Devine Scripture

1 Corinthians 11:21

What does 1 Corinthians 11:21 mean?

A plain-English look at 1 Corinthians 11:21 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What 1 Corinthians 11:21 means

Paul describes the abuse: each one rushes to eat his own meal, so that one goes hungry and another gets drunk. What should have been a shared meal of remembrance and fellowship became a display of selfishness. The wealthy likely brought ample food and ate apart, leaving the poor with little or nothing. This mocked the gospel’s leveling power and contradicted the very nature of the Lord’s Supper, which calls the church to one table under one Lord. Such behavior substituted private feasting for sacred communion and revealed hearts out of step with grace.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

for in your eating each one taketh before other his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

for in your eating each one taketh before other his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For when you take your food, everyone takes his meal before the other; and one has not enough food, and another is the worse for drink.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for each his own supper doth take before in the eating, and one is hungry, and another is drunk;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For every one taketh before his own supper to eat. And one indeed is hungry and another is drunk.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For each one in eating takes his own supper before [others], and one is hungry and another drinks to excess.

Context

This verse provides the practical evidence for Paul’s charge in verse 20. It shows how division manifested in concrete behavior. Verse 22 will follow with sharp rhetorical questions and rebuke, pointing them back to private houses for ordinary eating and highlighting their despising of the church and shaming of the poor. After this exposure, Paul will turn to Christ’s own words to reset their understanding of the Supper’s meaning (verses 23–25).

v.20When therefore ye assemble yourselves together, it is not possible to eat the Lord’s supper:

v.21This passage

v.22What, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you? In this I praise you not.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • 2 Peter 2:13

    suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you;

  • Jude 1:12

    These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

  • 1 Corinthians 10:16

    The 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?

  • 1 Corinthians 11:23

    For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread;

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