1 Corinthians 11:29 Meaning and Explanation
“For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Whoever partakes without discerning the Lord's body brings judgment on himself.
What Does 1 Corinthians 11:29 Mean?
Paul explains the danger in failing to examine oneself. To eat and drink without discerning the Lord's body is to draw judgment upon oneself. The Corinthians had failed to perceive the sacredness of the meal and the unity of the church it represents.
To discern the body is to recognize what the supper truly is and to see the fellow believers gathered as one body in Christ. The Corinthians' sin was a blindness, treating the holy as common and the church as a place to indulge rather than to love. Paul's warning is grave because the stakes are high, yet its aim is mercy: he writes so that they will see rightly and be spared, awakening them to the weight of what they hold in their hands.
1 Corinthians 11:29 in the Original Language
diakrino (διακρίνω), 'discerning' -- to distinguish rightly, to perceive the true nature of a thing.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Corinthians 11:29
What does 1 Corinthians 11:29 mean?
Whoever partakes without discerning the Lord's body brings judgment on himself.