^10:1 Now brethren, I do not wish you^° to be ignorant that our fathers were all under the cloud and all went through the sea; ^10:2 and were all immersed^* into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ^10:3 and all ate the same spiritual food, ^10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for^* they were drinking from a spiritual rock following them, and the rock was the Christ. {Exo 13:21, 14:22, 16:15, 17:6, Num 20:11} ^10:5 But God was not delighted in most of them, for^* they were overthrown in the wilderness. ^10:6 Now these things became our examples, ^*that^* we should not be desirers of evil things, just-as they also lusted. ^10:7 Do^° not become idolaters, just-like some of them were; as it has been written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.’ {Exo 32:6} ^10:8 Neither should we fornicate, like some of them fornicated, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. ^10:9 Nor should we test the Christ, just-as some of them also tested him, and perished by the serpents. ^10:10 Nor murmur^°, like some of them also murmured, and perished by the destroyer. ^10:11 Now all these things are examples which were befalling to those Jews, and they were written for our admonition, ^*for whom the ends of the ages have arrived. ^10:12 So-then, the one thinking of himself as to be standing, let him beware, lest he might fall! ^10:13 No temptation has taken you^° except common human temptations, but God is faithful, who will not be permitting you^° to be tempted beyond what you^° are able to undergo, but together-with the temptation, he will also make^* the outlet {i.e., an exit}.

      ^10:14 Hence, my beloved, flee^° from idolatry. ^10:15 I speak as to prudent men. You^°, judge^° what I say.

      {Tradition, and some translations, used ‘communion’ for the word ‘fellowship’ in the verses below. The latter is the common translation of the underlying Greek word throughout the rest of the New Covenant.}

      ^10:16 The cup of thanks for which we are giving-thanks, is it not a fellowship of the blood of the Christ? The bread which we are breaking, is it not a fellowship of the body of the Christ? ^10:17 Because we, the many, are one bread, one body; for^* we all are partaking from the one bread.

      ^10:18 Beware^° of Israel according-to the flesh: are not the ones eating the sacrifices, partners of the altar? ^10:19 Therefore, what am I saying? An idol is anything, or that an idol-sacrifice is anything? ^10:20 But I am saying that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they are sacrificing to demons, and not to God, and I do not wish you^° to become partners of demons. {Deu 32:17}

      ^10:21 You^° are not able to drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You^° are not able to partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons. ^10:22 Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? We are not mightier than him, are we?

      ^10:23 All things are legal for me, but not all things are advantageous. All things are legal for me, but not all things build up. ^10:24 Let no one seek his own, but each one seek the good of the other. ^10:25 Eat^° everything which is sold in the meat-market, judging nothing because of conscience, ^10:26 for^* ‘The earth is the Lord’s and its fullness.’ {Psa 24:1} ^10:27 But if anyone of the unbelieving invites you^° to a feast and you^° wish to travel, eat^° everything being placed beside you^°, judging nothing because of conscience. ^10:28 But if anyone says to you^°, This is an idol-sacrifice, do^° not eat, because of that one who divulged it and because of their conscience, for^* ‘The earth is the Lord’s and its fullness.’ {Psa 24:1} ^10:29 I say, not your own conscience, but the conscience of the other. For^* why is my freedom judged by another conscience? ^10:30 If I partake with gratitude, why am I blasphemed on behalf of what I am giving-thanks? ^10:31 Therefore, whether you^° eat or drink, or if you^° are doing^* anything, do^*° all to the glory of God. ^10:32 Do^° not become a stumbling block, both to Jews and to Greeks, and also to the congregation^* of God, ^10:33 just-as I am also pleasing all people in all things, not seeking what is advantageous for myself, but the things of the many, in-order-that they might be saved.