What Does 1 Corinthians 10:16 Mean in the King James?

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 10:16 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

Communion here is participation held in common: the cup and bread gather many into one shared life.

THE MEANING

The cup and broken bread speak to you now as shared participation in the blood and body of the Anointed One. You receive them within a bond that reaches beyond your private experience, joining you to everyone who shares them.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The cup and bread are only a private exchange between you and God.

THE ROOT

κοινωνία

koinōnia

GROWS FROM

κοιν-

koin-

common, shared

English “communion” can sound like something received alone, but ⁨κοινωνία⁩ (koinōnia, sharing in common) names participation held in common. The same word describes the cup and bread, so both point to shared participation in the Anointed One’s blood and body.

ALSO GROWS

koinos: common; shared

κοινός

This adjective carries the seed sense of what communion holds in common.

koinōnos: partner; sharer

κοινωνός

A participant is someone who shares in something with others.

koinōneō: to share; participate

κοινωνέω

This verb makes the root’s shared participation an action.

THE PATTERN

Shared participation joins many people to one common life through what they receive together.

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 2:42 · KJVShared life and the breaking of bread appear together, as they do in the cup and bread here.

For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

1 Corinthians 10:17 · KJVMany participants share one bread and are named as one body.

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

Philippians 2:1 · KJVThe same language of shared participation extends to life together in the Spirit.

THE THREAD

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 2:42 · KJV

Acts uses the same Greek word translated “fellowship” that appears here as “communion.” It places that shared participation beside the breaking of bread, making the connection between the table and common life explicit.

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