1 Corinthians 10:14 kjv
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:14 nkjv
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:14 niv
Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:14 esv
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:14 nlt
So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.
1 Corinthians 10 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exodus 20:3 | You shall have no other gods before me. | God's direct command against idolatry |
| Deut 18:10-12 | Let no one be found among you... who practices divination...or idolatry. | Prohibition against occult practices |
| Josh 24:14 | Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped... | Exhortation to serve God alone |
| Ps 106:35-36 | They mingled with the nations and adopted their evil practices, serving their idols... | Israel's failure leading to destruction |
| Jer 10:14-15 | Every goldsmith is discredited... They are worthless and deserve ridicule. | Ridicule of idol worship |
| Acts 15:20,29 | ...abstain from food polluted by idols... | Apostolic decree on avoiding pollution |
| Rom 8:12-13 | Therefore, brothers, we have no obligation to the flesh... | Living according to the Spirit |
| 1 Cor 6:12-13 | ...everything is permissible for me but not everything is beneficial... | Paul's principle on freedom and bondage |
| 1 Cor 8:1,4 | ...an idol is nothing at all in the world... | Idols have no true existence |
| 1 Cor 8:7,10 | But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people may be so accustomed to idols that when they eat... | Weak consciences and idolatry |
| 1 Cor 10:7 | Do not be idolaters, as some of them were... | Warning against participation in rituals |
| 1 Cor 10:20 | No, I admit that what pagans sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, not to God... | The true nature of pagan sacrifice |
| 2 Cor 6:14-16 | Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?... | Call for separation from unbelievers |
| Col 3:5-6 | Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust... | Mortifying earthly desires |
| 1 John 5:21 | Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. | Final exhortation from John |
| Rev 18:4 | Come out of her, my people... | Call to separate from Babylon |
| Deut 32:21 | They made me jealous by their 'gods'... | God's jealousy over worship |
| Lev 17:1-7 | No longer sacrifice your sacrifices to the satyrs... | Priestly instructions on sacrifice |
| Psalm 96:5 | For all the gods of the nations are idols... | Contrast between idols and God |
| Isaiah 44:9-20 | Description of the folly of making idols | God's judgment on idol worship |
| 1 Thess 1:9 | ...you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God... | Gentile conversion to God |
| Revelation 21:8 | ...the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted...will be thrown into the lake... | Fate of idolaters and others |
1 Corinthians 10 verses
1 Corinthians 10 14 Meaning
This verse serves as an urgent plea from the Apostle Paul to the believers in Corinth, urging them to flee from idolatry. It highlights the spiritual danger associated with participating in or even being near practices that honor anything other than the one true God. The instruction is absolute, calling for complete separation and a focus on consuming food and living life in light of their redemption and union with Christ.
1 Corinthians 10 14 Context
In 1 Corinthians chapter 10, Paul is addressing the issue of eating food sacrificed to idols, a common practice in the Roman world and a point of contention within the Corinthian church. The Corinthian believers were in danger of participating in pagan festivals and meals associated with the worship of false gods. Paul previously affirmed that an idol is nothing (1 Cor 8:4), meaning it has no intrinsic power. However, he clarified that participation in pagan meals could imply fellowship with demons (1 Cor 10:20), drawing the Corinthians into dangerous spiritual territory. This verse is a strong summation of his argument against engaging in or condoning idolatrous practices. It reflects the Apostle's deep concern for the spiritual purity and distinctiveness of the church.
1 Corinthians 10 14 Word analysis
flee: (Gk: pheugo) means to run away, escape, avoid. It conveys a sense of urgent, decisive action to get away from danger.
from: (Gk: apo) indicates separation from something.
idolatry: (Gk: eidōlolatreia) refers to the worship of idols, image worship, or devotion to false gods.
you: (Gk: humas) the plural "you," referring to the entire church community at Corinth.
word-by-word analysis: "flee yourselves from idolatry." This is a direct command, an imperative. It is not suggesting moderation but total avoidance.
group analysis: The phrase "flee from idolatry" acts as a concise and powerful command. It encapsulates the entirety of the danger posed by participating in or compromising with the pagan practices of the surrounding culture, which were deeply intertwined with idol worship. It is a call for complete spiritual detachment from any act that would remotely suggest allegiance to anything other than Christ.
1 Corinthians 10 14 Bonus section
The imperative "flee" (pheugo) is exceptionally strong. In the Greek Septuagint (LXX), this word is used to describe Israel's escape from Egypt (Exodus 14:5), signifying a vital, life-or-death urgency. Similarly, Joseph "fled" from Potiphar's wife to preserve his purity (Gen 39:12). Paul’s use of this word underlines the severe spiritual threat idolatry poses. It is not a minor transgression but a fundamental betrayal of faith that warrants a decisive, self-preserving action. The word carries the weight of immediate danger and the need for rapid, complete escape.
1 Corinthians 10 14 Commentary
Paul issues a strong, unqualified command for believers to escape or run away from idolatry. This is not a suggestion for dealing with temptation but a mandate for complete avoidance. Idolatry, in its essence, is giving the worship due to God alone to anything or anyone else. For the Corinthians, this directly related to the temptation to participate in meals at pagan temples. Paul's directive emphasizes that while an idol itself might be nothing, the act of participating in its worship aligns one with demonic powers. Therefore, any spiritual compromise, any sharing in those rites, must be met with immediate and resolute flight. It's about safeguarding the exclusivity of Christ in their lives and worship, recognizing that their freedom in Christ calls for responsible living that honors God and protects their weaker brethren.
- Practical Usage: Believers today should actively distance themselves from any activities, media, or associations that promote or normalize the worship of anything other than the true God, whether it's materialism, celebrity worship, or compromising ideologies. It's about cultivating a lifestyle that clearly reflects devotion to Christ alone.