Devine Scripture

Matthew 26:26

What does Matthew 26:26 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 26:26 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 26:26 means

As they eat, Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, gives it to the disciples, and calls it his body. This action institutes the Lord’s Supper: Jesus uses bread to represent his body given for them. The act of blessing and breaking follows Jewish meal customs but acquires new meaning as Jesus identifies the bread with his sacrificial self. It symbolizes his imminent offering and establishes a ritual remembrance for his followers to partake in his life-giving sacrifice for the covenant people.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And when they were taking food, Jesus took bread and, after blessing it, he gave the broken bread to the disciples and said, Take it; this is my body.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And while they were eating, Jesus having taken the bread, and having blessed, did brake, and was giving to the disciples, and said, `Take, eat, this is my body;'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread and blessed and broke and gave to his disciples and said: Take ye and eat. This is my body.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And as they were eating, Jesus, having taken [the] bread and blessed, broke [it] and gave [it] to the disciples, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

Context

This verse moves from betrayal to covenant action within the same meal. After predicting treachery, Jesus establishes a central Christian practice that reframes Passover around his death. The description prepares for the cup and the theological claim that Jesus’ death inaugurates a new covenant in his body and blood—linking the supper to his upcoming sacrificial death.

v.25And Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi? He saith unto him, Thou hast said.

v.26This passage

v.27And he took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

Cross references

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

  • John 6:33

    For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:4

    and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ.

  • 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?

  • Luke 24:30

    And it came to pass, when he had sat down with them to meat, he took the bread and blessed; and breaking it he gave to them.

  • Acts 2:46

    And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,

  • Galatians 4:24

    Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.

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