1 Corinthians 10:16
What does 1 Corinthians 10:16 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 Corinthians 10:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 Corinthians 10:16 means
The “cup of blessing” and “bread which we break” are a “communion” in the blood and body of Christ. Paul teaches that the Lord’s Supper is real participation in Christ’s saving work and person—not mere memory. By faith, believers share in the benefits of His crucified body and shed blood, being nourished and bound to Him. Therefore, the meal is profoundly exclusive: to partake is to declare allegiance and fellowship with Christ. This makes any participation in rival sacred meals a betrayal of that communion. The Supper not only looks back to the cross; it also binds the present church to Christ in covenant loyalty and shapes how believers discern the spiritual meaning of any other table.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ?
KJV
King James Version · 1611The 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?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949The cup of blessing which we take, does it not give us a part in the blood of Christ? and is not the broken bread a taking part in the body of Christ?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862The cup of the blessing that we bless--is it not the fellowship of the blood of the Christ? the bread that we break--is it not the fellowship of the body of the Christ?
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not [the] communion of the blood of the Christ? The bread which we break, is it not [the] communion of the body of the Christ?
Context
Paul’s first illustration grounds his case in the church’s own sacred meal. Having appealed to wisdom, he reminds them what their cup and bread mean. This prepares for verse 17’s emphasis on unity among believers, then verse 18’s comparison with Israel’s altar, and finally verses 19–21’s exposure of the demonic reality behind pagan feasts. The flow moves from Christian communion to analogues in Israel and paganism to show a single principle: sacred meals create fellowship.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 20:7
And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his speech until midnight.
- Acts 20:11
And when he was gone up, and had broken the bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.
- Hebrews 3:14
for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:
- Mark 14:22
And as they were eating, he took bread, and when he had blessed, he brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take ye: this is my body.
- 1 Corinthians 1:9
God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
- John 6:53
Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves.
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