1 Corinthians 10:21
19 Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?
20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.
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 Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
23 “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- 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.
- KJV
- Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
- WEB
- 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.
- ASV
- Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons.
- DARBY
- Ye cannot drink [the] Lord's cup, and [the] cup of demons: ye cannot partake of [the] Lord's table, and of [the] table of demons.
- BLB
- You⁺ are not able to drink a cup of the Lord and a cup of demons. You⁺ are not able to partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons.
- ÅB
- Dere kan ikke drikke Herrens kalk og onde ånders kalk; dere kan ikke ha del i Herrens bord og i onde ånders bord.
- OTB
- Dere kan ikke dele Herrens beger og demoners beger; dere kan ikke delta i Herrens bord og demoners bord.
- B1930
- I kan ikke drikke Herrens kalk og onde ånders kalk; I kan ikke ha del I Herrens bord og i onde ånders bord.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Read in context1 Kings 18:21
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.
Read in context2 Corinthians 6:15–17
What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
Read in contextIsaiah 65:11
But you who forsake the LORD, who forget My holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny,
Read in context1 Corinthians 10:16
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?
Read in contextDeuteronomy 32:37–38
He will say: “Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge,
Read in context1 Corinthians 8:10
For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols?
Read in context