5 “‘If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify^(A) regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.^(B)

² “‘If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty—if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground)^(C) and they are unaware that they have become unclean,^(D) but then they come to realize their guilt; ³ or if they touch human uncleanness^(E) (anything that would make them unclean)^(F) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt; ⁴ or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath^(G) to do anything, whether good or evil^(H) (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt— ⁵ when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess^(I) in what way they have sinned. ⁶ As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat^(J) from the flock as a sin offering^[a];^(K) and the priest shall make atonement^(L) for them for their sin.

⁷ “‘Anyone who cannot afford^(M) a lamb^(N) is to bring two doves or two young pigeons^(O) to the Lord as a penalty for their sin—one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. ⁸ They are to bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one for the sin offering. He is to wring its head from its neck,^(P) not dividing it completely,^{(Q) 9} and is to splash^(R) some of the blood of the sin offering against the side of the altar;^(S) the rest of the blood must be drained out at the base of the altar.^(T) It is a sin offering. ¹⁰ The priest shall then offer the other as a burnt offering in the prescribed way^(U) and make atonement^(V) for them for the sin they have committed, and they will be forgiven.^(W)

¹¹ “‘If, however, they cannot afford^(X) two doves or two young pigeons,^(Y) they are to bring as an offering for their sin a tenth of an ephah^[b](Z) of the finest flour^(AA) for a sin offering. They must not put olive oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering. ¹² They are to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful of it as a memorial^[c] portion^(AB) and burn it on the altar^(AC) on top of the food offerings presented to the Lord. It is a sin offering. ¹³ In this way the priest will make atonement^(AD) for them for any of these sins they have committed, and they will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest,^(AE) as in the case of the grain offering.^(AF)’”

The Guilt Offering

¹⁴ The Lord said to Moses: ¹⁵ “When anyone is unfaithful to the Lord by sinning unintentionally^(AG) in regard to any of the Lord’s holy things, they are to bring to the Lord as a penalty^(AH) a ram^(AI) from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel.^[d](AJ) It is a guilt offering.^{(AK) 16} They must make restitution^(AL) for what they have failed to do in regard to the holy things, pay an additional penalty of a fifth of its value^(AM) and give it all to the priest. The priest will make atonement for them with the ram as a guilt offering, and they will be forgiven.

¹⁷ “If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though they do not know it,^(AN) they are guilty and will be held responsible.^{(AO) 18} They are to bring to the priest as a guilt offering^(AP) a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the wrong they have committed unintentionally, and they will be forgiven.^{(AQ) 19} It is a guilt offering; they have been guilty of^[e] wrongdoing against the Lord.”^(AR)

Psalm 55^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[b] of David.

Warnings From Israel’s History

10 For I do not want you to be ignorant^(A) of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud^(B) and that they all passed through the sea.^{(C) 2} They were all baptized into^(D) Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food^{(E) 4} and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock^(F) that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.^(G)

⁶ Now these things occurred as examples^(H) to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. ⁷ Do not be idolaters,^(I) as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”^{[a](J) 8} We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.^{(K) 9} We should not test Christ,^[b](L) as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.^{(M) 10} And do not grumble, as some of them did^(N)—and were killed^(O) by the destroying angel.^(P)

¹¹ These things happened to them as examples^(Q) and were written down as warnings for us,^(R) on whom the culmination of the ages has come.^{(S) 12} So, if you think you are standing firm,^(T) be careful that you don’t fall! ¹³ No temptation^[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful;^(U) he will not let you be tempted^[d] beyond what you can bear.^(V) But when you are tempted,^[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Idol Feasts and the Lord’s Supper

¹⁴ Therefore, my dear friends,^(W) flee from idolatry.^{(X) 15} I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶ Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break^(Y) a participation in the body of Christ?^{(Z) 17} Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body,^(AA) for we all share the one loaf.

¹⁸ Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices^(AB) participate in the altar? ¹⁹ Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?^{(AC) 20} No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons,^(AD) not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.^{(AE) 22} Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?^(AF) Are we stronger than he?^(AG)

The Believer’s Freedom

²³ “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.^(AH) “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. ²⁴ No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.^(AI)

²⁵ Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,^{(AJ) 26} for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”^[f](AK)

²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you^(AL) without raising questions of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience.^{(AM) 29} I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom^(AN) being judged by another’s conscience? ³⁰ If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?^(AO)

³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.^{(AP) 32} Do not cause anyone to stumble,^(AQ) whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God^(AR)— ³³ even as I try to please everyone in every way.^(AS) For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many,^(AT) so that they may be saved.^(AU) 11 ¹ Follow my example,^(AV) as I follow the example of Christ.^(AW)

On Covering the Head in Worship

² I praise you^(AX) for remembering me in everything^(AY) and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.^{(AZ) 3} But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ,^(BA) and the head of the woman is man,^[g](BB) and the head of Christ is God.^{(BC) 4} Every man who prays or prophesies^(BD) with his head covered dishonors his head. ⁵ But every woman who prays or prophesies^(BE) with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.^{(BF) 6} For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

⁷ A man ought not to cover his head,^[h] since he is the image^(BG) and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;^{(BH) 9} neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.^{(BI) 10} It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own^[i] head, because of the angels. ¹¹ Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. ¹² For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.^(BJ)

¹³ Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, ¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. ¹⁶ If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.^(BK)

Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper^(BL)

¹⁷ In the following directives I have no praise for you,^(BM) for your meetings do more harm than good. ¹⁸ In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions^(BN) among you, and to some extent I believe it. ¹⁹ No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.^{(BO) 20} So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, ²¹ for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers.^(BP) As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. ²² Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God^(BQ) by humiliating those who have nothing?^(BR) What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?^(BS) Certainly not in this matter!

²³ For I received from the Lord^(BT) what I also passed on to you:^(BU) The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body,^(BV) which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant^(BW) in my blood;^(BX) do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.^(BY)

²⁷ So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.^{(BZ) 28} Everyone ought to examine themselves^(CA) before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. ³⁰ That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.^{(CB) 31} But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.^{(CC) 32} Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined^(CD) so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.^(CE)

³³ So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. ³⁴ Anyone who is hungry^(CF) should eat something at home,^(CG) so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.

And when I come^(CH) I will give further directions.