Warnings from Israel's Example: Avoid Idolatry and Temptation
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
1Cor.10.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ου: PART,neg
- θελω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- γαρ: PART
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- αγνοειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- αδελφοι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- οτι: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- πατερες: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- υπο: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- νεφελην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ησαν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- δια: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- θαλασσης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- διηλθον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Exodus 13:21-22 (verbal): Describes the LORD leading Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night—background for Paul’s phrase “under the cloud.”
- Exodus 14:21-22 (allusion): Narrates the crossing of the sea on dry ground—direct narrative event Paul summarizes as ‘all passed through the sea.’
- Psalm 106:7-12 (thematic): Retells Israel’s journey ‘under the cloud’ and through the sea and immediately goes on to recount their testing and sin—parallels Paul’s use of the episode as a moral example.
- Hebrews 3:16-19 (thematic): Uses the wilderness generation’s rebellion and unbelief as a warning to believers—echoes Paul’s purpose in invoking the same Israelite events.
- Hebrews 11:29 (thematic): Refers to the people passing through the Red Sea by faith—another New Testament use of the Exodus crossing to teach about faith and corporate identity.
Alternative generated candidates
- I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.
- I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea.
1Cor.10.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- Μωυσην: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- εβαπτισαντο: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- νεφελη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- θαλασση: NOUN,dat,sg,f
Parallels
- 1 Corinthians 10:1 (structural): Immediate context in the same chapter—v.1 introduces 'our fathers' and v.2 continues the summary of their experience, linking the statements.
- Exodus 13:21-22 (verbal): Describes the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night that guided Israel—parallels Paul's phrase 'in the cloud'.
- Exodus 14:21-22 (allusion): Account of the sea being divided and Israel passing through on dry ground, which Paul alludes to when saying they were 'in the sea'.
- Psalm 78:12-13 (verbal): Narrates God doing wonders in Egypt—'He divided the sea and led them by a cloud'—combines the cloud-and-sea motifs Paul cites.
- Hebrews 11:29 (thematic): New Testament reflection on the Red Sea crossing as an act of faith—parallels Paul's use of the Exodus event as spiritual typology.
Alternative generated candidates
- They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
- They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
1Cor.10.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- αυτο: PRON,acc,sg,neut
- πνευματικον: ADJ,acc,sg,n
- βρωμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
- εφαγον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- 1 Corinthians 10:4 (structural): Immediate context: v.3's 'spiritual food' is paired with v.4's 'spiritual Rock' (the Rock was Christ), linking the wilderness provisions typologically to Christ.
- Exodus 16:4 (allusion): Paul alludes to God’s provision of manna as 'bread from heaven' in Exodus 16, which is the background for saying the people 'ate the same spiritual food.'
- Exodus 16:35 (quotation): Narrative statement that the Israelites ate manna for forty years—historical basis for Paul’s claim that 'all ate the same' food in the wilderness.
- Psalm 78:24-25 (verbal): The psalm describes God raining down 'manna' and giving 'food from heaven' (also called the 'bread of angels'), language that echoes Paul’s characterization of the food as 'spiritual.'
- John 6:31-51 (thematic): Jesus interprets the manna tradition typologically (e.g., 6:31,49–51), calling himself the true 'bread from heaven,' a theological move parallel to Paul’s typological reading of Israel’s food as pointing to Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- and all ate the same spiritual food,
- They all ate the same spiritual food,
1Cor.10.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- αυτο: PRON,acc,sg,neut
- πνευματικον: ADJ,acc,sg,n
- επιον: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- πομα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- επινον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- γαρ: PART
- εκ: PREP
- πνευματικης: ADJ,gen,sg,f
- ακολουθουσης: VERB,ptc,pres,act,gen,f,sg
- πετρας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- πετρα: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Χριστος·: NOUN,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Exodus 17:6 (allusion): The original episode of water from the rock at Rephidim (Moses striking the rock) that Paul alludes to when he speaks of the Israelites drinking from the rock.
- Numbers 20:11 (allusion): Another account of water issuing from the rock (Moses striking the rock at Meribah); it is part of the OT tradition behind Paul's image of the rock supplying life in the wilderness.
