Abuses at the Lord’s Supper

¹⁷ Now in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸ For, to begin with, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.^{(A) 19} Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine.^{(B) 20} When you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord’s supper. ²¹ For when the time comes to eat, each of you proceeds to eat your own supper, and one goes hungry and another becomes drunk. ²² What! Do you not have households to eat and drink in? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I commend you? In this matter I do not commend you!

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread,^{(C) 24} and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for^[a] you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. 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 until he comes.^(D)

Partaking of the Supper Unworthily

²⁷ Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord.^{(E) 28} Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup.^{(F) 29} For all who eat and drink^[b] without discerning the body^[c] eat and drink judgment against themselves. ³⁰ For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.^{[d] 31} But if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged.^{(G) 32} But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined^[e] so that we may not be condemned along with the world.^(H)

³³ So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. ³⁴ If you are hungry, eat at home,^[f] so that when you come together, it will not be for your condemnation. About the other things I will give instructions when I come.^(I)

¹⁴ Therefore, my beloved, flee from the worship of idols.^{(A) 15} I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶ The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.^{(B) 18} Consider the people of Israel:^[a] Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar?^{(C) 19} What do I imply, then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything or that an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, I imply that what they^[b] sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.^{(D) 21} You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.^(E)