⁶Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as ^hthey did. ⁷ⁱDo not be idolaters ^jas some of them were; as it is written, ^k“The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” ⁸^lWe must not indulge in sexual immorality ^mas some of them did, and ⁿtwenty-three thousand fell in a single day. ⁹We must not put Christ³ to the test, ^oas some of them did and ^pwere destroyed by serpents, ¹⁰nor grumble, ^qas some of them did and ^rwere destroyed by ^sthe Destroyer.

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Footnotes

2Or were laid low
3Some manuscripts the Lord

Cross references

g Num. 14:29, 37; 26:64, 65; Ps. 106:26; Heb. 3:17; Jude 5
h Num. 11:4, 33, 34; Ps. 78:18; 106:14
iver. 14
j Ex. 32:4
kCited from Ex. 32:6
lSee ch. 6:18; Acts 15:20
m Num. 25:1
n[Num. 25:9; Ps. 106:29]
o Num. 21:5; [Ex. 17:2, 7]; See Ps. 78:18
pSee Num. 21:6
qSee Num. 14:2
r Num. 14:29–37
s Ex. 12:23; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Chr. 21:15; Ps. 78:49

In other versions

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do 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.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them, since they were struck down in the wilderness.

Now these things took place as examples for us, so that we will not desire evil things as they did. Don’t become idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party. Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in a single day twenty-three thousand people died. Let us not test Christ as some of them did and were destroyed by snakes. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer.

NLTNew Living Translation

Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.

Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But God was not pleased with the majority of them, for they were struck down in the desert.

Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we should not be desirers of evil things, just as those also desired them, and not become idolaters, as some of them did, just as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play,” nor commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed sexual immorality, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day, nor put Christ to the test, as some of them tested him, and were destroyed by snakes, nor grumble, just as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

KJV 1900King James Version

But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither 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. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

Public Domain