TRV
Translation
King James Version
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
Complete Jewish Bible
Because there is one loaf of bread, we who are many constitute one body, since we all partake of the one loaf of bread.
Berean Standard Bible
Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.
American Standard Version
seeing that we, who are many, are one bread, one body: for we all partake of the one bread.
World English Bible Messianic
Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.
Geneva Bible (1599)
For we that are many, are one bread and one body, because we all are partakers of one bread.
Young's Literal Translation
because one bread, one body, are we the many--for we all of the one bread do partake.
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In the KJVVerse 28,585 of 31,102
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Commentary on 1 Corinthians 10 verses 15–22
15 ¶ I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
In this passage the apostle urges the general caution against idolatry, in the particular case of eating the heathen sacrifices as such, and out of any religious respect to the idol to whom they were sacrificed.
I. He prefaces his argument with an appeal to their own reason and judgment: "I speak to wise men, judge you what I say, Co1 10:15. You are great pretenders to wisdom, to close reasoning and argument; I can leave it with your own reason and conscience whether I do not argue justly." Note, It is no dishonour to an inspired teacher, nor disadvantage to his argument, to appeal for the truth of it to the reason and consciences of his hearers. It comes upon them with the greater force when it comes with this conviction. Paul, an inspired apostle, would yet, in some cases, leave it with the Corinthians to judge whether what he taught was not conformable to their own light and sense.
II. He lays down his argument from the Lord's supper: The cup which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Is not this sacred rite an instrument of communion with God? Do we not therein profess to be in friendship, and to have fellowship, with him? Is it not a token whereby we professedly hold communion with Christ, whose body was broken, and blood shed, to procure remission of our sins, and the favour of God? And can we be in alliance with Christ, or friendship with God, without being devoted to him? In short, the Lord's supper is a feast on the sacrificed body and blood of our Lord, epulum ex oblatis. And to eat of the feast is to partake of the sacrifice, and so to be his guests to whom the sacrifice was offered, and this in token of friendship with him. Thus to partake of the Lord's table is to profess ourselves his guests and covenant people. This is the very purpose and intention of this symbolical eating and drinking; it is holding communion with God, and partaking of those privileges, and professing ourselves under those obligations, which result from the death and sacrifice of Christ; and this in conjunction with all true Christians, with whom we have communion also in this ordinance. Because the bread is one, we, being many, are one body, for we are made partakers of one bread, or loaf (Co1 10:17), which I think is thus more truly rendered: "By partaking of one broken loaf, the emblem of our Saviour's broken body, who is the only true bread that came down from heaven, we coalesce into one body, become members of him and one another." Those who truly partake by faith have this communion with Christ, and one another; and those who eat the outward elements make profession of having this communion, of belonging to God and the blessed fraternity of his people and worshippers. This is the true meaning of this holy rite.
III. He confirms this from the Jewish worship and customs: Behold Israel after the flesh: are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar, that is, of the sacrifice offered upon it? Those who were admitted to eat of the offerings were reckoned to partake of the sacrifice itself, as made for them, and to be sanctified thereby; and therefore surely to worship God, and be in alliance or covenant with him, even the God of Israel, to whom the sacrifice was made: this was a symbol or token of holding communion with him.
IV. He applies this to the argument against feasting with idolaters on their sacrifices, and to prove those that do so idolaters. This he does, 1. By following the principle on which they would argue it to be lawful, namely, that an idol was nothing. Many of them were nothing at all, none of them had any divinity in them. What was sacrificed to idols was nothing, no way changed from what it was before, but was every whit as fit for food, considered in itself. They indeed seem to argue that, because an idol was nothing, what was offered was no sacrifice, but common and ordinary food, of which they might therefore eat with as little scruple. Now the apostle allows that the food was not changed as to its nature, was as fit to be eaten as common food, where it was set before any who knew not of its having been offered to an idol. But, 2. He proves that the eating of it as a part of a heathen sacrifice was, (1.) A partaking with them in their idolatry. It was having fellowship with devils, because what the Gentiles sacrificed they sacrificed to devils; and to feast with them upon these sacrifices was to partake in the sacrifice, and therefore to worship the god to whom it was made, and have fellowship or communion with him just as he who eats the Lord's supper is supposed to partake in the Christian sacrifice; or as those who ate the Jewish sacrifices partook of what was offered on their altar. But heathens sacrificed to devils: "Therefore do not feast on their sacrifices. Doing it is a token of your having fellowship with the demons to whom they are offered. I would not have you be in communion with devils." (2.) It was a virtual renouncing of Christianity: You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: you cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and the table of devils, Co1 10:21. To partake of this Christian feast was to have communion with Christ: to partake of the feasts made in honour of the heathen idols, and made of things sacrificed to them, was to have communion with devils. Now this was to compound contraries; it was by no means consistent. Communion with Christ, and communion with devils, could never be had at once. One must be renounced, if the other was maintained. He who held communion with Christ must renounce that with devils; he who held communion with devils must by that very deed renounce communion with Christ. And what a manifest self-contradiction must that man's conduct be that would partake of the Lord's table, and yet partake of the table of demons! God and mammon can never be served together, nor fellowship be at once had with Christ and Satan. Those who communicate with devils must virtually renounce Christ. This may also intimate that such as indulge themselves in gluttony or drunkenness, and by so doing make their own table the table of devils, or keep up fellowship with Satan by a course of known and wilful wickedness, cannot partake truly of the cup and table of the Lord. They may use the sign, but do not the thing signified thereby. For a man can never be at once in communication with Christ and his church and yet in fellowship with Satan. Note, How much reason have we to look to it that every sin and idol be renounced by us, when we eat and drink at the Lord's table.
