1 Corinthians 10–11

Old Testament Examples

10Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under ^athe cloud, all passed through ^bthe sea, ²all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³all ate the same ^cspiritual food, ⁴and all drank the same ^dspiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. ⁵But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies ^ewere scattered in the wilderness.

⁶Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as ^fthey also lusted. ^7gAnd do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ^h“The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” ⁸ⁱNor let us commit sexual immorality, as ^jsome of them did, and ^kin one day twenty-three thousand fell; ⁹nor let us ¹tempt Christ, as ^lsome of them also tempted, and ^mwere destroyed by serpents; ¹⁰nor complain, as ⁿsome of them also complained, and ^owere destroyed by ^pthe destroyer. ¹¹Now ²all these things happened to them as examples, and ^qthey were written for our ³admonition, ^rupon whom the ends of the ages have come.

¹²Therefore ^slet him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but ^tGod is faithful, ^uwho will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to ⁴bear it.

Flee from Idolatry

¹⁴Therefore, my beloved, ^vflee from idolatry. ¹⁵I speak as to ^wwise men; judge for yourselves what I say. ^16xThe cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the ⁵communion of the blood of Christ? ^yThe bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? ¹⁷For ^zwe, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

¹⁸Observe ^aIsrael ^bafter the flesh: ^cAre not those who eat of the sacrifices ⁶partakers of the altar? ¹⁹What am I saying then? ^dThat an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? ²⁰Rather, that the things which the Gentiles ^esacrifice ^fthey sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. ^21gYou cannot drink the cup of the Lord and ^hthe cup of demons; you cannot partake of the ⁱLord’s table and of the table of demons. ²²Or do we ^jprovoke the Lord to jealousy? ^kAre we stronger than He?

All to the Glory of God

²³All things are lawful ⁷for me, but not all things are ^lhelpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things ⁸edify. ²⁴Let no one seek his own, but each one ^mthe other’s well-being.

²⁵ⁿEat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; ²⁶for ^o“the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”

²⁷If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, ^peat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. ²⁸But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it ^qfor the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; ⁹for ^r“the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” ²⁹“Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For ^swhy is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? ³⁰But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food ^tover which I give thanks?

^31uTherefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ^32vGive no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, ³³just ^was I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

11Imitate ^ame, just as I also imitate Christ.

Head Coverings

²Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. ³But I want you to know that ^bthe head of every man is Christ, ^cthe head of woman is man, and ^dthe head of Christ is God. ⁴Every man praying or ^eprophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. ⁵But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were ^fshaved. ⁶For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is ^gshameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. ⁷For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since ^hhe is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. ⁸For man is not from woman, but woman ⁱfrom man. ⁹Nor was man created for the woman, but woman ^jfor the man. ¹⁰For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹Nevertheless, ^kneither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. ¹²For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.

¹³Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? ¹⁵But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given ¹to her for a covering. ¹⁶But ^lif anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, ^mnor do the churches of God.

Conduct at the Lord’s Supper

¹⁷Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸For first of all, when you come together as a church, ⁿI hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. ¹⁹For ^othere must also be factions among you, ^pthat those who are approved may be ²recognized among you. ²⁰Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. ²¹For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and ^qanother is drunk. ²²What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise ^rthe church of God and ^sshame ³those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

²³For ^tI received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: ^uthat the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; ²⁴and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ⁴“Take, eat; this is My body which is ⁵broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁵In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

²⁶For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death ^vtill He comes.

Examine Yourself

²⁷Therefore whoever eats ^wthis bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and ⁶blood of the Lord. ²⁸But ^xlet a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹For he who eats and drinks ⁷in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the ⁸Lord’s body. ³⁰For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many ⁹sleep. ³¹For ^yif we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. ³²But when we are judged, ^zwe are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

³³Therefore, my brethren, when you ^acome together to eat, wait for one another. ³⁴But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.