¹⁵ otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they would prostitute themselves with their gods and ^(A)sacrifice to their gods, and someone ^(B)might invite you ^[a]to eat of his sacrifice, ¹⁶ and ^(C)you might take some of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters might prostitute themselves with their gods and cause your sons also to prostitute themselves with their gods. ^17 (D)You shall not make for yourself any gods cast in metal.

Daniel’s Resolve

⁸ But Daniel ^[a]made up his mind that he would not ^(A)defile himself with the ^(B)king’s choice food or with the ^(C)wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.

⁷ However, not all people ^(A)have this knowledge; but ^(B)some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

¹³ Therefore, ^(A)if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin.

⁷ Do not be ^(A)idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “^(B)The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to ^(C)play.” ⁸ Nor are we to commit sexual immorality, as ^(D)some of them ^[a]did, and ^(E)twenty-three thousand fell in one day. ⁹ Nor are we to put the Lord to the test, as ^(F)some of them ^[b]did, and were killed by the snakes. ¹⁰ Nor ^(G)grumble, as some of them ^[c]did, and ^(H)were killed by the ^(I)destroyer. ¹¹ Now these things happened to them as an ^(J)example, and ^(K)they were written for our instruction, upon whom ^(L)the ends of the ages have come. ¹² Therefore let the one who ^(M)thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and ^(N)God is faithful, ^[d]so He will not allow you to be ^(O)tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

¹⁴ Therefore, my ^(P)beloved, flee from ^(Q)idolatry. ¹⁵ I speak as to wise people; you then, judge what I say. ¹⁶ Is the ^(R)cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the ^(S)bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Since there is one loaf, we ^(T)who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf. ¹⁸ Look at ^[e]the people of ^(U)Israel; are those who ^(V)eat the sacrifices not partners in the altar? ¹⁹ What do I mean then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or ^(W)that an idol is ^[f]anything? ²⁰ No, but I say that things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they ^(X)sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons. ^21 (Y)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and ^(Z)the table of demons. ²² Or do we ^(AA)provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not ^(AB)stronger than He, are we?

^23 (AC)All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things ^[g](AD)build people up. ²⁴ No one is to ^(AE)seek his own advantage, but rather that of his ^[h]neighbor. ^25 (AF)Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions, for the sake of conscience; ^26 (AG)for the earth is the Lord’s, and ^[i]all it contains. ²⁷ If ^(AH)one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, ^(AI)eat anything that is set before you without asking questions, for the sake of conscience. ²⁸ But ^(AJ)if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of that one who informed you and for the sake of conscience; ²⁹ Now by “conscience” I do not mean your own, but the other person’s; for ^(AK)why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thankfulness, ^(AL)why am I slandered about that for which I ^(AM)give thanks?

³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or ^(AN)whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God. ^32 (AO)Do not offend Jews or Greeks, or ^(AP)the church of God; ³³ just as I also ^(AQ)please everyone in all things, ^(AR)not seeking my own benefit but the benefit of the many, ^(AS)so that they may be saved.

¹⁴ Therefore, my ^(A)beloved, flee from ^(B)idolatry. ¹⁵ I speak as to wise people; you then, judge what I say. ¹⁶ Is the ^(C)cup of blessing which we bless not a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is the ^(D)bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Since there is one loaf, we ^(E)who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf. ¹⁸ Look at ^[a]the people of ^(F)Israel; are those who ^(G)eat the sacrifices not partners in the altar? ¹⁹ What do I mean then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or ^(H)that an idol is ^[b]anything? ²⁰ No, but I say that things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they ^(I)sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons. ^21 (J)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and ^(K)the table of demons. ²² Or do we ^(L)provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not ^(M)stronger than He, are we?

^23 (N)All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things ^[c](O)build people up. ²⁴ No one is to ^(P)seek his own advantage, but rather that of his ^[d]neighbor. ^25 (Q)Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions, for the sake of conscience; ^26 (R)for the earth is the Lord’s, and ^[e]all it contains. ²⁷ If ^(S)one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, ^(T)eat anything that is set before you without asking questions, for the sake of conscience. ²⁸ But ^(U)if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of that one who informed you and for the sake of conscience;

¹⁴ But ^(A)I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the ^(B)teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a ^[a]stumbling block before the sons of Israel, ^(C)to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.

²⁰ But ^(A)I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman ^(B)Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they ^(C)commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.