The Lord’s Supper

17 Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions(A) among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20 When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.(B) 21 For at the meal, each one eats his own supper.[a] So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! 22 Don’t you have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you in this matter!

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:(C) On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said,[b] “This is my body, which is[c] for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”(D)

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant(E) in my blood.(F) Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death(G) until he comes.(H)

Self-Examination

27 So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body[d] and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body,[e] eats and drinks judgment(I) on himself. 30 This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.(J) 31 If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged, 32 but when we are judged(K) by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned(L) with the world.

33 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, welcome one another.[f] 34 If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather together you will not come under judgment. I will give instructions about the other matters whenever I come.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 11:21 Or eats his own supper ahead of others
  2. 11:24 Other mss add “Take, eat.
  3. 11:24 Other mss add broken
  4. 11:27 Lit be guilty of the body
  5. 11:29 Other mss read drinks unworthily, not discerning the Lord’s body
  6. 11:33 Or wait for one another

Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper(A)

17 In the following directives I have no praise for you,(B) for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions(C) among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.(D) 20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers.(E) As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God(F) by humiliating those who have nothing?(G) What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?(H) Certainly not in this matter!

23 For I received from the Lord(I) what I also passed on to you:(J) The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body,(K) which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant(L) in my blood;(M) do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.(N)

27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.(O) 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves(P) before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.(Q) 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.(R) 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined(S) so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.(T)

33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34 Anyone who is hungry(U) should eat something at home,(V) so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.

And when I come(W) I will give further directions.

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