¹⁶ Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break^(A) a participation in the body of Christ?^{(B) 17} Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body,^(C) for we all share the one loaf.

¹⁸ Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices^(D) participate in the altar? ¹⁹ Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?^{(E) 20} No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons,^(F) not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.^{(G) 22} Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?^(H) Are we stronger than he?^(I)

The Believer’s Freedom

²³ “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.^(J) “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.

¹⁸ In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions^(A) 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.^{(B) 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.^(C) 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^(D) by humiliating those who have nothing?^(E) What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?^(F) Certainly not in this matter!

²³ For I received from the Lord^(G) what I also passed on to you:^(H) 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,^(I) 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^(J) in my blood;^(K) 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.^(L)

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.^{(M) 28} Everyone ought to examine themselves^(N) 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.