1 Corinthians 10

Brothers and sisters, I want you to know this: our ancestors were all under the cloud, and they all walked through the sea.

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

NoteThe cloud and the sea are from the Exodus story: the pillar of cloud that led Israel out of Egypt, and the sea that parted so the people could cross on dry ground (Exodus 13 to 14). Paul assumes his readers, most of them not Jewish, already know it well enough to follow the allusion.

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

2And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

Note"Baptized unto Moses" is Paul's own coinage, formed on the way early Christians spoke of being baptized into Christ. Passing under the cloud and through the water is described as the act that bound that generation to Moses as their leader.

3They all ate the same spiritual food.

3And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

NoteIn 1611 "meat" meant food of any kind, not flesh in particular; the old sense survives in "sweetmeat." The food in view is the manna of Exodus 16.

4And they all drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them, and that rock was Christ.

4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

NoteWater came from a rock twice in the story, at Rephidim near the start of the journey (Exodus 17) and at Kadesh near its end (Numbers 20). Jewish teachers of Paul's time accounted for the two accounts by speaking of a rock, or a well given by it, that traveled with Israel through the desert, and Paul draws on that picture. The Greek verb behind KJV "followed" means accompanied or went along with, not trailed behind.

5But God was not pleased with most of them. They were struck down in the desert.

5But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Note"Overthrown" here means struck down dead. The reference is to the generation that left Egypt and died over forty years in the desert without reaching the promised land (Numbers 14).

6These things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things the way they did.

6Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

NoteKJV "lust" in 1611 meant any strong craving and was not restricted to sexual desire. The craving in view is the demand for meat in Numbers 11.

7Do not worship idols, as some of them did. As the Scripture says, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and then got up to celebrate wildly."

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

NoteThe quotation is Exodus 32:6, the feast held around the golden calf. "Rose up to play" translates a word covering dancing and revelry that can carry a sexual edge; the Greek leaves the range open, and the rendering keeps it open too.

8We must not commit sexual sin, as some of them did. In a single day twenty-three thousand of them died.

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

NoteThe incident is at Peor, where Israelite men joined Moabite women in the worship of their god and a plague followed (Numbers 25). Numbers gives the number of dead as twenty four thousand, Paul as twenty three thousand. Readers noticed the difference in antiquity, and there is no agreed explanation.

9We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did. They were killed by snakes.

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

NoteThe reference is Numbers 21:4 to 9, where poisonous snakes came among the complaining Israelites. Some ancient copies of this verse read "the Lord" or "God" where others read "Christ"; the manuscripts are divided.

10And do not grumble, as some of them did. They were killed by the destroyer.

10Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

Note"The destroyer" is the agent of death, spoken of in Exodus 12:23 at the Passover and behind the plague that follows the rebellion in Numbers 16. KJV "murmur" means to complain under the breath rather than openly.

11These things happened to them as examples, and they were written down as a warning for us, who live at the time when the ages have reached their goal.

11Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Note"Ensamples" is an older spelling of examples. "The ends of the world" translates a phrase meaning the ends of the ages: the point where the long stretch of past history arrives at its goal, not the edge of the earth.

12So anyone who thinks he is standing firm should watch out that he does not fall.

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

13No temptation has come to you except the kind that everyone faces. And God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can handle. Along with the temptation he will also provide a way out, so you can hold up under it.

13There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

NoteKJV "suffer" means allow, an old sense of the word. The one Greek word here covers both temptation, an enticement to do wrong, and testing, a trial that shows what a person is made of; the passage draws on both.

14So, my dear friends, run away from idol worship.

14Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

15I am speaking to people who can think it through. Judge for yourselves what I say.

15I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

16The cup of blessing that we give thanks over (is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break) is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?

16The 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?

Note"The cup of blessing" was the ordinary Jewish name for the cup over which thanks was said at a meal, and particularly for the third cup at Passover. KJV "communion" translates koinonia, a share in something held in common; in 1611 it did not name a church service.

17Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, since we all share in that one loaf.

17For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

Note"One bread" means one loaf. Bread was baked in round flat loaves and torn by hand rather than sliced, so a single loaf passed around a table was a natural image of a single group.

18Look at the people of Israel by birth. Are not those who eat the sacrifices sharing in the altar?

18Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

Note"Israel after the flesh" means Israel reckoned by birth and ancestry. Under Israel's law most sacrifices were eaten, part by the priests and part by the worshipers, so those who ate the meat were counted as having a stake in what was done at the altar.

19So what am I saying? That an idol is anything at all, or that food offered to an idol is anything at all?

19What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?

20No. I am saying that what the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, not to God. And I do not want you sharing with demons.

20But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

NoteKJV "devils" is the 1611 word for what is now called demons; the New Testament speaks of one devil but many demons. "Gentiles" translates a word meaning the nations, that is, everyone not Jewish. The line echoes Deuteronomy 32:17.

21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too. You cannot share in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.

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

NoteTemples in Corinth had dining rooms where meat from sacrifices was served at private dinners, and written invitations to such meals survive on papyrus. Paul is talking about attending those dinners, not only about eating temple meat elsewhere.

22Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is?

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

NoteThe wording echoes Deuteronomy 32:21. Jealousy here is a wronged partner's reaction to unfaithfulness, not envy of what someone else has.

23"Everything is allowed" (but not everything is good for us. "Everything is allowed") but not everything builds people up.

23All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

Note"All things are lawful for me" looks like a slogan some in Corinth were using, which Paul quotes back to them before qualifying it; that is why the rendering sets it off. KJV "expedient" means beneficial or useful, with no hint of cutting corners, and "edify" means to build up, from the word for erecting a building.

24No one should look out for his own good. Each should look out for the good of the other person.

24Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.

NoteKJV "wealth" in 1611 meant welfare or well being, not money. The noun is supplied by the translators; the Greek says only "the other's."

25Eat whatever is sold in the meat market. Do not ask questions about where it came from to settle your conscience.

25Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:

Note"Shambles" was the English word for a butcher's row or meat market. In Corinth this was the macellum, the public market, where a good deal of the meat on sale came from animals killed in temple sacrifices, which is what makes the question live.

26For "the earth belongs to the Lord, and everything in it."

26For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.

NoteQuoted from Psalm 24:1. "The fulness thereof" means everything that fills it.

27If someone who is not a believer invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is set in front of you. Do not ask questions about it to settle your conscience.

27If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

28But if someone says to you, "This food was offered in sacrifice to an idol," then do not eat it. Do it for the sake of the person who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For "the earth belongs to the Lord, and everything in it."

28But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:

NoteKJV "shewed" is the old spelling of showed and here means pointed it out. The speaker could be another guest, a believer or not. Some ancient copies do not repeat "for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof" at the end of this verse.

29I mean the other person's conscience, not your own. For why should my freedom be judged by someone else's conscience?

29Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?

30If I take part in the meal with thanks, why am I spoken against for food I give thanks for?

30For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

NoteKJV "by grace" translates a word that can mean thanks, thankfulness, or a favor given. The sense is taking part in the meal with thanks said over the food.

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

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

32Do not put anything in anyone's way that makes them stumble, not Jews, not Greeks, not the church of God.

32Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

NoteKJV "offence" here has nothing to do with hurt feelings. The underlying word is about tripping someone up, putting a block in the path where a person walks. "Gentiles" renders "Greeks," Paul's usual shorthand for people who are not Jewish.

33That is what I do too. I try to please everyone in everything, not looking for what benefits me, but what benefits many people, so that they may be saved.

33Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

NoteKJV "profit" means benefit or advantage generally, not money.