‘ But I have a few things against you. Some of your people follow the teaching of Balaam. He taught Balak to lead the people of Israel into sin. So they ate food that had been offered to statues of gods. And they committed sexual sins.

然而，有几件事我要责备你：因为在你那里有人服从了巴兰的教训；这巴兰曾教导巴勒将绊脚石放在以色列人面前，叫他们吃祭偶像之物，行奸淫的事。

然而，有几件事我要责备你，就是在你那里有人服从了巴兰的教训；这巴兰曾教唆巴勒将绊脚石放在以色列人面前，使他们吃祭过偶像之物，并且犯淫乱。

然而，有几件事我要责备你，就是在你那里有人服从了巴兰的教训；这巴兰曾教唆巴勒将绊脚石放在以色列人面前，使他们吃祭过偶像之物，并且犯淫乱。

不过有几件事我要责备你，你那里有人随从巴兰的教导。这巴兰从前教巴勒在以色列人面前布下网罗，使他们吃祭过偶像的食物、犯淫乱的罪。

然而有几件事我要责备你，因为在你那里有些人持守巴兰的教训。这巴兰曾经教导巴勒把绊脚石放在以色列人面前，叫他们吃祭过偶像的食物，并且行淫乱。

然而，我有几件事要责备你，就是在你那里有些人持守巴兰的教导。这巴兰曾教唆巴勒把绊脚石放在以色列子民面前，就是使他们吃祭过偶像的食物，并且行淫乱。

然而，有幾件事我要責備你：因為在你那裏有人服從了巴蘭的教訓；這巴蘭曾教導巴勒將絆腳石放在以色列人面前，叫他們吃祭偶像之物，行姦淫的事。

然而，有幾件事我要責備你，就是在你那裏有人服從了巴蘭的教訓；這巴蘭曾教唆巴勒將絆腳石放在以色列人面前，使他們吃祭過偶像之物，並且犯淫亂。

然而，有幾件事我要責備你，就是在你那裏有人服從了巴蘭的教訓；這巴蘭曾教唆巴勒將絆腳石放在以色列人面前，使他們吃祭過偶像之物，並且犯淫亂。

不過有幾件事我要責備你，你那裡有人隨從巴蘭的教導。這巴蘭從前教巴勒在以色列人面前佈下網羅，使他們吃祭過偶像的食物、犯淫亂的罪。

然而有幾件事我要責備你，因為在你那裡有些人持守巴蘭的教訓。這巴蘭曾經教導巴勒把絆腳石放在以色列人面前，叫他們吃祭過偶像的食物，並且行淫亂。

不過我有一點要責備你的，就是你有執守巴蘭教訓的人在你那裏。這巴蘭教導了巴勒將絆跌物丟在以色列人面前，叫他們喫祭偶像之物並行邪淫、變節去拜偶像。

然而，我有幾件事要責備你，就是在你那裡有些人持守巴蘭的教導。這巴蘭曾教唆巴勒把絆腳石放在以色列子民面前，就是使他們吃祭過偶像的食物，並且行淫亂。

然我有數端責爾、因爾處有持巴蘭之訓者、昔巴蘭訓巴勒投躓石於以色列民前、使食祭像之物並行淫、

惟爾有可責數事、昔巴蘭慫恿巴勒、誘以色列人、食祭偶之物、且行淫、爾中有人從之、

然尚有稍可責爾者、因爾中有從巴蘭教者、昔巴蘭教巴拉克、誘惑以色列人食祭偶像之物、且行淫、

惟吾對爾亦略有未滿；蓋爾中有少數人、服膺巴拉盎之邪道；巴拉盎者、即昔日教唆巴拉可置躓石於義塞子孫之前、令食祭像之物、且誘其行淫者也。

Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.

But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

“ But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.

But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the Israelites: to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.

But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.

But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.

But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the Israelites: to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.

But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

‘ But here is what I have against you. You put up with that woman Jezebel. She calls herself a prophet. With her teaching, she has led my servants into sexual sin. She has tricked them into eating food offered to statues of gods.

They have left God’s way. They have wandered off. They follow the way of Balaam, son of Beor. He loved to get paid for doing his evil work.

“ The women followed Balaam’s advice. They caused the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord. The people worshiped the god named Baal that was worshiped at Peor. So a plague struck them.

Don’t eat food that has been offered to statues of gods. Don’t drink blood. Don’t eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And don’t commit sexual sins. You will do well to keep away from these things. Farewell.

Israel was staying in Shittim. The men of Israel began to commit sexual sins with the women of Moab.The women invited the men to feasts and sacrifices to honor their gods. The people ate the sacrifices and bowed down in front of the statues of those gods.So Israel joined in worshiping the god named Baal that was worshiped at Peor. The Lord became very angry with Israel.

How terrible it will be for them! They have followed the way of Cain. They have rushed into the same mistake Balaam made. They did it because they loved money. They are like Korah. He turned against his leaders. These people will certainly be destroyed, just as Korah was.

Balak, the son of Zippor, prepared to fight against Israel. Balak was the king of Moab. He sent for Balaam, the son of Beor. Balak wanted Balaam to put a curse on you.

