Book of Common Prayer

For This Very Reason, Flee From The Eating Connected With Idol Worship

¹⁴ For-this-very-reason, my beloved, be fleeing from idolatry^[a]. ¹⁵ I speak as to wise ones; you judge what I say: ¹⁶ the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing^[b] of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a sharing of the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we the many are one body^[c], for we all partake from the one bread.

So Don’t Partake of It In a Manner Unworthy of What He Did: Examine Yourselves

²⁷ So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily^[a] shall be guilty^[b] of the body and the blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But let a person examine himself, and in this manner let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For the one eating and drinking while not rightly-judging the body^[c] is eating and drinking judgment^[d] on himself. ³⁰ For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and many sleep. ³¹ But if we were rightly-judging ourselves, we would not be being^[e] judged. ³² But while being judged, we are being disciplined^[f] by the Lord in-order-that we might not be condemned with the world.

Jesus Celebrates Passover With The Twelve

¹² And on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened-Bread, when they were^[a] sacrificing the Passover [lamb], His disciples say to Him, “Where do You want us, having gone, to prepare in order that You may eat the Passover [meal]?” ¹³ And He sends-forth two of His disciples. And He says to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a jar^[b] of water. Follow him. ¹⁴ And wherever he enters, say to the house-master that ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest-room where I may eat the Passover [meal] with My disciples?”’ ¹⁵ And he will show you a large upstairs room having been spread [with furnishings], prepared. And prepare for us there”. ¹⁶ And the disciples went forth and came to the city, and found it just as He told them. And they prepared the Passover [meal]. ¹⁷ And having become evening, He comes with the twelve.

Judas Is Exposed

¹⁸ And while they were reclining-back and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will hand Me over— the one eating^[c] with Me!” ¹⁹ They began to be grieved, and to say to Him one by one, “It is not I, is it ?” ²⁰ And the One said to them, “It is one of the twelve, the one dipping with Me into the bowl. ²¹ Because the Son of Man is going just as it has been written about Him— but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is being handed-over! It would have been better for him if that man had not been born”.

The Bread And The Wine Are Given a New Meaning

²² And while they were eating, having taken bread, having blessed it ^[d], He broke it and gave it to them and said, “Take it. This is My body”. ²³ And having taken a cup, having given-thanks, He gave it to them. And they all drank from it. ²⁴ And He said to them, “This is My blood of ^[e] the covenant— the blood being poured-out for many. ²⁵ Truly I say to you that I will no longer by any means drink of the fruit of the grapevine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God”.