1 Corinthians 11 20

1 Corinthians 11:20 kjv

When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.

1 Corinthians 11:20 nkjv

Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.

1 Corinthians 11:20 niv

So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat,

1 Corinthians 11:20 esv

When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat.

1 Corinthians 11:20 nlt

When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord's Supper.

1 Corinthians 11 verses

1 Corinthians 11 20 meaning

The verse emphatically declares that when the Corinthian believers assembled for their communal meal, marred by divisions and selfish behavior, it ceased to be a true "Lord's Supper." Despite their physical gathering and the act of eating, their conduct betrayed the spiritual essence, unity, and self-sacrificial love intrinsic to the Supper, rendering their observance hollow and contrary to Christ's intent.

1 Corinthians 11 20 Context

First Corinthians 11:20 is situated within a larger section (11:17-34) where Paul addresses severe issues concerning the church's conduct during their corporate gatherings, specifically regarding the Lord's Supper. Leading up to this verse, Paul laments their divisive nature ("When you come together, it is not for the better but for the worse," 11:17) and notes that there must be factions among them (11:18-19). This establishes a foundational problem of disunity and selfish ambition. Verse 20 serves as Paul's direct and blunt assessment of their flawed practice: given their divisions, what they are observing cannot genuinely be the Lord's Supper. He then elaborates on the specifics of their unloving conduct (11:21-22), followed by a reminder of the Supper's true institution and purpose (11:23-26), and warnings against unworthy participation (11:27-32), concluding with practical instructions for its proper observance (11:33-34). Historically and culturally, the early church celebrated the Lord's Supper as part of a larger communal meal, often called an "agape" or "love feast." In Corinth, this practice had degenerated due to social stratification, where wealthier members would arrive early, consume much of the food and drink, while poorer members, delayed by work, would arrive hungry, only to find meager or no provisions left, thus causing shame and division within the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 11 20 Word analysis

• When you come together (Greek: Συνερχομένων, Synerchomenōn): This participial phrase refers to the act of congregating. It signifies the physical assembly of the believers in one place. Paul emphasizes that the setting itself, a Christian gathering, should inherently embody unity and sacred purpose. The problem wasn't in the gathering, but in what transpired during it.
• therefore (Greek: οὖν, oun): This conjunction indicates a logical consequence or a summation. Paul draws a conclusion based on his preceding statements (vv. 17-19) about their divisions and uncharitable behavior. It links their poor conduct directly to the subsequent declaration.
• it is not (Greek: οὐκ, ouk): This is a strong and emphatic negation. Paul is not gently suggesting a discrepancy; he is explicitly denying the validity of their current practice. It signifies a complete failure to meet the essential criteria of what they claim to be doing.
• the Lord's Supper (Greek: κυριακὸν δεῖπνον, kuriakon deipnon):
  • Lord's (Greek: κυριακὸν, kuriakon): This adjective means "belonging to the Lord," or "of the Lord." It signifies divine ownership, purpose, and character. It ties the meal directly to Jesus Christ, His Person, and His atoning work. It demands reverence, obedience, and alignment with His selfless example.
  • Supper (Greek: δεῖπνον, deipnon): Refers to the main evening meal of the day, a substantial dinner, not merely a symbolic morsel. In the ancient world, communal meals were deeply significant for establishing social bonds, fellowship, and demonstrating hospitality. By calling it "the Lord's Supper," Paul highlights its sacred, covenantal, and communal nature.
• that you eat (Greek: ἐστιν φαγεῖν, estin phagein): This phrase emphasizes the purpose and manner of their consumption. While they were physically eating, the way they ate—with selfishness, division, and disregard for others—stripped the meal of its intended spiritual meaning and its connection to Christ. It was a failure of the communal act to embody its true, Christ-centered significance.

• When you come together, therefore: This phrase highlights that their corporate assembly, intended for unity and sacred worship, had become the very context for their offensive behavior. The word "therefore" points back to the reported divisions and selfishness (11:17-19) as the cause for the subsequent declaration.
• it is not the Lord's Supper that you eat: This entire declaration is the central rebuke. Paul's shock statement signifies a profound disconnect between the name they used for the meal and the reality of their practice. They were treating a sacred rite, designed by the Lord to commemorate His sacrificial love and foster unity, as an ordinary, self-serving meal, thereby nullifying its spiritual authenticity and purpose.

1 Corinthians 11 20 Bonus section

The strong negation in "it is not the Lord's Supper" implies that the Corinthians had essentially desecrated a sacred institution through their ungodly behavior. They had stripped the kuriakon deipnon of its inherent meaning and power, transforming it into an ordinary, even offensive, event. This highlights the vital connection between Christian conduct and the integrity of sacred rituals. Paul underscores that authentic participation in the Lord's Supper requires a certain spiritual disposition—one characterized by humility, self-examination, and especially love for one's fellow believers (1 Cor 11:28-32). The issue wasn't the theological understanding of transubstantiation or consubstantiation (which are later developments) but the ethical and relational application of Christ's sacrifice. Their failure stemmed from a practical denial of the gospel's leveling power that obliterates social barriers within the community of faith, making it a "table of the Lord" not a display of social status.

1 Corinthians 11 20 Commentary

Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 11:20 is a sharp rebuke, declaring that the Corinthian church's corrupted communal meal was, in spiritual reality, no longer "the Lord's Supper." This wasn't an issue of what elements were used, but how the Supper was approached. Their gatherings, marred by severe social divisions, selfish consumption by the wealthy, and shaming of the poor, violated the very essence of Christian fellowship and Christ's self-sacrificial love, which the Supper embodies. They reduced a sacred remembrance of Christ's unity and covenant to a common meal driven by personal gratification and class distinctions. Thus, their external religious form lacked the internal spiritual substance. It serves as a powerful reminder that outward observance without a heart of love, unity, and selflessness—especially towards fellow believers—is void of genuine meaning in God's eyes.

• Example 1: A church potluck where a few well-off members hoard the best food for themselves, while new or struggling members are left with little. This might be a meal, but it fails the "agape" (love) test that defines a Christian gathering.
• Example 2: Attending a worship service out of routine or social obligation, while harboring bitterness or pride against fellow attendees, misses the heart of communal worship and reconciliation.