1 Corinthians 11:29
New International Version
For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

New Living Translation
For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.

English Standard Version
For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

Berean Standard Bible
For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

Berean Literal Bible
For the one eating and drinking not discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

King James Bible
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

New King James Version
For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

New American Standard Bible
For the one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not properly recognize the body.

NASB 1995
For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.

NASB 1977
For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly.

Legacy Standard Bible
For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.

Amplified Bible
For anyone who eats and drinks [without solemn reverence and heartfelt gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ], eats and drinks a judgment on himself if he does not recognize the body [of Christ].

Christian Standard Bible
For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

American Standard Version
For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself, if he discern not the body.

Contemporary English Version
If you fail to understand that you are the body of the Lord, you will condemn yourselves by the way you eat and drink.

English Revised Version
For he that eateth and drinketh, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself, if he discern not the body.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Anyone who eats and drinks is eating and drinking a judgment against himself when he doesn't recognize the Lord's body.

Good News Translation
For if you do not recognize the meaning of the Lord's body when you eat the bread and drink from the cup, you bring judgment on yourself as you eat and drink.

International Standard Version
because whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

Majority Standard Bible
For anyone who eats and drinks unworthily, without recognizing the body of the Lord, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

NET Bible
For the one who eats and drinks without careful regard for the body eats and drinks judgment against himself.

New Heart English Bible
For he who eats and drinks eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not discern the body.

Webster's Bible Translation
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh condemnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

Weymouth New Testament
For any one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgement to himself, if he fails to estimate the body aright.

World English Bible
For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
for he who is eating and drinking unworthily, he eats and drinks judgment to himself—not discerning the body of the LORD.

Berean Literal Bible
For the one eating and drinking not discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

Young's Literal Translation
for he who is eating and drinking unworthily, judgment to himself he doth eat and drink -- not discerning the body of the Lord.

Smith's Literal Translation
For he eating and drinking unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For whoever eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks a sentence against himself, not discerning it to be the body of the Lord.

New American Bible
For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.

New Revised Standard Version
For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For he who eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks to his condemnation; for he does not discern the LORD’s body.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For whoever eats and drinks from it being unworthy, eats and drinks a guilty verdict into his soul for not distinguishing the body of THE LORD JEHOVAH.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
for he that eats and drinks in an improper manner, eats and drinks condemnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

Godbey New Testament
for the one eating and drinking, net discerning the body, eats and drinks condemnation to himself.

Haweis New Testament
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh condemnation to himself, not distinguishing the Lord’s body.

Mace New Testament
for he that eats and drinks in a disrespectful manner, not discriminating the Lord's body, eateth and drinketh to his own punishment.

Weymouth New Testament
For any one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgement to himself, if he fails to estimate the body aright.

Worrell New Testament
for he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body.

Worsley New Testament
for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgement against himself, not distinguishing the Lord's body.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Sharing in the Lord's Supper
28Each 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. 30That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.…

Cross References
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? / Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.

1 Corinthians 10:21
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? / If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; / you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

Hebrews 10:29
How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

Matthew 26:26-28
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.” / Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. / This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

John 6:53-56
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. / Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. / For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink. ...

Luke 22:19-20
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.” / In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.

Mark 14:22-24
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it; this is My body.” / Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. / He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

Acts 2:42
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Romans 14:1-3
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions. / For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables. / The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted him.

Romans 14:10-12
Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. / It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.” / So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Romans 14:23
But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.

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 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. / The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.


Treasury of Scripture

For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

damnation.

1 Corinthians 11:30,32-34
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep…

Romans 13:2
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

James 3:1
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

not.

1 Corinthians 11:24,27
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me…

Ecclesiastes 8:5
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.

Hebrews 5:14
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Jump to Previous
Aright Body Condemnation Conscious Damnation Danger Discern Discerning Distinguishing Drinker Drinketh Drinks Eater Eateth Eats Estimate Fails Holy Judge Judgement Judgment Lord's Manner Meal Part Puts Recognizing Rightly Unworthily Unworthy
Jump to Next
Aright Body Condemnation Conscious Damnation Danger Discern Discerning Distinguishing Drinker Drinketh Drinks Eater Eateth Eats Estimate Fails Holy Judge Judgement Judgment Lord's Manner Meal Part Puts Recognizing Rightly Unworthily Unworthy
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.














