11:26 11:26

1 Corinthians 11:27

11:28 11:28

Bible Versions

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
Wherefore {G5620} whosoever {G3739}{G302} shall eat {G2068} this {G5126} bread {G740}, and {G2228} drink {G4095} this cup {G4221} of the Lord {G2962}, unworthily {G371}, shall be {G2071} guilty {G1777} of the body {G4983} and {G2532} blood {G129} of the Lord {G2962}.
Therefore, whoever eats the Lord’s bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in an unworthy manner will be guilty of desecrating the body and blood of the Lord!
Therefore, 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.
Wherefore whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 11:27, issues a stern warning to the Corinthian church regarding their participation in the Lord's Supper, emphasizing the gravity of this sacred ordinance.

Context

This verse is part of a larger discussion (starting around 1 Corinthians 11:17) where Paul addresses severe abuses within the Corinthian congregation concerning the Lord's Supper. Instead of a solemn remembrance of Christ's sacrifice and a demonstration of unity, their gatherings had become disorderly, marked by selfish eating, drunkenness, and neglect of the poor. Paul reminds them of the institution of the Supper, which he received directly from the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), before delivering this warning about partaking "unworthily."

Key Themes

  • The Sacredness of the Lord's Supper: Paul underscores that the bread and cup are not ordinary elements but profound symbols of Christ's body broken and blood shed for the new covenant. To treat them casually or irreverently is to disrespect the very act of redemption.
  • Spiritual Discernment: The core issue of partaking "unworthily" (Greek: anaxios) is not about being sinless (which is impossible for any believer) but about the manner and attitude of participation. It means failing to rightly discern the significance of the Lord's body and blood, and also failing to recognize the body of Christ as the church community itself, leading to division and selfishness. This lack of discernment is further elaborated in 1 Corinthians 11:29.
  • The Consequence of Disrespect: To be "guilty of the body and blood of the Lord" implies a profound offense. It suggests that by treating the Supper with contempt or indifference, one is, in a sense, participating in the very act that brought about Christ's suffering, or at least trivializing its immense cost.

Linguistic Insight

The Greek word translated "unworthily" is anaxios (ἀναξίως), an adverb meaning "unsuitably," "improperly," or "in an unworthy manner." It describes the *way* one partakes, rather than a state of personal moral perfection. The Corinthians were eating without regard for the sacredness of the elements or for their fellow believers, particularly the poor, thus profaning the spiritual significance of the meal.

Practical Application

This verse calls believers to a serious self-examination before partaking in Communion, as Paul urges in 1 Corinthians 11:28. It's an invitation to:

  • Reflect on Christ's Sacrifice: Remember the profound love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose body was broken and blood was shed for our redemption.
  • Examine Your Heart: Confess any known sin and ensure your heart is right with God and with fellow believers. The Lord's Supper is also a meal of unity, signifying the oneness of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).
  • Approach with Reverence: Participate with awe and gratitude, understanding the immense spiritual significance of this sacred act.

The warning is not meant to deter believers from partaking, but to ensure they do so with proper understanding, reverence, and a spirit of unity, honoring the Lord who instituted it.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 6:51

    I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:21

    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.

  • Hebrews 10:29

    Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

  • Numbers 9:13

    But the man that [is] clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.

  • Numbers 9:10

    Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or [be] in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD.

  • Leviticus 10:1

    ¶ And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

  • Leviticus 10:3

    ¶ Then Moses said unto Aaron, This [is it] that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
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