happened to them as examples: and are written for our admonition, on whom the last ages are come.

10:12  Wherefore let him, that thinks he standeth, take heed least he fall.

10:13  No temptation has yet taken you but what is common to man: and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able to sustain; but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

10:14  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, flee from idolatry.

10:15  I speak to you as to men of understanding: and judge ye what I say,

10:16  ---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?

10:17  For the bread is one, and we though many are one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

10:18  Consider Israel according to the flesh, Are not they, that eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar?

10:19  What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that what is sacrificed to an idol is in itself any thing to stumble at?

10:20  No: but this I say, that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God.

10:21  And I would not have you partakers with demons. Ye cannot drink of the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons.

10:22  Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than He?

10:23  If all things be lawful for me, yet all things are not expedient: all things may be lawful for me, but all things do not edify.

10:24  Let no one seek his own only, but every one another's benefit.

10:25  Eat then whatever is sold in the shambles, asking no questions for conscience sake:

10:26  for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:

10:27  and if any of the unbelievers invite you to an entertainment, and ye have a mind to go, whatever is set before you, eat, asking no questions for conscience-sake.

10:28  But if any one say to you, This hath been sacrificed to an idol,---eat it not; for his sake who informed thee, and for conscience-sake: for, as I said, the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, so that thou mayst have food enough without it.

10:29  Conscience I say, not thy own, but the other's; for why is my liberty to be judged by another man's conscience?

10:30  And if I partake with thankfulness, why am I blamed for that, for which I give thanks?

10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

10:32  Behave inoffensively both to the Jews, and to the Greeks, and to the church of God.

10:33  Even as I also endeavour to please all men in all things, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.