1 Corinthians 11:17
◄  1 Corinthians 11:17  ►
New International Version (©2011)
In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.

New Living Translation (©2007)
But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together.

English Standard Version (©2001)
But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Now I am not praising you in giving you the following instructions. When you gather, it is not for the better but for the worse.

NET Bible (©2006)
Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
But I command you this, not as if I praise you, because it is not to your advantage that you assemble, but you have descended to degradation.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
I have no praise for you as I instruct you in the following matter: When you gather, it results in more harm than good.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that you come together not for the better, but for the worse.

American King James Version
Now in this that I declare to you I praise you not, that you come together not for the better, but for the worse.

American Standard Version
But in giving you this charge, I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better but for the worse.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now this I ordain: not praising you, that you come together not for the better, but for the worse.

Darby Bible Translation
But in prescribing to you on this which I now enter on, I do not praise, namely, that ye come together, not for the better, but for the worse.

English Revised Version
But in giving you this charge, I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better but for the worse.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now in this that I declare to you, I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

Weymouth New Testament
But while giving you these instructions, there is one thing I cannot praise--your meeting together, with bad rather than good results.

World English Bible
But in giving you this command, I don't praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse.

Young's Literal Translation
And this declaring, I give no praise, because not for the better, but for the worse ye come together;

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:17-22 The apostle rebukes the disorders in their partaking of the Lord's supper. The ordinances of Christ, if they do not make us better, will be apt to make us worse. If the use of them does not mend, it will harden. Upon coming together, they fell into divisions, schisms. Christians may separate from each other's communion, yet be charitable one towards another; they may continue in the same communion, yet be uncharitable. This last is schism, rather than the former. There is a careless and irregular eating of the Lord's supper, which adds to guilt. Many rich Corinthians seem to have acted very wrong at the Lord's table, or at the love-feasts, which took place at the same time as the supper. The rich despised the poor, and ate and drank up the provisions they brought, before the poor were allowed to partake; thus some wanted, while others had more than enough. What should have been a bond of mutual love and affection, was made an instrument of discord and disunion. We should be careful that nothing in our behaviour at the Lord's table, appears to make light of that sacred institution. The Lord's supper is not now made an occasion for gluttony or revelling, but is it not often made the support of self-righteous pride, or a cloak for hypocrisy? Let us never rest in the outward forms of worship; but look to our hearts.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 17-34. - Discreditable irregularities at the Eucharist and the agapae. Verse 17. - Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not; rather, as in the Revised Version, But in giving you this charge, I praise you not. A reference to the "I praise you" of ver. 2. Ye come together. As he advances, his rebukes become more and more serious; for the present reproach does not affect a few, but the Church assembly in general.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now in this that I declare unto you,.... The Syriac version reads, "this is what I command"; which some refer to what he had been discoursing of, adding to his arguments, and the examples of the church, his own orders and command, that men should worship God publicly, uncovered, and women covered; though it seems rather to respect what follows, what the apostle was about to declare unto them; concerning which he says,

I praise you not; as he did in 1 Corinthians 11:2 that they were mindful of him, remembered his doctrines, and kept the ordinances in the manner he had delivered them to them: and it should seem by this, that the greater part of them were not to be blamed, though some few were, for their irregular and indecent appearance in public worship, men with a covering on their heads, and women without one; but in what he was about to say, he could not praise them at all:

that you come together; to the house of God, to pray unto him, to sing his praises, to hear his word, and attend his ordinances, particularly the Lord's supper:

not for the better; for edification and instruction, for the quickening and comforting of your souls; that you may grow in grace and knowledge, become more holy, zealous, fruitful, and useful:

but for the worse; to indulge luxury and intemperance, to encourage heresies, schisms, and divisions, and so grow more carnal, scandalous, and useless.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. in this—which follows.

I declare—rather, "I enjoin"; as the Greek is always so used. The oldest manuscripts read literally "This I enjoin (you) not praising (you)."

that—inasmuch as; in that you, &c. Here he qualifies his praise (1Co 11:2). "I said that I praised you for keeping the ordinances delivered to you; but I must now give injunction in the name of the Lord, on a matter in which I praise you not; namely, as to the Lord's Supper (1Co 11:23; 1Co 14:37).

not for the better—not so as to progress to what is better.

for the worse—so as to retrograde to what is worse. The result of such "coming together" must be "condemnation" (1Co 11:34).

1 Corinthians 11:17 Parallel Commentaries

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Observing the Lord's Supper
17Now in this that I declare to you I praise you not, that you come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18For first of all, when you come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. …

1 Corinthians 11:2 I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.
1 Corinthians 11:22 Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!