Devine Scripture

1 Corinthians 10:4

What does 1 Corinthians 10:4 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 Corinthians 10:4 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 Corinthians 10:4 means

Israel also “drank the same spiritual drink,” recalling the water God provided from the rock. Paul adds a deeper insight: “they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.” He teaches that Christ Himself, though not yet incarnate, was present to sustain God’s people. The point is not a fanciful tale, but a theological truth—Christ is the enduring source of life for God’s people across ages. Yet even with Christ’s sustaining presence, most of them fell. Therefore, the Corinthians must not presume that participation in Christ’s blessings—however real—excuses compromise. Communion with Christ calls for loyalty to Him alone, especially when tempted by idolatrous associations that deny His exclusive lordship.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And the same holy drink: for they all took of the water from the holy rock which came after them: and the rock was Christ.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and all the same spiritual drink did drink, for they were drinking of a spiritual rock following them, and the rock was the Christ;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And all drank the same spiritual drink: (And they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.)

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of a spiritual rock which followed [them]: (now the rock was the Christ;)

Context

This is the high point of the privilege list: divine deliverance, identification, food, drink—and the revelation that Christ Himself was the sustaining Rock. The contrast will be strongest when verse 5 states that God was not pleased with most of them. Knowing that even Christ’s presence did not prevent their downfall sharpens Paul’s warning to a church flirting with idolatry under the banner of freedom. Verses 6–10 will then name the particular sins that brought judgment.

v.3and did all eat the same spiritual food;

v.4This passage

v.5Howbeit with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Psalms 78:20

    Behold, he smote the rock, so that waters gushed out, And streams overflowed; Can he give bread also? Will he provide flesh for his people?

  • Isaiah 48:21

    And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts; he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them; he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

  • Psalms 105:41

    He opened the rock, and waters gushed out; They ran in the dry places like a river.

  • Hebrews 10:1

    For the law having a shadow of the goodthingsto come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh.

  • 1 Corinthians 11:24

    and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me.

  • Matthew 26:26

    And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

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