Don't Worship Idols
1 Friends, I want to remind you that all our ancestors walked under the cloud and went through the sea. 2 This was like being baptized and becoming followers of Moses. 3 All of them also ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink, which flowed from the spiritual rock that followed them. That rock was Christ. 5 But most of them did not please God. So they died, and their bodies were scattered all over the desert.
6 What happened to them is a warning to keep us from wanting to do the same evil things. 7 They worshiped idols, just as the Scriptures say, “The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance around.” So don't worship idols. 8 Some of those people did shameful things, and in a single day about 23,000 died. Don't do shameful things as they did. 9 And don't try to test Christ, as some of them did and were later bitten by poisonous snakes. 10 Don't even grumble, as some of them did and were killed by the destroying angel. 11 These things happened to them as a warning to us. All this was written in the Scriptures to teach us who live in these last days.
12 Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall. 13 You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.
14 My friends, you must keep away from idols. 15 I am speaking to you as people who have enough sense to know what I am talking about. 16 When we drink from the cup we ask God to bless, isn't that sharing in the blood of Christ? When we eat the bread we break, isn't that sharing in the body of Christ? 17 By sharing in the same loaf of bread, we become one body, even though there are many of us.
18 Aren't the people of Israel sharing in the worship when they gather around the altar and eat the sacrifices offered there? 19 Am I saying that either the idols or the food sacrificed to them is anything at all? 20 No, I am not! This food is really sacrificed to demons and not to God. I don't want you to have anything to do with demons. 21 You cannot drink from the cup of demons and still drink from the Lord's cup. You cannot eat at the table of demons and still eat at the Lord's table. 22 We would make the Lord jealous if we did this. And we are not stronger than the Lord.
Always Honor God
23 Some of you say, “We can do whatever we want to!” But I tell you not everything may be good or helpful. 24 We should think about others and not about ourselves. 25 However, when you buy meat in the market, go ahead and eat it. Keep your conscience clear by not asking where the meat came from. 26 The Scriptures say, “The earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.”
27 If an unbeliever invites you to dinner, and you want to go, then go. Eat whatever you are served. Don't cause a problem for someone's conscience by asking where the food came from. 28-29 But if you are told it has been sacrificed to idols, don't cause a problem by eating it. I don't mean a problem for yourself, but for the one who told you. Why should my freedom be limited by someone else's conscience? 30 If I give thanks for what I eat, why should anyone accuse me of doing wrong?
31 When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God. 32 Don't cause problems for Jews or Greeks or anyone else who belongs to God's church. 33 I always try to please others instead of myself, in the hope that many of them will be saved.
Israēla vēstures mācības
1 Brāļi, es negribu, ka jūs paliktu neziņā: visi mūsu tēvi bija apakš padebeša, un visi viņi izgāja caur jūru, 2 un tajā padebesī un jūrā viņi visi ir kristīti uz Mozu, 3 un visi ēda vienu un to pašu garīgo barību, 4 un visi dzēra vienu un to pašu garīgo dzērienu; to viņi dzēra no garīgās klints, kas tiem gāja visur līdzi, un tā klints bija Kristus. 5 Bet uz daudziem no viņiem Dievam nebija labs prāts, un viņi tika pazudināti tuksnesī. 6 Tas ir noticis mums par zīmi, lai mēs netīkotu pēc ļaunā, kā tīkoja viņi. 7 Nekļūstiet arī par elku pielūdzējiem kā daži no viņiem; kā ir rakstīts: tauta apsēdās ēst un dzert un cēlās līksmoties. 8 Neļausimies izvirtībai, kā daži no viņiem ļāvušies – un vienā dienā gāja bojā divdesmit trīs tūkstoši. 9 Nedz izaicināsim Kristu, kā daži no viņiem izaicinājuši – un gāja pazušanā no čūskām. 10 Nedz kurniet, kā daži no viņiem kurnējuši – un gāja pazušanā no maitātāja. 11 Šie notikumi ar viņiem bija zīmīgi, un tie rakstīti mums, lai mūs pamācītu, jo laiku beigas mūs ir sasniegušas. 12 Un tādēļ, kurš iedomājas, ka viņš stāv, lai raugās, ka nekrīt. 13 Jūs nav piemeklējis nekas cits kā vien cilvēcisks pārbaudījums, bet Dievs ir uzticams, viņš nepieļaus, ka jūs tiekat pārbaudīti pāri tam, cik spējat nest. Viņš arī rādīs ceļu, kā iziet no pārbaudījuma, dodams spēju jums to panest.
Elkdievība un Kunga mielasts nav savienojami
14 Tādēļ, mīļotie, bēdziet no elku pielūgšanas. 15 Es runāju ar jums kā saprātīgiem: izspriediet paši, ko es saku. 16 Vai svētības biķeris, ko mēs svētām, nav savienošanās ar Kristus asinīm? Vai maize, ko mēs laužam, nav savienošanās ar Kristus miesu? 17 Jo viena maize, viena miesa esam mēs daudzie, tādēļ ka mēs visi esam līdzdalīgi pie šīs vienas maizes. 18 Skatiet Israēla tautu: vai tie, kas ēd upura gaļu, nav kopībā ar altāri? 19 Ko tad es saku? Vai to, ka elku upuris būtu kaut kas? Vai to, ka elks būtu kaut kas? 20 Bet es saku: ko tie upurē, to upurē dēmoniem, nevis Dievam, bet es negribu, ka jūs nonāktu kopībā ar dēmoniem. 21 Jūs nevarat dzert gan no Kunga biķera, gan no dēmonu biķera, jūs nevarat piedalīties gan Kunga mielastā, gan dēmonu mielastā. 22 Vai iekvēlināsim Kungu dusmās? Vai tad mēs esam stiprāki par viņu?
Kristieša brīvība
23 Viss ir atļauts, bet ne viss der, viss ir atļauts, bet ne viss ceļ. 24 Neviens lai nemeklē savu paša, bet gan cita labumu. 25 Ēdiet visu, ko tirgū pārdod, un neapgrūtiniet sirdsapziņu ar pārmetumiem. 26 Jo Kungam pieder zeme un tās pilnība. 27 Ja kāds no neticīgajiem jūs aicina un jūs nolemjat iet, tad ēdiet visu, ko jums liek priekšā un neapgrūtiniet sirdsapziņu ar pārmetumiem. 28 Bet, ja kāds jums teiks: tas ir elku upura ēdiens, – tad neēdiet to šā sacītāja dēļ un sirdsapziņas dēļ – 29 es runāju ne par savu, bet par viņa sirdsapziņu. Kādēļ gan lai cita sirdsapziņa spriež par manu brīvību? 30 Ja es ēdu ar pateicību, kādēļ mani zaimo par to, par ko es pateicos? 31 Tādēļ, vai ēdat vai dzerat, vai ko citu darāt, visu dariet Kungam par godu. 32 Neesiet par klupšanu nedz jūdiem, nedz grieķiem, nedz Dieva draudzei, 33 tāpat kā es visiem visās lietās cenšos būt patīkams, nemeklēdams savējo, bet daudzu cilvēku labumu, lai viņi taptu glābti.
