Warnings from Israel’s Past (Numbers 16:41–50; Numbers 25:1–5)
1 UST Now I want to remind you, fellow believers, that our Jewish ancestors all followed God when he appeared to them in a cloud. They all walked through the Red Sea when God made a dry path for them through the water. BSB BSB: I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea.
2 UST { It was as if} someone baptized all of them so that they belonged to Moses.{ This happened} when they followed the cloud and walked through the Red Sea. BSB BSB: They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
3 UST All of them together ate the special food that God gave them. BSB BSB: They all ate the same spiritual food
4 UST All of them together drank the special water that God gave them. This happened when they drank the water that came out of the special rock that God provided and that followed them. That water was something that the Messiah gave. BSB BSB: and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
5 UST However, most of our Jewish ancestors did not please God.{ You can tell that this is true} because they died while they traveled through the desert places. BSB BSB: Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.
6 UST The things that happened to them illustrate how we should act. Through what happened to them, God warns us to avoid doing what is evil, such as the evil things that they did. BSB BSB: These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.
7 UST You should not worship idols, which is what some of our Jewish ancestors did.{ You can tell that they worshiped idols,} because Moses wrote,“The Israelites started eating and drinking and then worshiped other gods in sexually immoral ways.” BSB BSB: Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”
8 UST We should not have improper sex, which is what some of our Jewish ancestors did. Because they did this, 23, 000 of them died during one day. BSB BSB: We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.
9 UST We should not challenge the Lord, which is what some of our Jewish ancestors did. Because they did this, snakes killed them. BSB BSB: We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.
10 UST You should not complain, which is what some of our Jewish ancestors did. Because they did this, a dangerous spiritual being{ whom God sent} killed them. BSB BSB: And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel.
11 UST Those things that our ancestors experienced illustrate{ how we should act}. In fact, someone wrote down what happened to them so that we can learn from them, since we are the ones who are experiencing the last days. BSB BSB: Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
12 UST As those stories illustrate, any people who think that they firmly believe{ in the Messiah} should make sure that they do not fail{ to follow the Messiah}. BSB BSB: So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.
13 UST Other people have experienced the things that tempt you. Further, God will act faithfully. He will not let you experience anything that tempts you if you cannot resist it. Rather, when something tempts you, he will give you what you need to faithfully resist it. BSB BSB: No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.
Flee from Idolatry (Exodus 20:22–26)
14 UST Because{ of that I have said}, fellow believers whom I love, intentionally avoid worshiping other gods. BSB BSB: Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 UST I am talking this way because I think that you are reasonable people. You should decide for yourselves whether what I am about to say is right or wrong. BSB BSB: I speak to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say.
16 UST When we drink the wine that we bless in the Lord’ s Supper, we together connect ourselves with the Messiah’ s blood. When we eat the bread, we together connect ourselves with the Messiah’ s body. BSB BSB: Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?
17 UST We use one loaf of bread{ in the Lord’ s Supper}, and we all together eat pieces of that one loaf. Because we do this, we join ourselves together like we all make up one body. BSB BSB: Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.
18 UST Take the people of Israel as an example. The people who offered something would eat some of what they offered. This means that they connected themselves with the altar{, where the priest would present the rest of what they offered to God}. BSB BSB: Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar?
19 UST I am arguing, therefore, that meat that someone has offered to another god and other gods themselves are not powerful or important. BSB BSB: Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?
20 UST However,{ you should know} that when those who do not worship God offer sacrifices, they are offering them to evil spiritual beings, not to God. I want you to avoid connecting yourselves with evil spiritual beings. BSB BSB: No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.
21 UST You cannot drink wine that belongs to the Lord and also wine that belongs to evil spiritual beings. You cannot eat food that belongs to the Lord and also food that belongs to evil spiritual beings. BSB BSB: You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.
22 UST Those who do both of those things should expect the Lord to act jealously against them. Further, we are certainly less powerful than he is. BSB BSB: Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
All to God’s Glory (1 Peter 4:1–11)
23 UST { Some of you say,}“I can do anything and not become guilty.” However,{ I say that} some things are not helpful{ to anybody}.{ Again, some of you say,}“I can do anything and not become guilty.” However,{ I say that} some things do not help you grow. BSB BSB: “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying.
24 UST Do not work hard to gain what is best for yourselves. Rather,{ you should work hard to gain} what is best for other people. BSB BSB: No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
25 UST You can eat any food that you buy in the public marketplace. You do not need to find out{ where it came from} so that you know whether it is right or wrong{ to eat it}. BSB BSB: Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
26 UST { You can do this} because{ David wrote},“The earth and everything connected with it belongs to the Lord.” BSB BSB: for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”
27 UST At some point, people who do not believe may ask you{ to eat with them}, and you may decide to{ do so}. When this happens, you can eat all the food that they serve you. You do not need to find out{ where it came from} so that you know whether it is right or wrong{ to eat it}. BSB BSB: If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience.
28 UST (However, someone might tell you that a person offered the food to a god. In this situation, you should not eat the food.{ You should act in this way} to benefit the person who told you{ about the food} and because of knowing what is right and wrong. BSB BSB: But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience—
29 UST By“knowing what is right and wrong,” I mean what the other person knows, not what you know.) In general, what another person thinks is right or wrong should not keep me from doing what I am able to do. BSB BSB: the other one’s conscience, I mean, not your own. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience?
30 UST As long as I am grateful to God when I eat any food, no one should speak badly about me because of something for which I thanked God. BSB BSB: If I partake in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
31 UST To summarize, whenever you eat or drink anything, and indeed whenever you do anything, you should always behave so that you and others honor God. BSB BSB: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
32 UST Do not behave in ways that discourage Jewish people, non- Jewish people, or fellow believers from trusting the Messiah. BSB BSB: Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—
33 UST I illustrate{ how to do this} with how I live. I always act in ways that everyone around me accepts. I do not work hard to gain what is best for myself. Rather,{ I work hard to gain what is best} for other people.{ I do this} in order that God will save them. BSB BSB: as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.