2 KORINTIËRS 10

Waarskuwing teen afgodery

1 Broers, ek wil julle daaraan herinner dat ons voorvaders almal onder die beskerming van die wolk was en almal veilig deur die see gegaan het. 2 Omdat hulle almal vir Moses gevolg het, is hulle almal in die wolk en in die see gedoop. 3 Almal het dieselfde geestelike voedsel geëet, 4 en almal het dieselfde geestelike drank gedrink: hulle het gedrink uit 'n geestelike rots wat met hulle saamgegaan het. Die rots was Christus. 5 Tog was God met die meeste van hulle nie tevrede nie, want hulle het in die woestyn omgekom.

6 Hierdie dinge het gebeur as voorbeelde vir ons dat ons ons nie soos hulle deur sondige begeertes moet laat dryf nie. 7 Julle moenie afgodsdienaars word nie, soos sommige van hulle oor wie daar geskrywe staan: “Die volk het gaan sit om te eet en te drink en het opgestaan en hulle aan uitspattighede oorgegee.”t 8 Laat ons ook nie onsedelikheid pleeg nie, soos sommige van hulle onsedelikheid gepleeg het, en op een dag het daar drie en twintig duisend omgekom. 9 Laat ons Christus nie uittart nie, soos sommige van hulle Hom uitgetart het, en hulle het deur slange omgekom. 10 En moenie teen God in verset kom nie, soos sommige van hulle in verset gekom het, en hulle het deur die engel van die dood omgekom.

11 Hierdie dinge het oor hulle gekom as 'n voorbeeld vir ons en is opgeskryf as 'n waarskuwing vir ons wat die einde van die tye al beleef. 12 Daarom, wie meen dat hy staan, moet oppas dat hy nie val nie. 13 Geen versoeking wat meer is as wat 'n mens kan weerstaan, het julle oorval nie. God is getrou. Hy sal nie toelaat dat julle bo julle kragte versoek word nie; as die versoeking kom, sal Hy ook die uitkoms gee, sodat julle dit kan weerstaan.

14 Daarom, my geliefdes, moet niks met die afgodsdiens te doen hê nie. 15 Ek praat met julle as verstandige mense. Beoordeel self wat ek sê. 16 Die beker van danksegging, waarvoor ons God dank, is dit nie die gemeenskap met die bloed van Christus nie? Die brood wat ons breek, is dit nie die gemeenskap met die liggaam van Christus nie? 17 Omdat dit een brood is, is ons, al is ons baie, saam een liggaam, want ons het almal deel aan die een brood.

18 Kyk maar hoe is dit by die Joodse volk. Kom daar dan nie gemeenskap tot stand tussen die offeraltaar en dié wat die offers eet nie? 19 Wat wil ek hiermee sê? Dat 'n afgodsoffer of 'n afgod enige betekenis het? 20 Nee, maar dat dié wat aan hulle offer, aan bose geeste offer en nie aan God nie. En ek wil nie hê julle moet met bose geeste gemeenskap hou nie. 21 Julle kan nie die beker van die Here drink en ook die beker van bose geeste nie. Julle kan nie deel hê aan die tafel van die Here en ook aan die tafel van bose geeste nie. 22 Of wil ons die Here uittart? Is ons miskien sterker as Hy?

Alles tot eer van God

23 Daar is mense wat sê: “Alles is geoorloof.” Ja, maar nie alles is heilsaam nie. “Alles is geoorloof,” sê hulle. Ja, maar alles is nie opbouend nie.

24 'n Mens moet nie sy eie voordeel soek nie, maar dié van ander. 25 Alles wat in 'n slaghuis verkoop word, kan julle eet sonder om ter wille van die gewete navraag te doen, 26 “want die aarde met alles wat daarop is, behoort aan die Here.”t

27 As 'n ongelowige julle uitnooi en julle besluit om te gaan, kan julle alles eet wat vir julle voorgesit word, sonder om ter wille van die gewete navraag te doen. 28 Maar as iemand vir julle sê: “Die vleis is 'n afgodsoffer,” moet dit dan nie eet nie, ter wille van hom wat dit gesê het en ter wille van die gewete. 29 Ek bedoel nou nie jou eie gewete nie, maar dié van die ander man. “Waarom,” sou jy vra, “moet my vryheid beperk word deur 'n ander man se gewete?

