Bible / 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 10

World English Bible, Catholic edition, in plain modern English. About the translations

1 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; CCC · Fathers

2 and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; CCC

3 and all ate the same spiritual food; CCC

4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. CCC · Fathers

5 However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. CCC · Fathers

6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. CCC

7 Don’t be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”

8 Let’s not commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.

9 Let’s not test Christ, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents. CCC

10 Don’t grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come. CCC · Fathers

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall.

13 No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. CCC

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

15 I speak as to wise men. Judge what I say.

16 The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ? CCC · Fathers

17 Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread. CCC

18 Consider Israel according to the flesh. Don’t those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?

19 What am I saying then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

20 But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I don’t desire that you would have fellowship with demons. Fathers

21 You can’t both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can’t both partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons.

22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

23 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are profitable. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things build up.

24 Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbor’s good.

25 Whatever is sold in the butcher shop, eat, asking no question for the sake of conscience,

26 for “the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.” Fathers

27 But if one of those who don’t believe invites you to a meal, and you are inclined to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for the sake of conscience.

28 But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” don’t eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, with all its fullness.” Fathers

29 Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other’s conscience. For why is my liberty judged by another conscience?

30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced for something I give thanks for?

31 Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

32 Give no occasion for stumbling, whether to Jews, to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;

33 even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.

This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church

Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.

  1. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 697 “Cloud and light. These two images occur together in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. In the theophanies of the Old Testament,…”
    • CCC 1094 “It is on this harmony of the two Testaments that the Paschal catechesis of the Lord is built, and then, that of…”
    • “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXVII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  2. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 697 “Cloud and light. These two images occur together in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. In the theophanies of the Old Testament,…”
    • CCC 1094 “It is on this harmony of the two Testaments that the Paschal catechesis of the Lord is built, and then, that of…”
  3. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1094 “It is on this harmony of the two Testaments that the Paschal catechesis of the Lord is built, and then, that of…”
  4. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 694 “Water. the symbolism of water signifies the Holy Spirit's action in Baptism, since after the invocation of the Holy Spirit it becomes…”
    • CCC 1094 “It is on this harmony of the two Testaments that the Paschal catechesis of the Lord is built, and then, that of…”
    • “… did not send you to a bath, there to wash away murder and other sins, which not even all the water of the sea were sufficient to purge; but, as might have been expected, this was that saving bath of the olden time which followed”

      Quoted in Dialogue with Trypho, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 160), Chapter XIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  5. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 1094 “It is on this harmony of the two Testaments that the Paschal catechesis of the Lord is built, and then, that of…”
    • “For as in the former covenant, "with many of them was He not well pleased;”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XXXVI. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  6. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1094 “It is on this harmony of the two Testaments that the Paschal catechesis of the Lord is built, and then, that of…”
  7. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2119 “Tempting God consists in putting his goodness and almighty power to the test by word or deed. Thus Satan tried to induce…”
  8. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 2175 “Sunday is expressly distinguished from the sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the…”
    • “… He was learning to keep [in his memory] the words of God, and the celestial patterns, and the spiritual images, and the types of things to come; as also Paul says: "For they drank of the rock which followed them: and the rock was Christ.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XIV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  9. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2848 “Lead us not into temptation" implies a decision of the heart: "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also....…”
  10. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 1329 “The Lord's Supper, because of its connection with the supper which the Lord took with his disciples on the eve of his…”
    • CCC 1334 “In the Old Covenant bread and wine were offered in sacrifice among the first fruits of the earth as a sign of…”
    • CCC 1396 “The unity of the Mystical Body: the Eucharist makes the Church. Those who receive the Eucharist are united more closely to Christ.…”
    • “… and revived, that He might rule over the living and the dead." And again, writing to the Corinthians, he declares, "But we preach Christ Jesus crucified;" and adds, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book III, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XVIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

    • “But if this indeed do not attain salvation, then neither did the Lord redeem us with His blood, nor is the cup of the Eucharist the communion of His blood, nor the bread which we break the communion of His body.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter II. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  11. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1329 “The Lord's Supper, because of its connection with the supper which the Lord took with his disciples on the eve of his…”
    • CCC 1396 “The unity of the Mystical Body: the Eucharist makes the Church. Those who receive the Eucharist are united more closely to Christ.…”
    • CCC 1621 “In the Latin Rite the celebration of marriage between two Catholic faithful normally takes place during Holy Mass, because of the connection…”
  12. Read the Fathers
    • “… their reason in judging of the actions that were done, were struck with terror; and being carried away by fear, and not knowing that these were demons, they called them gods, and gave to each the name which each of the demons chose for himself.”

      Quoted in First Apology, St. Justin Martyr (c. AD 155), Chapter V. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  13. Read the Fathers
    • “For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.”

      Quoted in First Letter to the Corinthians, St. Clement of Rome (c. AD 96), Chapter LIV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  14. Read the Fathers
    • “For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.”

      Quoted in First Letter to the Corinthians, St. Clement of Rome (c. AD 96), Chapter LIV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1