1 Corinthians 10:17 kjv
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
1 Corinthians 10:17 nkjv
For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
1 Corinthians 10:17 niv
Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
1 Corinthians 10:17 esv
Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
1 Corinthians 10:17 nlt
And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body.
1 Corinthians 10 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 12:12 | Just as the body is one and has many members... | Unity in diversity of gifts |
| Rom 12:4-5 | For as in one body we have many members... | Believers as one body |
| Eph 4:4 | There is one body and one Spirit... | One Spirit, one body |
| Eph 4:15-16 | ...grow up in every way into him who is the head, that is, Christ... | Growth in Christ, unity |
| Gal 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Greek... all are one in Christ Jesus. | Unity across social divides |
| Phil 2:1-2 | ...make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. | Unity of mind and heart |
| John 17:21-23 | ...that they may all be one, even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you... | Jesus' prayer for unity |
| Acts 2:42 | And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. | Early church fellowship |
| 1 Cor 11:23-26 | For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you... | The institution of the Lord's Supper |
| Lev 23:3, 10-11 | ...holy convocations... bring an omer of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest... | Feasts and offerings of unity |
| Isa 40:6, 8 | ...All flesh is grass... But the word of our God will stand forever. | God's enduring word |
| Ex 12:14, 24-25 | ...this day shall be for you a memorial... Keep this practice as a statute forever. | Passover as remembrance |
| Ps 118:22-24 | The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. | Christ as cornerstone |
| Zech 8:20-23 | ...many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities shall come to seek the Lord... | Future ingathering of nations |
| Matt 26:26-28 | Now as they were eating, Jesus took the bread, and after blessing, broke it... | Jesus breaks bread with disciples |
| Mark 14:22-24 | And as they ate, he took bread, and when he had blessed and broken it, gave it to them... | Mark's account of breaking bread |
| Luke 22:19-20 | And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them... | Luke's account of breaking bread |
| Acts 1:8 | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you... | Empowerment for witness |
| 1 Cor 8:4 | ...no idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. | The uniqueness of God |
| Deut 6:4 | Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. | Shema Israel |
1 Corinthians 10 verses
1 Corinthians 10 17 Meaning
One body comes from many members, all participating in the same Bread. This illustrates unity in Christ. Believers are distinct individuals yet united as one body through their common participation in Christ, symbolized by the Lord's Supper.
1 Corinthians 10 17 Context
In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul is addressing issues of food offered to idols and participation in idolatrous worship among the Corinthian believers. He reminds them of their heritage in Israel's journey through the wilderness, where many fell away due to sin. Paul warns against participating in the "table of demons" and contrasts it with the "table of the Lord." This verse serves to reinforce the idea of corporate identity and shared experience within the Christian community, directly relating to the sacred act of partaking in the Lord's Supper. The Corinthians were struggling with their understanding of fellowship and participation, some believing they could partake in meals at pagan temples without compromising their faith. Paul corrects this, emphasizing that true unity and participation are found in Christ.
1 Corinthians 10 17 Word Analysis
Gάρ (gar): "for" - introducing a reason or explanation.
ὅτι (hoti): "because" or "that" - introducing a subordinate clause.
ἐξ (ex): "out of" or "from" - indicating origin or source.
ἑνός (henos): genitive singular of "εἷς" (heis), meaning "one."
ἄρτου (artou): genitive singular of "ἄρτος" (artos), meaning "bread." Refers to a loaf or bread as a staple food.
μετὰ (meta): "with" or "among" - indicating association.
πολλῶν (pollon): genitive plural of "πολύς" (polys), meaning "many."
ὄντων (ontōn): genitive plural present active participle of "εἰμί" (eimi), meaning "being." So, "many being."
γάρ (gar): "for" - an inferential particle.
ἓν (hen): neuter nominative/accusative singular of "εἷς" (heis), meaning "one." Here it refers to "one body."
σῶμα (sōma): "body" - referring to a physical body, but here in the sense of a collective group or entity.
τοῦ (tou): definite article, genitive singular neuter.
Χριστοῦ (Christou): genitive singular of "Χριστός" (Christos), meaning "Christ." Possession or belonging.
One Body and Many Members: This phrase echoes Paul's consistent teaching about the Church as the body of Christ (Rom 12:4-5, 1 Cor 12:12-27, Eph 4:11-16). The "one body" is the unified community of believers, and the "many members" are the individual Christians within that community, each with unique gifts and functions but all belonging to the same organism.
From One Bread: The singular "bread" here strongly alludes to Christ Himself, who is the spiritual food that unites believers. The reference to the breaking of bread, the Lord's Supper, is crucial. While a loaf might be broken into many pieces, it remains fundamentally one loaf. Similarly, believers are many, but in Christ, they are united as one spiritual entity. This points back to Christ's sacrifice and sustenance.
1 Corinthians 10 17 Bonus Section
The imagery of "one bread" is significant in Jewish tradition as well, particularly with the unleavened bread (matzah) used during Passover, which symbolized both affliction and redemption, and was eaten by all members of the household together. This reinforces the deep Old Testament roots of Christian fellowship practices. Furthermore, the singular "bread" in the context of the Lord's Supper also emphasizes the singular, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, through which believers are united. The unity in Christ is not a human achievement but a divine reality imparted through participation in the sacrament.
1 Corinthians 10 17 Commentary
Paul is drawing an analogy from the physical act of eating bread together to the spiritual reality of believers sharing in Christ. Just as many pieces of grain form one loaf of bread, and this loaf is broken to be shared, so too many individuals are made into one body by partaking of Christ. The shared participation in "one bread" signifies and seals their corporate identity and communion with Christ and with each other. This communal eating binds them together into a single spiritual entity, the body of Christ. Any participation in idolatrous meals (the "table of demons") severs this spiritual unity and communion.