especially those who indulge their fleshly desires ¹  and who despise authority. Brazen and insolent, ²  they are not afraid to insult ³  the glorious ones, ⁴ 

And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and twenty-three thousand died in a single day. ¹ 

Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. ¹ 

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; ¹  only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, ²  but through love serve one another. ³ 

I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people.

But avoid profane chatter, ¹  because those occupied with it will stray further and further into ungodliness, ² 

suffering harm as the wages for their harmful ways. ¹  By considering it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight, ²  they are stains and blemishes, indulging ³  in their deceitful pleasures when they feast together with you.

¹ When ²  Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to commit sexual immorality ³  with the daughters of Moab.

Death and life are in the power ¹  of the tongue, ²  and those who love its use ³  will eat its fruit.

Discipline your child, for ¹  there is hope, but do not set your heart ²  on causing his death. ³ 

You rely ¹  on your swords and commit abominable deeds; each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife. Will you possess the land?’

They consume their alcohol, then engage in cult prostitution; they dearly love their shameful behavior.

Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to arouse its desires. ¹ 

I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me!

Everyone who practices sin ¹  also practices lawlessness; ²  indeed, ³  sin is lawlessness.

What ¹  did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy ²  clothes? ³  Look, those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury ⁴  are in kings’ courts! ⁵ 

So do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” ¹ 

Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul,

These people are grumblers and ¹  fault-finders who go ²  wherever their desires lead them, ³  and they give bombastic speeches, ⁴  enchanting folks ⁵  for their own gain. ⁶ 

So they got up early on the next day and offered up burnt offerings and brought peace offerings, and the people sat down to eat and drink, ¹  and they rose up to play. ²