1 Corinthians 11:18
in 1 Corinthians 11First of all, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and I partly believe it.
KJV
For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 11
Commentary
13 notes on this verseThere be divisions among you - They had σχισματα, schisms, among them: the old parties were kept up, even in the place where they assembled to eat the Lord’s Supper. The Paulians, the Kephites, and the Apollonians, continued to be distinct parties; and ate their meals separately, even in the same house.
This site's exposition
In the following instructions I
on 1 Corinthians 11:17-19
The commendation of verse 2 is withdrawn, and the sharper tone signals a real abuse. The word in there are divisions among you, schismata, opened the letter at 1:10 and returns at the Lord's Supper.
This site's exposition
there are divisions among you
Paul writes of the brothers coming together as a church, the gathering where divisions do the most harm. Chrysostom reads Paul's partial belief of the report as charity, leaving room for the innocent and time for the guilty to repent. Paul believes the report only in part.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
For he shows us that it was owing to the prospect of the greater evil that he readily believed the existence of the lighter ones; and so far indeed was he from believing, in respect of evils (of such a kind), that heresies were good, that his object was to forewarn us that we ought not to be surprised at temptations of even a worse stamp, since (he said) they tended "to make manifest all such as were approved; " in other words, those whom they were unable to pervert.
These were the ingenious arts of "spiritual wickednesses," wherewith we also, my brethren, may fairly expect to have "to wrestle," as necessary for faith, that the elect may be made manifest, (and) that the reprobate may be discovered.
"For first of all, when ye come together in the Church, I hear that divisions exist among you." And he saith not, "For fear that you do not sup together in common;" "for I hear that you feast in private, and not with the poor:" but what was most calculated thoroughly to shake their minds, that he set down, the name of division, which was the cause of this mischief also: and so he reminded them again of that which was said in the beginning of the Epistle, and was "signified by them of the house of Chloe." "And I partly believe it." Thus, lest they should say, "But what if the accusers speak falsely?" he neither saith, "I believe it," lest he should rather make them reckless; nor again, on the other hand, "I disbelieve it," lest he should seem to reprove without cause, but, "I partly believe it," saith he, i.e., "I believe it in a small part;" making them anxious and inviting them to return to correction.
If, however, the angels of the rival god are referred to, what fear is there for them? for not even Marcion's disciples, (to say nothing of his angels, ) have any desire for women. We have often shown before now, that the apostle classes heresies as evil among "works of the flesh," and that he would have those persons accounted estimable who shun heresies as an evil thing.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Not immediately does he begin speaking about the meals, but first reproaches them for the fact that there are divisions among them. For indeed, it was precisely because there were divisions among them that each one ate separately. So that they would not say that …
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, For in the first place, he mentions in detail how they assemble for the worse. First, he presents a judgment of guilt, saying: For in the first place, among others, namely, that you come together for the worse, when you assemble …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Therefore, both heresy and schism, in the modern sense of the words, are sins that the scripture knows nothing of; but were invented merely to deprive mankind of the benefit of private judgment, and liberty of conscience.
For first of all, when ye come together in the church,.... The place where the church met together to perform divine service, called "one place".
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
14:23, 26, 33, 40). in the church--not the place of worship; for ISIDORE OF PELUSIUM denies that there were such places specially set apart for worship in the apostles' times [Epistle, 246.2]. But, "in the assembly" or "congregation"; in convocation for worship, where especially love, order, and harmony should prevail.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For first of all - That is, I mention as the first thing to be reproved. When ye come together in the church - When you come together in a religious assembly; when you convene for public worship. The word “church” here does not mean, as it frequently does with us, a “building.” No instance of such a use of the word occurs in the New Testament; but it means when they came together as a Christian assembly; when they convened for the worship of God. These divisions took place then; and from some cause which it seems then operated to produce alienations and strifes. I hear - I have learned through some members of the family of Chloe; 1Co 1:11. That there be divisions among you - Greek, as in the margin, Schisms. The word properly means a rent, such as is made in cloth Mat 9:16; Mar 2:21, and then a division, a split, a faction among people; Joh 7:43; Joh 9:10; Joh 10:19. It does not mean here that they had proceeded so far as to form separate churches, but that there was discord and division in the church itself; see the notes on 1Co 1:10-11. And I partly believe it - I credit a part of the reports; I have reason to think, that, though the evil may have been exaggerated, yet that it is true at least in part. I believe that there are dissensions in the church that should be reproved.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Πρῶτον | proton | First | G4413 → | 152 times |
| μὲν | men | indeed | G3303 → | 176 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| συνερχομένων | sunerchomenon | coming together | G4905 → | 30 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ἐκκλησίᾳ | ekklesia | an assembly | G1577 → | 113 times |
| ἀκούω | akouo | I hear | G191 → | 425 times |
| σχίσματα | schismata | divisions | G4978 → | 8 times |
| ἐν | en | among | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ὑπάρχειν, | huparchein | there to be, | G5225 → | 60 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μέρος | meros | in part | G3313 → | 42 times |
| τι | ti | it | G5100 → | 528 times |
| πιστεύω· | pisteuo | I believe; | G4100 → | 237 times |
ΠρῶτονFirst
protonG4413 →152 times
μὲνindeed
menG3303 →176 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
συνερχομένωνcoming together
sunerchomenonG4905 →30 times
ὑμῶνyou
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ἐκκλησίᾳan assembly
ekklesiaG1577 →113 times
ἀκούωI hear
akouoG191 →425 times
σχίσματαdivisions
schismataG4978 →8 times
ἐνamong
enG1722 →2738 times
ὑμῖνyou
huminG4771 →2973 times
ὑπάρχειν,there to be,
huparcheinG5225 →60 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μέροςin part
merosG3313 →42 times
τιit
tiG5100 →528 times
πιστεύω·I believe;
pisteuoG4100 →237 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 3:3for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
it leads to
- James 3:16
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
- Galatians 5:15
But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
- Titus 3:3
For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
- James 3:16
Through
1 Corinthians 5:1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.
it leads to
- Revelation 21:8
But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This…
- Revelation 2:21
Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.
- Colossians 3:5
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
- Leviticus 18:8
You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; it would dishonor your father.
- Revelation 21:8
Through
1 Corinthians 6:1If any of you has a grievance against another, how dare he go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints!
it leads to
- Matthew 18:15–17
If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
- Matthew 18:15–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homilies on First Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 27; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, The Prescription Against Heretics; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.