V. He warns them, upon the whole, against such idolatry, by signifying to them that God is a jealous God (Co1 10:22): Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? It is very probable that many among the Corinthians made light of being at these heathen feasts, and thought there was no harm in it. But the apostle bids them beware. The reason with which the second commandment is enforced is, I am a jealous God. God cannot endure a rival in matter of worship; nor give his glory, nor suffer it to be given, to another. Those who have fellowship with other gods provoke him to jealousy, Deu 32:16. And, before this be done, persons should consider whether they are stronger than he. It is a dangerous thing to provoke God's anger, unless we could withstand his power. But who can stand before him when he is angry? Nah 1:6. This should be considered by all who continue in the love and liking of sin, and in league with it, while yet they profess to keep up communion with Christ. Is not this the way to provoke his jealousy and indignation? Note, Attention to the greatness of God's power should restrain us from provoking his jealousy, from doing any thing to displease him. Shall we rouse almighty wrath? And how shall we withstand it? Are we a match for God? Can we resist his power, or control it? And, if not, shall we arm it against us, by provoking him to jealousy? No, let us fear his power, and let this restrain us from all provocation.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 15–22. Public domain.
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Ambrose of MilanAD 397
Letter 63
Wherefore every soul which receives that bread which comes down from heaven is the house of bread, that is, the Bread of Christ, being nourished and supported and having its heart strengthened by that heavenly bread which dwells within it. Hence Paul also says, For we being many are one bread. Every faithful soul is Bethlehem, as Jerusalem also is said to be, which has the peace and tranquillity of that Jerusalem which is above, in heaven. That is the true Bread which, when broken into pieces, fed all men.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on 1 Corinthians 24
"For we, who are many, are one bread, one body." "For why speak I of communion?" saith he, "we are that self-same body." For what is the bread? The Body of Christ. And what do they become who partake of it? The Body of Christ: not many bodies, but one body. For as the bread consisting of many grains is made one, so that the grains no where appear; they exist indeed, but their difference is not seen by reason of their conjunction; so are we conjoined both with each other and with Christ: there not being one body for thee, and another for thy neighbor to be nourished by, but the very same for all. Wherefore also he adds,
"For we all partake of the one bread." Now if we are all nourished of the same and all become the same, why do we not also show forth the same love, and become also in this respect one? For this was the old way too in the time of our forefathers: "for the multitude of them that believed," saith the text, "were of one heart and soul." Not so, however, now, but altogether the reverse. Many and various are the contests betwixt all, and worse than wild beasts are we affected towards each other's members. And Christ indeed made thee so far remote, one with himself: but thou dost not deign to be united even to thy brother with due exactness, but separatest thyself, having had the privilege of so great love and life from the Lord. For he gave not simply even His own body; but because the former nature of the flesh which was framed out of earth, had first become deadened by sin and destitute of life; He brought in, as one may say, another sort of dough and leaven, His own flesh, by nature indeed the same, but free from sin and full of life; and gave to all to partake thereof, that being nourished by this and laying aside the old dead material, we might be blended together unto that which is living and eternal, by means of this table.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
EASTER SERMON 227
So by bread you are instructed as to how you ought to cherish unity. Was that bread made of one grain of wheat? Were there not, rather, many grains? However, before they became bread, these grains were separate. They were joined together in water after a certain amount of crushing. For unless the grain is ground and moistened with water, it cannot arrive at that form which is called bread. So, too, you were previously ground, as it were, by the humiliation of your fasting and by the sacrament of exorcism. Then came the baptism of water. You were moistened, as it were, so as to arrive at the form of bread. But without fire, bread does not yet exist.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
City of God 21.25
The one who is properly said to eat the body of Christ and to drink his blood is the one who is incorporated into the unity of his body. Heretics and schismatics can receive the sacrament but to no avail—in fact, to their harm—since the result is to increase their pain rather than to curtail the length of their punishment.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