- Psalm 78:15-16 (allusion): Poetic retelling of God splitting rocks and giving water in the wilderness; echoes the same salvific/water-from-the-rock motif Paul invokes.
- John 7:37-39 (thematic): Jesus speaks of giving 'living water' which will become rivers of living water (the Spirit); thematically parallels Paul's identification of the rock as a source of spiritual drink and equating it with Christ/Spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 (structural): Immediate context in which Paul recounts the Israelites' experience in the wilderness, explicitly linking the people, the spiritual food and drink, and the identification of the rock as Christ.
Alternative generated candidates
- and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from a spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
- and they all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
1Cor.10.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- αλλ᾽ουκ: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- πλειοσιν: ADJ,dat,pl,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- ηυδοκησεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- κατεστρωθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- γαρ: PART
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- ερημω: NOUN,dat,sg,f
Parallels
- Numbers 14:22-23 (allusion): The wilderness generation's rebellion and God's displeasure are narrated here; Paul alludes to their judgment (exclusion from the land) as the background for 'God was not pleased'.
- Deuteronomy 1:34-35 (allusion): Moses records God's anger and oath that the rebellious generation would not enter the land—an Old Testament statement behind Paul's claim that God was displeased with most of them.
- Psalm 95:10-11 (verbal): The psalm speaks of God’s displeasure with the wilderness generation and His oath that they would not enter His rest—language and theme closely parallel to Paul's reference.
- Hebrews 3:16-19 (structural): Hebrews uses the same historical example (the Israelites in the wilderness) to illustrate divine displeasure and exclusion from God's rest, paralleling Paul’s use of the episode as a warning.
Alternative generated candidates
- Nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.
- Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.
1Cor.10.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ταυτα: PRON,nom,pl,n
- δε: CONJ
- τυποι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- εγενηθησαν: VERB,aor,mp,ind,3,pl
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- μη: PART
- ειναι: VERB,pres,act,inf
- ημας: PRON,acc,pl,1
- επιθυμητας: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- κακων: NOUN,gen,pl,neut
- καθως: CONJ
- κακεινοι: PRON,nom,pl,m
- επεθυμησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 (structural): Immediate context: Paul recounts the Israelites' experiences (baptism, cloud, food) as 'types'—the wider narrative that grounds the warning not to desire what they desired.
- Numbers 11:4-6 (thematic): The episode where the people crave meat and complain about manna parallels Paul's charge against desiring 'evil things'—an example of Israel's sinful longing.
- Psalm 106:14 (verbal): The psalm states that 'they lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,' using language very close to Paul’s 'not to be desirers of evil things,' a direct verbal echo of Israel’s craving.
- Exodus 32:6-8 (thematic): The golden calf incident (idolatry and revelry) is one of the specific sins Paul has in view when he treats Israel’s examples as warnings against following their desires.
- Hebrews 3:7-11 (allusion): The author of Hebrews likewise cites Israel’s wilderness rebellion as an example and warning to later believers—echoing Paul’s use of Israel’s failures to admonish against disobedience.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now these things happened as examples for us, that we might not crave evil things as they craved.
- Now these things became examples for us, that we might not crave evil as they did.
1Cor.10.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- μηδε: CONJ
- ειδωλολατραι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- γινεσθε: VERB,pres,mid/pass,imp,2,pl
- καθως: CONJ
- τινες: PRON,nom,pl,m
- αυτων·ωσπερ: PRON,gen,pl,m+CONJ
- γεγραπται·Εκαθισεν: VERB,perf,pass,ind,3,sg+VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- λαος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- φαγειν: VERB,aor,act,inf
- και: CONJ
- πειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- και: CONJ
- ανεστησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- παιζειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
Parallels
- Exodus 32:6 (quotation): Direct OT source Paul cites; the golden-calf episode: 'the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play' appears as quoted wording.
- Exodus 32:1-8 (structural): Broader narrative context for the quoted line—the making and worship of the golden calf, illustrating Israel's idolatry and revelry.
- Psalm 106:19-22 (allusion): Poetic retelling of the golden-calf incident that condemns Israel's exchange of worship for a molten image and the ensuing feast and revelry.
