1 Corinthians 9:24–10:13

²⁴Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race,^b but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.^{c 25}Now everyone who competes exercises self-control^d in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown,^e but we an imperishable crown. ²⁶So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. ²⁷Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.^f

WARNINGS FROM ISRAEL’S PAST

10Now I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors^g were all under the cloud,^h all passed through the sea,^{i 2}and all were baptized^j into Moses^k in the cloud and in the sea. ³They all ate the same spiritual food,^{l 4}and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock^m that followed them, and that rock was Christ.^{n 5}Nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them, since they were struck down in the wilderness.^o

⁶Now these things took place as examples for us, so that we will not desire^p evil things as they did.^{Aq 7}Don’t become idolaters^r as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party.^{BCs 8}Let us not commit sexual immorality^t as some of them did,^D and in a single day twenty-three thousand people died.^{u 9}Let us not test Christ as some of them did^E and were destroyed by snakes.^{v 10}And don’t grumble^w as some of them did,^Fx and were killed by the destroyer.^{Gy 11}These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction,^z on whom the ends of the ages^Haa have come.^{ab 12}So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.^{ac 13}No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful;^ad he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out^ae so that you may be able to bear it.