1 Corinthians 10:17 profoundly articulates the supernatural unity of believers in Christ, drawing a powerful connection to their shared participation in the Lord's Supper. Paul asserts that despite their individual diversity, Christians are collectively "one bread" and "one body," a truth made manifest and sustained through their common partaking of the communion bread, which symbolizes their corporate identity and spiritual nourishment in Christ. This verse serves as a foundational statement on ecclesial unity, contrasting the unifying power of Christ's table with the divisive nature of idolatry.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Paul employs several significant literary devices in 1 Corinthians 10:17 to convey his message of unity. The primary device is Metaphor, where the Church is directly equated with "one bread" and "one body." The image of "one bread" is a powerful and tangible metaphor for unity, as many grains are combined to form a single loaf, symbolizing how many diverse individuals are united into one Christian community. This is immediately followed by the well-known Pauline metaphor of the Church as the Body of Christ, reinforcing the organic and interdependent nature of believers. The phrase "one bread" also functions as a Synecdoche, where the part (the communion bread) represents the whole (the entire act of the Lord's Supper and the unity it signifies). Furthermore, Paul uses Repetition of the phrase "one bread" and "one" (applied to both bread and body) to emphasize the core concept of unity. This repetition, combined with the Parallelism between "one bread" and "one body," creates a rhythmic and memorable statement that underscores the singular, unified identity of the Christian community.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
1 Corinthians 10:17 stands as a cornerstone for understanding the nature of the Church's unity, rooted in its shared participation in Christ. This unity is not merely organizational or social, but deeply spiritual, forged by the Holy Spirit and expressed in the communal act of the Lord's Supper. It reflects the very nature of God as a unified Trinity, and the new covenant reality where believers, regardless of their background, are brought together into one family. The verse highlights that communion is not just a remembrance of Christ's sacrifice, but an active participation in His body and blood, which inherently binds believers to one another. This shared life in Christ transcends all human divisions, calling believers to live out the practical implications of their spiritual oneness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
1 Corinthians 10:17 offers a profound theological truth with immense practical implications for believers today. It calls us to recognize that our shared participation in the Lord's Supper is not just an individual act of remembrance, but a corporate affirmation of our profound, spiritual oneness in Christ. This means that divisions, strife, and disunity within the church directly contradict the very essence of what the "one bread" represents. We are challenged to actively pursue harmony, mutual love, and respect, cherishing the unity that Christ has already established. When we gather at the Lord's Table, we are reminded that our individual identities are subsumed into a greater, unified identity as the Body of Christ. This should compel us to live out our faith in ways that demonstrate this unity to a watching world, serving one another, bearing one another's burdens, and working together for the advancement of God's kingdom, rather than allowing personal preferences or worldly distinctions to fracture the sacred bond we share.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does Paul mean by "one bread" in this verse?
Answer: When Paul speaks of "one bread," he is primarily referring to the single loaf of bread used in the Christian practice of the Lord's Supper, also known as communion or the Eucharist. This "one bread" serves as a powerful symbol and a tangible expression of the profound unity of all believers. Just as many individual grains of wheat are ground, mixed, and baked to form a single loaf, so too are many diverse individuals united by faith in Christ to form one spiritual body. Their shared partaking of this single loaf signifies their common life in Christ and their corporate identity as the Church. It emphasizes that their unity is not merely an ideal but a lived reality, made manifest in their communal worship and shared spiritual nourishment from Christ. This concept is deeply tied to Paul's broader teaching on the Church as the Body of Christ.
How does 1 Corinthians 10:17 relate to the concept of the "Body of Christ"?
Answer: 1 Corinthians 10:17 is a foundational verse for understanding Paul's concept of the Church as the "Body of Christ." The verse explicitly states, "For we being many are one bread, and one body." Paul draws a direct parallel between the "one bread" of communion and the "one body" of believers. The act of partaking in the single loaf of communion bread symbolizes and actualizes the spiritual reality that all believers, despite their individual differences, are organically united as one spiritual body, with Christ as its head. This unity is not just metaphorical; it is a profound theological truth that has practical implications for how believers relate to one another. Just as a physical body has many parts that function together for the good of the whole, so too are individual believers members of the one Body of Christ, called to mutual interdependence, service, and harmony (Romans 12:4-5). This verse underscores that the Lord's Supper is a corporate act that reinforces and expresses this essential unity of the Body of Christ.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
1 Corinthians 10:17 finds its ultimate fulfillment and meaning in Jesus Christ, who is the very "one bread" and the head of the "one body." Christ is the true bread of life who came down from heaven, giving His flesh for the life of the world (John 6:51). His broken body on the cross, symbolized by the communion bread, is the singular sacrifice that unites all believers, breaking down dividing walls of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). Through His Spirit, Christ baptizes all believers into this one body, whether Jew or Gentile, slave or free, making them all to drink of one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). Thus, the unity described in 1 Corinthians 10:17 is not a human achievement but a divine reality, inaugurated by Christ's atoning work, sustained by His ongoing presence through the Spirit, and expressed in the communal meal that points back to His sacrifice and forward to His return. He is the unifying principle, the very lifeblood of the Church, ensuring that though we are many, we are truly one in Him.