- 1 Corinthians 10:14 (structural): Immediate Pauline application: after recalling Israel's idolatry (10:1–11), Paul explicitly commands believers to 'flee from idolatry.'
- Romans 1:22-23 (thematic): Paul's other treatment of idolatry—people 'exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images'—echoes the critique of replacing true worship with idols.
Alternative generated candidates
- Do not become idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, 'The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.'
- Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to revel."
1Cor.10.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- μηδε: CONJ
- πορνευωμεν: VERB,pres,act,subj,1,pl
- καθως: CONJ
- τινες: PRON,nom,pl,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- επορνευσαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- επεσαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- μια: NUM,nom,sg,f
- ημερα: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- εικοσι: NUM,card
- τρεις: NUM,acc,pl,f
- χιλιαδες: NOUN,f,pl,nom
Parallels
- Numbers 25:1-9 (quotation): The primary OT narrative Paul recalls: Israel's sexual immorality with Moabite women and the resulting plague (the account from which Paul draws the casualty figure).
- Numbers 31:15-16 (allusion): Moses condemns the Midianite women and links their seduction of Israel to Balaam’s counsel—background for the incident of sexual sin referenced by Paul.
- Revelation 2:14 (allusion): Jesus rebukes a church for tolerating 'the teaching of Balaam,' which led people to eat food sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality—the same motif Paul cites as a warning.
- 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 (thematic): Paul's earlier instruction in the same letter addressing a case of sexual immorality in the Corinthian church; parallels the warning against tolerating fornication and the call to discipline.
Alternative generated candidates
- We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did; and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.
- We must not commit sexual immorality as some of them did — and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.
1Cor.10.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- μηδε: CONJ
- εκπειραζωμεν: VERB,pres,act,subj,1,pl
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- Χριστον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- καθως: CONJ
- τινες: PRON,nom,pl,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- επειρασαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- υπο: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- οφεων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- απωλλυντο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Numbers 21:6-9 (quotation): The incident of venomous serpents sent among the Israelites, with many dying—Paul alludes to this exact judgment ('destroyed by serpents').
- Exodus 17:1-7 (allusion): The congregation's testing of the LORD at Massah and Meribah ('Is the LORD among us?'), which Paul echoes as an example of tempting God.
- Deuteronomy 6:16 (verbal): The explicit command 'Do not put the LORD your God to the test' (referring to Massah)—Paul's 'do not tempt Christ' echoes this prohibition.
- Psalm 95:7-11 (thematic): A prophetic warning not to harden hearts or provoke God as the wilderness generation did; Paul draws on this theme in his warning.
- Hebrews 3:8-11 (structural): The author applies Psalm 95's warning about the wilderness generation to a New Testament audience—parallel use of the same example and caution.
Alternative generated candidates
- Do not put Christ to the test, as some of them tested him and were destroyed by serpents.
- Nor let us put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes.
1Cor.10.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- μηδε: CONJ
- γογγυζετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- καθαπερ: CONJ
- τινες: PRON,nom,pl,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- εγογγυσαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- απωλοντο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,pl
- υπο: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ολοθρευτου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Exodus 16:2 (verbal): The congregation 'murmured' against Moses and Aaron over lack of food—same verb/complaint motif Paul cites as an example of Israel's sin.
- Numbers 11:1 (verbal): The people 'murmured' and the LORD's anger burned so that fire consumed some of the outskirts of the camp—parallels Paul's note that murmuring led to destruction.
- Numbers 14:36-37 (thematic): Those who brought an evil report and murmured against God were struck down—direct instance of Israelites' murmuring resulting in death, which Paul summons as a warning.
- Psalm 106:25-28 (allusion): Psalm recounts Israel's sins (murmuring/idolatry) and God's sending of a plague against them—used by Paul as part of the scriptural catalogue of Israel's punishments for complaint.
- Hebrews 3:16-18 (thematic): The writer recalls the Jews who rebelled and fell in the wilderness as a warning—echoes Paul's use of Israel's murmuring and destruction to exhort believers.
Alternative generated candidates
- Nor grumble, as some of them grumbled and were destroyed by the Destroyer.
- Nor grumble, as some of them grumbled and were destroyed by the Destroyer.
