Revelation 2:14 Cross References - Mace

¹⁴ but I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there those that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who counselled Balac to ensnare the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.

⁷ wo unto the world, because of such scandals: tho' it cannot be, but that such occasions of relapsing should happen: yet wo to that man by whom the scandal cometh.

²⁰ that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, from fornication, from animals that are strangled, and from their blood. ²¹ for as to the law of Moses, that has been published in every city a considerable time, being read in the synagogues every sabbath-day.

²⁹ that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the flesh of strangled animals, and from fornication: you will do well to preserve your selves from these practices. farewel.

²⁵ as for the believing Gentiles, we have given them by letter this decision, "they need only take care to abstain from meats offered to idols, from blood, from the flesh of animals strangled, and from fornication."

³² why? because they sought it not by faith, but indeed by the works of the law: for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;

⁹ and David says, "let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a gin, and a recompence for their iniquity.

¹³ let us not judge one another any more: but rather come to this determination, not to put a stumbling-block, or any thing in a brother's way, that may make him fall.

²¹ it is better to abstain from flesh, and wine, and every thing whereby your brother is in danger of falling off.

²³ we preach Christ crucified, an obstacle to the Jews indeed, and to the Gentiles foolishness: but to those who believe,

¹³ "meat is design'd for the belly, and the belly for meat:" true, yet God has design'd both for destruction. now the body is not design'd for licentiousness, but for the glory of the Lord; since the Lord died for the glorification of the body: ¹⁴ for as God hath raised up the Lord, so will he likewise raise us up to partake of his own power. ¹⁵ Don't you know, that your bodies are parts of Christ's mystical body? now, how can that which is Christ's, be made the property of a very creature? ¹⁶ it cannot be. why, don't you perceive, that where there is such an attachment, they are but as one person? for the scripture says, "they two shall be as one." ¹⁷ but he that is attach'd to the Lord, is united to him by one and the same spirit. ¹⁸ flee licentiousness. no other sin that a man commits does affect the church as a body: but the licentious commits a fraud against the whole body to which he belongs.

² I answer, with regard to the licentious, it is best for a man, to have his wife; and for a woman to have her husband.

⁴ As to the eating therefore of what is offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that the heathen deities have no real existence, and that there is but one God. ⁵ for tho' there are several titular deities, both in heaven and on earth: such as the whole crowd of gods, and lords among the Gentiles; ⁶ yet to us there is but one God, the father, from whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. ⁷ But every one has not this knowledge: for some still imagine the idol represents a deity: and eat the meat under the notion of an offering to such a being: by which erroneous opinion they are infected with idolatry. ⁸ meat does not recommend us to God: if we eat, we are not the better men; if we don't eat, we are not the worse. ⁹ but take care that this liberty of yours does not prove a scandal to the weak. ¹⁰ for if any man see you who have a just notion of idols, sitting at table in their temple, will not the person who is wrong in his notions be incouraged to eat what is offered to idols, tho' contrary to his own opinion? ¹¹ so that your notions may endanger the life of thy weak brother, for whom Christ died. ¹² but when you thus offend against the brethren, by wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³ wherefore if my eating makes my brother offend, I will never eat flesh rather than make my brother offend.

¹⁸ consider the custom of the Jews by descent, are not they which eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar? what say I then? ¹⁹ that the idol, or that what is offered in sacrifice to the idol, is a matter of consequence? ²⁰ no, but that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not have you partake of the sacrifices of demons. ²¹ you should not drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: you should not be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of demons. ²² Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? ²³ are all things lawful for me? yet all things are not expedient: are all things lawful for me? yet all things do not edify. ²⁴ Let no man consult barely his own interest: but every man that of others. ²⁵ whatever is sold in the shambles, that eat, without making any scrupulous enquiry. ²⁶ for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. ²⁷ if any of the unbelievers invite you to an entertainment, and you are disposed to go; whatever is set before you, eat, without asking any question out of a scruple of conscience. ²⁸ but if any man say to you, this is offered in sacrifice to an idol, don't eat, for his sake that mentioned it, and for conscience sake. ²⁹ when I say conscience, I don't mean your own, but that of the other: for why should I expose my liberty to the censure of another man's conscience? ³⁰ if I am thankful for what I have, why should I chuse to be evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? ³¹ whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.

⁴ Marriage is every where honourable, and that state is innocent: but the licentious and adulterers God will punish.

⁸ and which the architects rejected, will be an occasion to the incredulous of their stumbling, and bruising themselves thereby:

¹⁵ and are gone astray to follow the practices of Balaam of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity;

¹¹ unhappy creatures! they have followed the practices of Cain, they have addicted themselves to the mercenary illusions of Balaam, and perish in their rebellion like Core.

⁴ nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

²⁰ notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel, who stiles herself a prophetess, and teaches and seduces my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

⁸ but the fearful, and incredulous, the abominable, the murderer, the licentious, the poisoner, the idolater, and every lyar shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: this is the second death."

¹⁵ "but without are the execrable, the poisoners, the licentious, the murderers, the idolaters, and all who are pleas'd with, or practise deceit.