30 As ek iets met danksegging geniet, waarom word daar van my kwaad gepraat oor iets waarvoor ek God dank?”

31 Of julle eet en of julle drink of wat julle ook al doen, doen alles tot eer van God. 32 Moenie aanstoot gee nie, nie aan Jode of aan Grieke of aan die gemeente van God nie. 33 Maak soos ek: ek probeer om almal in alles tegemoet te kom. Ek soek nie my eie belang nie maar dié van baie ander, sodat hulle gered kan word.

1 Corinthians 10

1  FOR I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, that our forefathers were all under and protected by the cloud [in which God’s Presence went before them], and every one of them passed safely through the [Red] Sea, 2  And each one of them [allowed himself also] to be baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea [they were thus brought under obligation to the Law, to Moses, and to the covenant, consecrated and set apart to the service of God];3  And all [of them] ate the same spiritual (supernaturally given) food, 4  And they all drank the same spiritual (supernaturally given) drink. For they drank from a spiritual Rock which followed them [produced by the sole power of God Himself without natural instrumentality], and the Rock was Christ. 5  Nevertheless, God was not pleased with the great majority of them, for they were overthrown and strewn down along [the ground] in the wilderness. 6  Now these things are examples (warnings and admonitions) for us not to desire or crave or covet or lust after evil and carnal things as they did. 7  Do not be worshipers of false gods as some of them were, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink [the sacrifices offered to the golden calf at Horeb] and rose to sport (to dance and give way to jesting and hilarity). 8  We must not gratify evil desire and indulge in immorality as some of them did--and twenty-three thousand [suddenly] fell dead in a single day! 9  We should not tempt the Lord [try His patience, become a trial to Him, critically appraise Him, and exploit His goodness] as some of them did--and were killed by poisonous serpents; 10  Nor discontentedly complain as some of them did--and were put out of the way entirely by the destroyer (death). 11  Now these things befell them by way of a figure [as an example and warning to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period).12  Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands [who feels sure that he has a steadfast mind and is standing firm], take heed lest he fall [into sin].13  For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.14  Therefore, my dearly beloved, shun (keep clear away from, avoid by flight if need be) any sort of idolatry (of loving or venerating anything more than God).15  I am speaking as to intelligent (sensible) men. Think over and make up your minds [for yourselves] about what I say. [I appeal to your reason and your discernment in these matters.]16  The cup of blessing [of wine at the Lord’s Supper] upon which we ask [God’s] blessing, does it not mean [that in drinking it] we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the blood of Christ (the Messiah)? The bread which we break, does it not mean [that in eating it] we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the body of Christ?17  For we [no matter how] numerous we are, are one body, because we all partake of the one Bread [the One Whom the communion bread represents].18  Consider those [physically] people of Israel. Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners of the altar [united in their worship of the same God]? 19  What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is [intrinsically changed by the fact and amounts to] anything or that an idol itself is a [living] thing?20  No, I am suggesting that what the pagans sacrifice they offer [in effect] to demons (to evil spiritual powers) and not to God [at all]. I do not want you to fellowship and be partners with diabolical spirits [by eating at their feasts]. 21  You cannot drink the Lord’s cup and the demons’ cup. You cannot partake of the Lord’s table and the demons’ table.22  Shall we thus provoke the Lord to jealousy and anger and indignation? Are we stronger than He [that we should defy Him]? 23  All things are legitimate [permissible--and we are free to do anything we please], but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].24  Let no one then seek his own good and advantage and profit, but [rather] each one of the other [let him seek the welfare of his neighbor].25  [As to meat offered to idols] eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising any question or investigating on the grounds of conscientious scruples,26  For the [whole] earth is the Lord’s and everything that is in it. 27  In case one of the unbelievers invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is served to you without examining into its source because of conscientious scruples.28  But if someone tells you, This has been offered in sacrifice to an idol, do not eat it, out of consideration for the person who informed you, and for conscience’s sake--29  I mean for the sake of his conscience, not yours, [do not eat it]. For why should another man’s scruples apply to me and my liberty of action be determined by his conscience?30  If I partake [of my food] with thankfulness, why am I accused and spoken evil of because of that for which I give thanks?31  So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God.32  Do not let yourselves be [hindrances by giving] an offense to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God [do not lead others into sin by your mode of life];33  Just as I myself strive to please [to accommodate myself to the opinions, desires, and interests of others, adapting myself to] all men in everything I do, not aiming at or considering my own profit and advantage, but that of the many in order that they may be saved.