1 Corinthians 11:28
New International Version
Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.

New Living Translation
That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.

English Standard Version
Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Berean Standard Bible
Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

Berean Literal Bible
But let a man examine himself, and in this manner let him eat of the bread, and let him drink of the cup.

King James Bible
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

New King James Version
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

New American Standard Bible
But a person must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

NASB 1995
But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

NASB 1977
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Legacy Standard Bible
But a man must test himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Amplified Bible
But a person must [prayerfully] examine himself [and his relationship to Christ], and only when he has done so should he eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Christian Standard Bible
Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat the bread and drink from the cup.

American Standard Version
But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.

Contemporary English Version
This is why you must examine the way you eat and drink.

English Revised Version
But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
With this in mind, individuals must determine whether what they are doing is proper when they eat the bread and drink from the cup.

Good News Translation
So then, you should each examine yourself first, and then eat the bread and drink from the cup.

International Standard Version
A person must examine himself and then eat the bread and drink from the cup,

Majority Standard Bible
Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

NET Bible
A person should examine himself first, and in this way let him eat the bread and drink of the cup.

New Heart English Bible
But let a person examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.

Webster's Bible Translation
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

Weymouth New Testament
But let a man examine himself, and, having done that, then let him eat the bread and drink from the cup.

World English Bible
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and let a man be proving himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and let him drink of the cup;

Berean Literal Bible
But let a man examine himself, and in this manner let him eat of the bread, and let him drink of the cup.

Young's Literal Translation
and let a man be proving himself, and so of the bread let him eat, and of the cup let him drink;

Smith's Literal Translation
And let a man try himself, and so eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But let a man examine himself, and, in this way, let him eat from that bread, and drink from that cup.

New American Bible
A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup.

New Revised Standard Version
Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For this reason, let a man examine himself, and so eat of this bread, and drink of this cup.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Because of this, let a man search his soul, and then eat of this bread and drink from this cup.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup:

Godbey New Testament
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup;

Haweis New Testament
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.

Mace New Testament
Let a man then sift and approve himself, and accordingly let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

Weymouth New Testament
But let a man examine himself, and, having done that, then let him eat the bread and drink from the cup.

Worrell New Testament
But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup;

Worsley New Testament
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Sharing in the Lord's Supper
27Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 29For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.…

Cross References
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you fail the test?

Galatians 6:4
Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else.

Matthew 7:5
You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Psalm 26:2
Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and mind.

Lamentations 3:40
Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.

James 1:23-24
For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, / and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

2 Peter 1:10
Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble,

Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. / See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Matthew 26:22
They were deeply grieved and began to ask Him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?”

1 John 3:20-21
Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things. / Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God,

Psalm 119:59
I considered my ways and turned my steps to Your testimonies.

Romans 12:3
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.

Luke 22:19
And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


Treasury of Scripture

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

let a.

1 Corinthians 11:31
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

Psalm 26:2-7
Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart…

Lamentations 3:40
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

and so.

Numbers 9:10-13
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD…

Matthew 5:23,24
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; …

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1 Corinthians 11
1. He reproves them, because in holy assemblies,
4. their men prayed with their heads covered,
6. and women with their heads uncovered;
17. and because generally their meetings were not for the better, but for the worse;
21. as, namely, in profaning with their own feast the Lord's supper.
25. Lastly, he calls them to the first institution thereof.














Each one
This phrase emphasizes the individual responsibility of every believer. In the Greek, "hekastos" underscores the personal nature of the command. The Apostle Paul is addressing the Corinthian church, a diverse body of believers, and insists that self-examination is not just for the leaders or the spiritually mature, but for every single member. This reflects the biblical principle that faith is personal and each believer is accountable to God for their own spiritual state.

must examine
The Greek word "dokimazetō" is used here, which means to test, prove, or scrutinize. This is not a casual or superficial glance at one's life, but a deep, introspective evaluation. Historically, the Corinthian church struggled with divisions and moral issues, making this call to examination particularly poignant. Paul is urging believers to look inward, to assess their relationship with Christ and their conduct, ensuring they approach the Lord's Table with reverence and sincerity.

himself
The reflexive pronoun "heauton" indicates that this examination is self-directed. It is not the role of the church or other believers to judge one's worthiness to partake in communion; rather, it is a personal duty. This aligns with the broader scriptural teaching that each person must work out their own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), highlighting the personal nature of faith and repentance.

before he eats
The phrase "pro tou esthiein" suggests a preparatory action. Before participating in the sacred act of communion, believers are to ensure their hearts and minds are aligned with the holiness of the sacrament. This preparation is akin to the Old Testament practices where priests would purify themselves before entering the Holy of Holies. It underscores the sacredness of the Lord's Supper and the need for spiritual readiness.

of the bread
The bread symbolizes the body of Christ, broken for humanity. In the context of the Last Supper, Jesus broke the bread and shared it with His disciples, instituting a new covenant. The historical and scriptural significance of bread as a staple of life further enriches its symbolism as the sustenance provided by Christ's sacrifice. Believers are reminded of the physical and spiritual nourishment that comes from Christ alone.

and drinks of the cup
The cup represents the new covenant in Christ's blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins. In Jewish tradition, sharing a cup was a sign of fellowship and covenant. By drinking from the cup, believers participate in the new covenant, acknowledging the sacrifice of Jesus and the grace extended to them. This act is a profound reminder of the unity and community found in the body of Christ, transcending cultural and social barriers.

(28-32) There are so many modifications required in these verses of the Greek text from which our translation is taken, so as to bring it into harmony with the best MSS., and so many changes needed in the translation itself, so as to convey more clearly the meaning of the original, that it will be best to give here a consecutive translation of the whole passage. It should read thus:--But let a man prove himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup, for he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh a judgment to himself if he does not discern the Body--(for this cause many among you are weak and sick, and some sleep)--but if we would discern ourselves we should not be judged; but being judged we are chastened by the Lord, in order that we may not be finally condemned with the world. There are several words in this sentence which call for remark.

(28) So let him eat.--This implies that a man should partake of this sacred feast only after he has carefully examined himself as to the spirit in which he was approaching such holy bread and wine.

Verse 28. - Let a man examine himself. The verb means "let him test his own feelings;" put them to the proof, to see whether they be sincere or not. He must "wash his hands in innocency," and so come to God's altar (see Matthew 5:22, 23; 2 Corinthians 13:5). And so. Soberly, that is; seriously, humbly, and with due reverence.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Each one
ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

must examine
δοκιμαζέτω (dokimazetō)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1381: From dokimos; to test; by implication, to approve.

himself
ἑαυτόν (heauton)
Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself.

[before]
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

he eats
ἐσθιέτω (esthietō)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2068: Strengthened for a primary edo; used only in certain tenses, the rest being supplied by phago; to eat.

of
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

bread
ἄρτου (artou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 740: Bread, a loaf, food. From airo; bread or a loaf.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

drinks
πινέτω (pinetō)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4095: To drink, imbibe. A prolonged form of pio, which poo occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses; to imbibe.

of
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

cup.
ποτηρίου (potēriou)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4221: A drinking cup, the contents of the cup; fig: the portion which God allots.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 11:28 But let a man examine himself (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 11:27
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