1 Corinthians 10:20 (ASV)

Passage

But [I say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons.

Nearby Context

1 Corinthians 10:18 Behold Israel after the flesh: have not they that eat the sacrifices communion with the altar?

1 Corinthians 10:19 What say I then? that a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

1 Corinthians 10:20 But [I say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons.

1 Corinthians 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons.

1 Corinthians 10:22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "things", "gentiles", "sacrifice", "demons", "should", and "communion". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "things" and "gentiles", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "What say I then that a thing..." into verse 21's "Ye cannot drink the cup of the...", so "things" and "gentiles" belong inside that flow. In 1 Corinthians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "things" and "gentiles" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.