Think about the people of Israel. Don’t those who eat the offerings share in the altar?Do I mean that food sacrificed to a statue of a god is anything? Do I mean that a statue of a god is anything?No! But what is sacrificed by those who worship statues of gods is really sacrificed to demons. It is not sacrificed to God. I don’t want you to be sharing with demons.You can’t drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too. You can’t have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is?You say,“ I have the right to do anything.” But not everything is helpful. Again you say,“ I have the right to do anything.” But not everything builds us up.No one should look out for their own interests. Instead, they should look out for the interests of others.Eat anything sold in the meat market. Don’t ask if it’s right or wrong.Scripture says,“ The earth belongs to the Lord. And so does everything in it.”( Psalm 24:1)Suppose an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go. Then eat anything that is put in front of you. Don’t ask if it’s right or wrong.But suppose someone says to you,“ This food has been sacrificed to a statue of a god.” Then don’t eat it. Keep in mind the good of the person who told you. And don’t eat because of a sense of what is right and wrong.I’m talking about the other person’s sense of what is right and wrong, not yours. Why is my freedom being judged by what someone else thinks?Suppose I give thanks when I eat. Then why should I be blamed for eating food I thank God for?So eat and drink and do everything else for the glory of God.

All of you should honor marriage. You should keep the marriage bed pure. God will judge the person who commits adultery. He will judge everyone who commits sexual sins.

And,“ It is a stone that causes people to trip. It is a rock that makes them fall.”( Isaiah 8:14) They trip and fall because they do not obey the message. That is also what God planned for them.

We have already given written directions to the believers who are not Jews. They must not eat food that has been offered to statues of gods. They must not drink blood. They must not eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And they must not commit sexual sins.”

But others will be thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. Those who are afraid and those who do not believe will be there. Murderers and those who make themselves impure will join them. Those who commit sexual sins and those who practice witchcraft will go there. Those who worship statues of gods and all who tell lies will be there too. The lake of fire is the second death.”

Some of you say,“ Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food. And God will destroy both of them.” But the body is not meant for sexual sins. The body is meant for the Lord. And the Lord is meant for the body.By his power God raised the Lord from the dead. He will also raise us up.Don’t you know that your bodies belong to the body of Christ? Should I take what belongs to Christ and join it to a prostitute? Never!When you join yourself to a prostitute, you become one with her in body. Don’t you know this? Scripture says,“ The two will become one.”( Genesis 2:24)But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one with him in spirit.Keep far away from sexual sins. All the other sins a person commits are outside the body. But sexual sins are sins against their own body.

Here is what we should write to them. They must not eat food that has been made impure by being offered to statues of gods. They must not commit sexual sins. They must not eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And they must not drink blood.These laws of Moses have been preached in every city from the earliest times. They are read out loud in the synagogues every Sabbath day.”

Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba were among the men they killed. Those men were the five kings of Midian. The Israelites also killed Balaam with their swords. Balaam was the son of Beor.

Let us stop judging one another. Instead, decide not to put anything in the way of a brother or sister. Don’t put anything in their way that would make them trip and fall.

But since sexual sin is happening, each man should sleep with his own wife. And each woman should sleep with her own husband.

So then, here is what I say about eating food sacrificed to statues of gods. We know that“ a god made by human hands is really nothing at all in the world.” We know that“ there is only one God.”There may be so- called gods either in heaven or on earth. In fact, there are many“ gods” and many“ lords.”But for us there is only one God. He is the Father. All things came from him, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord. He is Jesus Christ. All things came because of him, and we live because of him.But not everyone knows this. Some people still think that statues of gods are real gods. They might eat food sacrificed to statues of gods. When they do, they think of it as food sacrificed to real gods. And because those people have a weak sense of what is right and wrong, they feel guilty.But food doesn’t bring us close to God. We are no worse if we don’t eat. We are no better if we do eat.But be careful how you use your rights. Be sure you don’t cause someone weaker than you to fall into sin.Suppose you, with all your knowledge, are eating in a temple of one of those gods. And suppose someone who has a weak sense of what is right and wrong sees you. Won’t that person become bold and eat what is sacrificed to statues of gods?If so, then your knowledge destroys that weak brother or sister for whom Christ died.Suppose you sin against them in this way. Then you harm their weak sense of what is right and wrong. By doing this, you sin against Christ.So suppose what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin. Then what should I do? I will never eat meat again. In that way, I will not cause them to fall.

“ Or suppose a godly person turns away from their godliness and does what is evil. And suppose I put something in their way that will trip them up. Then they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The godly things that person did will not be remembered. And I will hold you responsible for their death.

So the Lord says,“ I will bring an army against the people of Judah. Parents and children alike will trip and fall. Neighbors and friends will die.”

A messenger says,“ Build up the road! Build it up! Get it ready! Remove anything that would keep my people from coming back.”

How terrible it will be for the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Things like that must come. But how terrible for the person who causes them!

Don’t eat meat if it causes your brother or sister to sin. Don’t drink wine or do anything else that will make them sin.

Now I’m going back to my people. But come. Let me warn you about what these people will do to your people in days to come.”

But these Levites served the people of Israel. They served while the Israelites were worshiping the statues of their gods. They made the people fall into sin. So I raised my hand and made a promise. I warned them that I would punish them because of their sin,” announces the Lord and King.

Outside the city are those who are impure. These people include those who practice witchcraft. Outside are also those who commit sexual sins and murder. Outside are those who worship statues of gods. And outside is everyone who loves and does what is false.

‘ But here is something I hold against you. You have turned away from the love you had at first.

Why not? Because they tried to do it without faith. They tried to be right with God by what they did. They tripped over the stone that causes people to trip and fall.

David says,“ Let their feast be a trap and a snare. Let them trip and fall. Let them get what’s coming to them.

But we preach about Christ and his death on the cross. That is very hard for Jews to accept. And everyone else thinks it’s foolish.