哥林多前書10:1-13

10:1 弟兄們，我不願意你們不曉得，我們的祖宗從前都在雲下，都從海中經過，
10:2 都在雲裡、海裡受洗歸了摩西；
10:3 並且都吃了一樣的靈食，
10:4 也都喝了一樣的靈水。所喝的，是出於隨著他們的靈磐石；那磐石就是基督。
10:5 但他們中間多半是上帝不喜歡的人，所以在曠野倒斃。
10:6 這些事都是我們的鑑戒，叫我們不要貪戀惡事，像他們那樣貪戀的；
10:7 也不要拜偶像，像他們有人拜的。如經上所記：「百姓坐下吃喝，起來玩耍。」
10:8 我們也不要行姦淫，像他們有人行的，一天就倒斃了二萬三千人；
10:9 也不要試探主（有古卷：基督），像他們有人試探的，就被蛇所滅。
10:10 你們也不要發怨言，像他們有發怨言的，就被滅命的所滅。
10:11 他們遭遇這些事都要作為鑑戒，並且寫在經上，正是警戒我們這末世的人。
10:12 所以，自己以為站得穩的，須要謹慎，免得跌倒。
10:13 你們所遇見的試探，無非是人所能受的。上帝是信實的，必不叫你們受試探過於所能受的；在受試探的時候，總要給你們開一條出路，叫你們能忍受得住。

 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. ² They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food ⁴ and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock 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.

⁶ Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. ⁷ Do not be idolaters, 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] 8} We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. ⁹ We should not test Christ,^[b] as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. ¹⁰ And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
¹¹ These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. ¹² So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! ¹³ No temptation^[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted^[d] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,^[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

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          保羅用警戒的口吻，來對哥林多教會的信徒說明，以色列人出埃及以後的事情。讓我們聽了也十分警戒，因為在這一群出埃及的以色列人，並沒有全部進入迦南之地。雖然他們經歷上帝透過摩西所行的神蹟，吃過嗎哪，喝過磐石出來的水。但是他們因為不信，得罪了上帝，以致於倒斃在曠野。

    保羅為了讓哥林多教會知道，我們不注重教會的懲戒，會遭受上帝的震怒，所以特別吩咐：「這些事都是我們的鑑戒，叫我們不要貪戀惡事，像他們那樣貪戀的；」「他們遭遇這些事都要作為鑑戒，並且寫在經上，正是警戒我們這末世的人。所以，自己以為站得穩的，須要謹慎，免得跌倒。」

    保羅除了說到上帝震怒的一面，也說到上帝的保守與慈愛：「你們所遇見的試探，無非是人所能受的。上帝是信實的，必不叫你們受試探過於所能受的；在受試探的時候，總要給你們開一條出路，叫你們能忍受得住。」

    這也提醒我們，不是靠自己的力量抵擋罪惡，事要靠上帝勝過試探，不要犯罪，使我們維持與上帝有正確合宜的關係！