Warnings From Israel’s History
1For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on 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 got up to indulge in revelry.”10:7 Exodus 32:6 8We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9We should not test Christ,10:9 Some manuscripts test the Lord as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13No temptation10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested. has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested. beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested. he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Idol Feasts and the Lord’s Supper
14Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
18Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
The Believer’s Freedom
23“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
25Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”10:26 Psalm 24:1
27If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
前車之鑑
1弟兄姊妹，我希望你們知道，我們的祖先曾經在雲下，都曾經走過紅海， 2都在雲下、在海中受洗跟從了摩西。 3他們都吃過同樣的靈糧， 4都喝過同樣的靈水，因為他們從那與他們同行的屬靈磐石中得水喝，那磐石就是基督。 5儘管如此，他們當中大多數人不討上帝的喜悅，倒斃在曠野。
6如今這些事正好警戒我們，叫我們不要像他們那樣貪戀罪惡。 7也不要祭拜偶像，像他們當中的人那樣，正如聖經上說：「百姓坐下吃喝，起來狂歡。」10·7 出埃及記32·6。 8我們也不要淫亂，像他們當中的人那樣，結果一天就死了兩萬三千人。 9也不要試探主，像他們當中的人那樣，結果被蛇咬死了。 10也不要發怨言，像他們當中的人那樣，結果被滅命的天使毀滅了。 11發生在他們身上的這些事都是鑑戒，之所以記錄下來是為了警戒我們這活在末世的人。 12所以，自以為站得穩的人要小心，免得跌倒。
13你們遇見的誘惑無非是人們常見的。上帝是信實的，祂絕不會讓你們遇見無法抵擋的誘惑，祂必為你們開一條出路，使你們經得住誘惑。
切勿祭拜偶像
14所以，我親愛的弟兄姊妹，你們要遠避祭拜偶像的事。 15你們都是明白事理的人，可以判斷我的話對不對。 16領聖餐時，我們為那福杯獻上感謝，這不表示我們有份於基督的血嗎？我們吃掰開的餅，這不表示我們有份於基督的身體嗎？ 17我們人數雖多，卻同屬一個身體，因為餅只有一個，我們同享一個餅。
18你們看以色列人10·18 「以色列人」希臘文是「從血統上講是以色列人」。，那些吃祭物的難道不是有份於祭壇嗎？ 19我這話是什麼意思呢？是說偶像和祭偶像的食物有什麼特別嗎？ 20當然不是，我的意思是那些異教徒所獻的祭是祭鬼魔的，而不是獻給上帝的。我不願意你們與鬼魔有任何關係。 21你們不能又喝主的杯又喝鬼魔的杯，不能又吃主的聖餐又吃祭鬼魔的食物。 22我們想惹主嫉妒嗎？難道我們比祂更有能力嗎？
信徒的自由
23凡事我都可以做，但並非事事都有益處；凡事我都可以行，但並非事事都造就人。 24無論是誰，不要求自己的好處，要求別人的好處。
25市場上賣的肉，你們都可以吃，不必為良心的緣故而詢問什麼， 26因為大地和其中的萬物都屬於主。10·26 詩篇24·1。 27如果有非信徒邀請你們吃飯，你們又願意去，那麼，只管吃桌上擺的食物，不必為良心的緣故而詢問什麼。 28不過，如果有人告訴你這些是獻給偶像的祭物，你為了那告訴你的人和良心的緣故，就不要吃。 29不過我指的不是你的良心，而是那人的良心。也許有人說：「我的自由為什麼要受別人的良心限制呢？ 30我若存感恩的心吃，為什麼還要受譴責呢？」
31所以，你們或吃或喝，無論做什麼，都要為上帝的榮耀而做。 32不要成為猶太人、希臘人或上帝教會的絆腳石， 33就像我凡事儘量讓人滿意，不求自己的好處，只求眾人的好處，以便他們可以得救。
