1 Corinthians 10:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.

NIV: We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.

NASB: Nor are we to commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.

CSB: Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in a single day twenty-three thousand people died.

NLT: And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.

KJV: Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

NKJV: Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;

Paul has presented two examples of God's discipline on His people Israel for their sinfulness while they lived in the wilderness. A major point of these examples is to remind Christians that God takes sin seriously, even in those who are saved. Sin brings consequences, and that can include discipline from God. Here, Paul provides a third instance.

The people of Israel engaged, in large numbers, in sexual immorality with the "daughters of Moab" as part of the worship of Moab's gods, including Baal (Numbers 25:1–3). Idol worship in Scripture is often closely related to sexual immorality of all kinds. In some cases, this is literal, as sex acts were sometimes used as part of the worship of false gods. It was true for Israel, and it was true in the worship of idols in Corinth.

Once again, the Lord stepped in to discipline Israel for this sin. Before it was all over, 24,000 had been killed by another plague from the Lord (Numbers 25:9). Paul's count of 23,000 may only include those killed on a single day—a detail specified here, but not in the Old Testament's count of 24,000. Some number of those afflicted may have lingered long enough to die on some later date.

The Christians in Corinth, too, faced ongoing temptation to participate in sexual immorality, whether connected to idol worship or not. Such immorality was so common in the culture of their day that it required faith to even understand such actions as sinful and offensive to God. Paul, though, is clear, that the Lord may discipline those who rebel in this way. The Corinthians "must" not indulge in sexual immorality while assuming God will not step in to correct their course—or end it, entirely.

First Corinthians 10:1–13 describes how the generation of Israelites who escaped from Egypt were blessed by God and yet fell repeatedly into idol worship. God severely punished many of them, including the fate of wandering the desert until death. The Corinthians should read their example as a warning unless they, too, fall at God's hand for participating with idols. Their standing in Christ does not mean that God will not act against unfaithfulness to Him with false gods. Still, such temptations are common, and God always provides His children a way to escape from sin.

Idol worship is an extremely serious sin. Paul reminds the Christians in idol-saturated Corinth of that by referring to the history of the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness. Though blessed by God, they worshiped false idols. God killed many of them for it. Paul commands his readers to flee from idol worship. To participate with idol worship in any way is to participate with demons. God always provides some way to avoid sin. So, they must avoid giving anyone the idea that they approve of idol worship, even by knowingly eating food offered to idols. Their first question must always be, ''Will this glorify God?''

The previous chapter concluded with Paul's commitment to continue to control himself. He exercises discipline so he does not become ineffective in his ministry. He begins chapter 10 by reminding the Corinthians of how the Israelites brought consequences on themselves in the wilderness. Among their many sins was worshiping idols, and God killed many of them for it. The Corinthians must flee idol worship and any appearance of supporting the demonic practice. They are free to eat meat if they don't know that it is idol food. However, they should be ready to set aside their own freedoms and rights whenever doing so will glorify God and win others to Christ.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.