For anyone who eats and drinks
This phrase introduces the universal application of the instruction. The Greek word for "anyone" (ὁ) emphasizes that this warning is not limited to a specific group but applies to all believers. The act of eating and drinking here refers to the participation in the Lord's Supper, a sacred Christian ordinance. Historically, the early church gathered for communal meals, which included the Eucharist, a practice rooted in Jesus' Last Supper with His disciples. This communal act was meant to be a time of unity and reflection on Christ's sacrifice.

without recognizing the body
The phrase "without recognizing" (μὴ διακρίνων) implies a failure to discern or understand the significance of the Lord's body. The Greek root suggests a lack of judgment or discernment. In the context of the Corinthian church, this failure was evident in the divisions and selfishness that marred their gatherings. The "body" here can be interpreted in two ways: the physical body of Christ, sacrificed for humanity, and the metaphorical body of Christ, which is the church. Both interpretations highlight the need for reverence and unity among believers.

eats and drinks judgment on himself
The consequence of failing to recognize the body is severe: eating and drinking "judgment" (κρίμα) upon oneself. The Greek term for judgment indicates a divine evaluation or decision. This is not eternal condemnation but a temporal discipline meant to correct and restore. Historically, the early church understood this as a serious warning, as evidenced by the illnesses and even deaths among the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 11:30). This serves as a sobering reminder of the holiness of the Lord's Supper and the need for self-examination and repentance before partaking.

(29) Unworthily.--This word is not in the best Greek MSS.

Damnation to himself.--The Greek word hero does not imply final condemnation. On the contrary, it only means such temporal judgments as the sickness and weakness subsequently mentioned, and which are to save the man from sharing the final damnation of the heathen.

Not discerning the Lord's body.--The words "the Lord's" are to be omitted, the weight of MS. evidence being altogether against their authenticity. 1Corinthians 11:30 is a parenthesis, and 1Corinthians 11:31 re-opens with this same verb. The force of the passage is, "He who eats and drinks without discerning the Body (i.e., the Church) in that assembly, eats and drinks a judgment to himself; for if we would discern ourselves we should not be judged."

There are some important points to be borne in mind regarding this interpretation of the passage. (1) The Greek word, which we render "discerning," "discern," signifies to arrive at a right estimate of the character or quality of a thing. (2) The fault which St. Paul was condemning was the practice which the Corinthians had fallen into of regarding these gatherings as opportunities for individual indulgence, and not as Church assemblies. They did not rightly estimate such gatherings as being corporate meetings; they did not rightly estimate themselves as not now isolated individuals, but members of the common Body. They ought to discern in these meetings of the Church a body; they ought to discern in themselves parts of a body. Not only is this interpretation, I venture to think, the most accurate and literal interpretation of the Greek, but it is the only view which seems to me to make the passage bear intelligibly on the point which St. Paul is considering, and the real evil which he seeks to counteract. (3) To refer these words directly or indirectly to the question of a physical presence in the Lord's Supper, is to divorce them violently from their surroundings, and to make them allude to some evil for which the explicit and practical remedy commended in 1Corinthians 11:33-34 would be no remedy at all. Moreover. if the word "body" means the Lord's physical body, surely the word "Lord's" would have been added, and the words, "and the blood," for the non-recognition of the blood would be just as great an offence. (4) St. Paul never uses the word "body" in reference to our Lord's physical body, without some clear indication that such is meant. (See Romans 7:4; Philippians 3:21; Colossians 1:22.) On the other hand, the use of the word "Body," or "Body of Christ," meaning the Church, is frequent. We have had it but a few verses before, in reference to this very subject (1Corinthians 10:16). It is also to be found in Romans 12:5; Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 5:23; Ephesians 5:30. (In this last passage, "of His flesh and of His bones," are not in the best MSS., and destroy the real force of the "Body," which means "Church.") . . .

Verse 29. - Unworthily. The word is not genuine here, being repeated from ver. 27; it is omitted by א, A, B, C. Eateth and drinketh damnation to himself; rather, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself There is reason to believe that the word "damnation" once had a much milder meaning in English than that which it now popularly bears. In King James's time it probably did not of necessity mean more than "an unfavourable verdict." Otherwise this would be the most unfortunate mistranslation in the whole Bible. It has probably kept thousands, as it kept Goethe, from Holy Communion. We see from ver. 32 that this "judgment" had a purely merciful and disciplinary character. Not discerning; rather, if he discern not, the Lord's body, Any one who approach? the Lord's Supper in a spirit of levity or defiance, not discriminating between it and common food, draws on himself, by so eating and drinking, a judgment which is defined in the next verse.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

anyone who
(ho)
Article - Nominative 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.

eats
ἐσθίων (esthiōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2068: Strengthened for a primary edo; used only in certain tenses, the rest being supplied by phago; to eat.

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

drinks
πίνων (pinōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4095: To drink, imbibe. A prolonged form of pio, which poo occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses; to imbibe.

without
μὴ (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

recognizing
διακρίνων (diakrinōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1252: From dia and krino; to separate thoroughly, i.e. to withdraw from, or oppose; figuratively, to discriminate, or hesitate.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative 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.

body
σῶμα (sōma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4983: Body, flesh; the body of the Church. From sozo; the body, used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively.

eats
ἐσθίει (esthiei)
Verb - Present Indicative 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.

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

drinks
πίνει (pinei)
Verb - Present Indicative 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.

judgment
κρίμα (krima)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2917: From krino; a decision ('crime').

on himself.
ἑαυτῷ (heautō)
Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 11:29 For he who eats and drinks (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 11:28
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