1 Corinthians 11:34
in 1 Corinthians 11If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you come together it will not result in judgment. And when I come, I will give instructions about the remaining matters.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If any man is hungry, let him eat at home; that your coming together be not unto judgment. And the rest will I set in order whensoever I come.
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.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 11
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA shaming word. For he speaks with them as with children who are irritable from hunger, and condemns their gluttony. Therefore, leading them out of the church, he sends them home, and there shames them considerably. That is, to their own harm and condemnation. Assemblies …
This site's exposition
when you come together to
on 1 Corinthians 11:33-34
The remedy answers the abuse directly: when you come together to eat, wait for one another, rich and poor alike. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, keeping the common meal free of the display of inequality that drew Paul's rebuke.
This site's exposition
he should eat at home
Eating at home settles hunger before the gathering, so the Lord's table serves its own purpose. Judgment here refers back to the discipline of verses 29 to 32. Paul holds the remaining matters over until his visit, which 2 Corinthians later shows was delayed.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And if any man is hungry, let him eat at home." By permitting, he hinders it, and more strongly than by an absolute prohibition. For he brings him out of the church and sends him to his house, hereby severely reprimanding and ridiculing them, as slaves to the belly and unable to contain themselves. For he said not, "if any despise the poor," but, "if any hunger," discoursing as with impatient children; as with brute beasts which are slaves to appetite. Since it would be indeed very ridiculous, if, because they were hungry they were to eat at home. Yet he was not content with this, but added also another more fearful thing, saying, "that your coming together be not unto judgment:" that ye come not unto chastisement, unto punishment, insulting the Church, dishonoring your brother. "For for this cause ye come together," saith he, "that ye may love one another, that ye may profit and be profited. But if the contrary happen, it were better for you to feed yourselves at home." This, however, he said, that he might attract them to him the more. Yea, this was the very purpose both of his pointing out the injury that would arise from hence, and of his saying that condemnation was no trifling one, and terrifying them in every way, by the Mysteries, by the sick, by those that had died, by the other things before mentioned. Then also he alarms them again in another way, saying, "and the rest will I set in order whensoever I come:" with reference either to some other things, or to this very matter. For since it was likely that they would yet have some reasons to allege, and it was not possible to set all to rights by letter, "the things which I have charged you, let them be observed for the present," saith he; "but if ye have any thing else to mention, let it be kept for my coming;" speaking either of this matter, as I said, or of some other things not very urgent. […]
We are given to understand by this that it was too much for him to set forth in a letter the whole manner of proceeding to be observed by the universal church and that what he set in order personally cannot be altered.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then a promise is made when he says: About other things, namely, which are not so perilous, when I come home very soon, I will give directions, namely, how to conserve them. From this it is clear that the Church has many things arranged by …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Christians may keep Sabbaths, hear sermons, attend at sacraments, and only aggravate guilt, and bring on a heavier doom. O! let all look to it that they do not come together at any time to God's worship, and all the while provoke him, and bring down vengeance on themselves. Holy things are to be used in a holy manner, or else they are profaned.
And if any man hunger let him eat at home,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
And if any man hunger - Let him not come to the house of God to eat an ordinary meal, let him eat at home - take that in his own house which is necessary for the support of his body before he comes to that sacred repast, where he should have the feeding of his soul alone in view.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
And if any man hunger ... - The Lord’s Supper is not a common feast; it is not designed as a place where a man may gratify his appetite. It is designed as a simple “commemoration,” and not as a “feast.” This remark was designed to correct their views of the supper, and to show them that it was to be distinguished from the ordinary idea of a feast or festival. That ye come not together unto condemnation - That the effect of your coming together for the observance of the Lord’s Supper be not to produce condemnation; see the note at 1Co 11:29. And the rest will I set in order ... - Probably he refers here to other matters on which he had been consulted; or other things which he knew required to be adjusted. The other matters pertaining to the order and discipline of the church I will defer until I can come among you, and personally arrange them. It is evident from this, that Paul at this time purposed soon to go to Corinth; see 2Co 1:15-16. It was doubtless true that there might be many things which it was desirable to adjust in the church there, which could not be so well done by letter. The main things, therefore, which it was needful to correct immediately, he had discussed in this letter; the other matters he reserved to be arranged by himself when he should go among them. Paul was disappointed in his expectations of returning among them as soon as he had intended (see 2Co 1:17), and under this disappointment he forwarded to them another epistle. If all Christians would follow implicitly his directions here in regard to the Lord’s Supper, it would be an ordinance full of comfort. May all so understand its nature, and so partake of it, that they shall meet the approbation of their Lord, and so that it may be the means of saving grace to their souls.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἴ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| πεινᾷ, | peina | is hungry, | G3983 → | 23 times |
| ἐν | en | at | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| οἴκῳ | oiko | home | G3624 → | 112 times |
| ἐσθιέτω, | esthieto | he should eat, | G2068 → | 65 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| εἰς | eis | for | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| κρίμα | krima | judgment | G2917 → | 27 times |
| συνέρχησθε. | sunerchesthe | you may come together. | G4905 → | 30 times |
| τὰ | ta | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | And | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| λοιπὰ | loipa | the other things | G3062 → | 39 times |
| ὡς | hos | as soon as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| ἂν | an | when | G302 → | 165 times |
| ἔλθω | eltho | I may come | G2064 → | 628 times |
| διατάξομαι.¶ | diataxomai | I will set in order. | G1299 → | 16 times |
εἴIf
eiG1487 →508 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
πεινᾷ,is hungry,
peinaG3983 →23 times
ἐνat
enG1722 →2738 times
οἴκῳhome
oikoG3624 →112 times
ἐσθιέτω,he should eat,
esthietoG2068 →65 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
εἰςfor
eisG1519 →1755 times
κρίμαjudgment
krimaG2917 →27 times
συνέρχησθε.you may come together.
sunerchestheG4905 →30 times
τὰ<the>
taG3588 →19766 times
δὲAnd
deG1161 →2765 times
λοιπὰthe other things
loipaG3062 →39 times
ὡςas soon as
hosG5613 →500 times
ἂνwhen
anG302 →165 times
ἔλθωI may come
elthoG2064 →628 times
διατάξομαι.¶I will set in order.
diataxomaiG1299 →16 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
Titus 1:5The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
it leads to
- Acts 14:23
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
- Acts 14:23
Through
1 Corinthians 7:17Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 4:17
That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach…
- 1 Corinthians 7:24
Brothers, each one should remain in the situation he was in when God called him.
- Romans 12:3–8
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…
- 1 Corinthians 4:17
Through
1 Corinthians 16:2On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will be needed.
it leads to
- Malachi 3:9–10
You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me.
- Acts 20:7
On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Since Paul was ready to leave the next day, he talked to them and kept on speaking until midnight.
- Luke 16:10
Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
- Deuteronomy 15:11–14
For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your…
- Malachi 3:9–10
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 10 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); Augustine of Hippo, LETTER 54, To Januarius; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 28; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.