1Cor.10.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ταυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- δε: CONJ
- τυπικως: ADV
- συνεβαινεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- εκεινοις: PRON,dat,pl,m
- εγραφη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- δε: CONJ
- προς: PREP
- νουθεσιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- εις: PREP
- ους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- τελη: NOUN,nom,pl,neut
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- αιωνων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- κατηντηκεν: VERB,perf,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Romans 15:4 (verbal): Both affirm that previous writings were composed for the instruction/encouragement of later believers (written for our admonition/learning).
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (thematic): Attributes to Scripture the purpose of teaching, reproving and training—parallel to Paul's claim that the events were written for our admonition.
- 1 Peter 4:7 (thematic): Paul's phrase about 'the ends of the ages' resonates with Peter's eschatological urgency ('the end of all things is at hand'), linking admonition to impending eschatological reality.
- 1 Corinthians 10:6 (structural): Immediate internal parallel in the chapter: both verses state that Israel's experiences occurred as examples/types and were recorded for the instruction of believers.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.
- Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down for our instruction, to whom the ends of the ages have come.
1Cor.10.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ωστε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δοκων: PTCP,pres,act,nom,sg,m
- εσταναι: VERB,perf,act,inf
- βλεπετω: VERB,pres,act,imp,3,sg
- μη: PART
- πεση: VERB,aor,act,subj,3,sg
Parallels
- Rom.11:20-21 (thematic): Paul warns Gentile believers not to be conceited but to fear judgment — same theme as ‘let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.’
- Gal.6:3 (verbal): Uses the verb ‘thinks’ (δοκεῖ) and warns against self-deception: if one thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself — parallels the caution against presumption.
- Prov.16:18 (allusion): ‘Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall’ — a proverbial formulation that underlies the warning to beware lest pride lead to a fall.
- James 4:6 (thematic): ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’ — the moral consequence of pride implicit in the admonition to watch lest one fall.
- 1 Pet.5:5 (thematic): Calls for humility because God resists the proud; echoes the pastoral imperative to avoid presumptuous confidence that leads to downfall.
Alternative generated candidates
- Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take care lest he fall.
- Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
1Cor.10.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πειρασμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- ουκ: PART,neg
- ειληφεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- μη: PART
- ανθρωπινος·πιστος: ADJ,nom,sg,m/ADJ,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- θεος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εασει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- πειρασθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
- υπερ: PREP
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δυνασθε: VERB,pres,mid,ind,2,pl
- αλλα: CONJ
- ποιησει: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,sg
- συν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- πειρασμω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- εκβασιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- δυνασθαι: VERB,pres,mid,inf
- υπενεγκειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
Parallels
- James 1:13-15 (verbal): Directly related teaching that God does not tempt people and describes the process of temptation leading to sin—closely parallels 1 Cor 10:13's assertion that God is faithful and does not allow temptation beyond human ability.
- Hebrews 2:18 (thematic): Emphasizes that Jesus, having been tempted, is able to help those tempted—echoes 1 Cor 10:13's assurance that God provides assistance (a way out) in times of temptation.
- 2 Peter 2:9 (thematic): Affirms that the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, resonating with 1 Cor 10:13's promise that God will provide an exit and enable endurance under temptation.
- Matthew 6:13 (thematic): The Lord’s Prayer petition 'lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil' complements 1 Cor 10:13's concern with God's role in temptation and his provision of deliverance.
- Psalm 34:19 (thematic): Speaks of the righteous experiencing many troubles but being delivered by the LORD, paralleling the motif that God provides deliverance amid trials/temptations as in 1 Cor 10:13.
Alternative generated candidates
- No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to mankind. God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but with the temptation he will also provide a way out, that you may be able to endure it.
- No temptation has overtaken you but what is common to humanity. God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide a way out, that you may endure it.
Brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed: our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
and all ate the same spiritual food;
and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual Rock that followed them — and that Rock was Christ.
Yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were laid low in the wilderness.
These things happened as examples for us, that we might not crave evil things as they did.
Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.”
Neither let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did — and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.
Nor let us put Christ to the test, as some of them did — and were destroyed by serpents.
Nor grumble, as some of them did — and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.