1 Corinthians 11 34

1 Corinthians 11:34 kjv

And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

1 Corinthians 11:34 nkjv

But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

1 Corinthians 11:34 niv

Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.

1 Corinthians 11:34 esv

if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home ? so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

1 Corinthians 11:34 nlt

If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won't bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I'll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.

1 Corinthians 11 verses

1 Corinthians 11 34 meaning

This verse provides practical instruction to the Corinthian church regarding their conduct during communal gatherings, specifically around the Lord's Supper. It directly addresses the issue of believers coming hungry and misusing the sacred meal for personal satiation, leading to divisions and disunity. Paul commands that physical hunger be satisfied at home, preventing the Lord's Supper from being treated as a common meal. The warning is clear: failure to do so results in participating in the assembly for "judgment" from the Lord. Furthermore, Paul defers other outstanding matters of church order and discipline, indicating his intent to personally resolve them upon his next visit, asserting apostolic authority.

1 Corinthians 11 34 Context

First Corinthians 11 focuses heavily on order and proper conduct within the Corinthian Christian community's gatherings. Verses 2-16 deal with head coverings, establishing principles of God-given order and roles within public worship. The immediate context for verse 34, however, is found in verses 17-33, where Paul sharply condemns the Corinthian church for their egregious behavior during their communal meals and the celebration of the Lord's Supper. Their gatherings, intended for spiritual nourishment and unity, had become occasions for division, selfishness, and even debauchery. The wealthier members would feast lavishly, arriving early and eating their fill, while the poorer members, often laborers who arrived later, were left hungry and shamed, completely subverting the spirit of love and communion inherent in Christ's institution of the Supper. Paul reiterates the true meaning of the Lord's Supper, linking it to Christ's sacrifice and calling for self-examination to prevent participating unworthily and incurring divine judgment (1 Cor 11:27-32). Verse 34 serves as a practical, direct corrective to prevent the specific abuse of coming hungry to the sacred meal, and it concludes Paul's immediate instructions on the Supper, deferring other, perhaps less critical, disciplinary issues to his personal visit. This illustrates Paul's ongoing concern for the purity and order of the Corinthian church.

1 Corinthians 11 34 Word analysis

• If anyone (Εἴ τις, Ei tis): This is a conditional clause, implying a real and current situation. "Anyone" emphasizes that this applies universally to individuals within the congregation who may have this specific need.
• is hungry (πεινᾷ, peinā): From the verb πεινάω (peinaō), meaning "to be hungry." It refers to genuine physical hunger, not merely a desire to eat. This was a prevalent issue where some attendees were literally starving during the communal meal while others overindulged.
• let him eat (ἐσθιέτω, esthietō): An imperative, a direct command. It signifies that addressing one's physical need for food is permissible and necessary, but not at the communal worship gathering.
• at home (ἐν οἴκῳ, en oikō): Literally "in house." This explicitly delineates the private sphere from the public church assembly. The place for satisfying one's primary physical hunger is one's own residence, before gathering for corporate worship and communion. This keeps the purpose of the Lord's Supper distinct from a common meal.
• so that (ἵνα, hina): Introduces a purpose clause, indicating the desired outcome of the command.
• when you come together (συνέρχησθε, synerchēsthe): From συνέρχομαι (synerchomai), "to come together, assemble." This refers specifically to the corporate gatherings of the church, especially for the Lord's Supper.
• it will not be for judgment (μὴ εἰς κρίμα, mē eis krima): This states the negative purpose to be avoided. "Judgment" here, as in 1 Cor 11:29, refers to divine disciplinary action, which could manifest as illness, weakness, or even death, for desecrating the sacred meaning of the Lord's Supper by treating it unworthily or by perpetuating divisions and shaming.
• And the other matters (Τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ, Ta de loipa): Refers to other outstanding issues and irregularities within the church not specifically addressed in this section, likely also concerning order, discipline, or specific practices Paul deemed secondary to the Lord's Supper abuse.
• I will set in order (διατάξομαι, diataxomai): From διατάσσω (diatassō), meaning "to arrange, order, instruct, appoint." This indicates Paul's apostolic authority to establish regulations and organize church life. The middle voice implies he will personally take care of this.
• when I come (ὅταν ἔλθω, hotan elthō): Indicates Paul's plan to visit Corinth and address these remaining issues in person, highlighting his hands-on approach to church planting and discipline.

1 Corinthians 11 34 Bonus section

The context of 1 Corinthians 11:34 sheds light on the nature of early Christian communal meals. It is believed that early Christians often celebrated what were called "love feasts" (agapē meals) – full fellowship meals – which either preceded or immediately followed the Lord's Supper. Over time, the distinction between these two elements blurred in Corinth, leading to the abuses Paul addresses. The directive to eat at home, therefore, serves not only to address physical hunger but also to purify the Lord's Supper itself, removing any opportunity for it to devolve into a common, divisive meal. Paul's focus here on the sanctity of the gathered assembly and the reverent observation of the Lord's Supper provides a timeless principle for the church: the spiritual significance and unity of corporate worship should always take precedence over personal appetites or social distinctions.

1 Corinthians 11 34 Commentary

In 1 Corinthians 11:34, Paul issues a pragmatic, yet profoundly spiritual directive to correct the flagrant abuses occurring during the Corinthian church's communal meals that included the Lord's Supper. The core problem was the selfish practice of some members satisfying their physical hunger and indulging themselves while others, particularly the poor, went without food, thus shaming them and fostering deep divisions. Paul's simple solution, "If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home," unequivocally distinguishes between a common meal meant to quell hunger and the sacred Lord's Supper, which is a symbolic memorial of Christ's sacrifice, a proclamation of His death, and a fellowship of believers. Failure to heed this instruction, by treating the sacred as mundane and ignoring the spiritual significance of the Supper and the unity it represents, would bring divine judgment upon the assembly, as warned previously in 1 Cor 11:29-32. This counsel underlines the necessity of approaching sacred acts with reverence and a proper understanding of their spiritual purpose, ensuring that all participants can partake in unity and honor. By deferring "other matters" to his arrival, Paul also signals his ongoing apostolic authority and pastoral oversight, indicating that further instruction and correction beyond this immediate issue were still needed to bring the Corinthian church into proper order.