1 Corinthians 11:18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.

◄ 1 Corinthians 11:18 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.

English Standard Version
For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,

New American Standard Bible
For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it.

King James Bible
For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

International Standard Version
For in the first place, I hear that when you gather as a church there are divisions among you, and I partly believe it.

American Standard Version
For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and I partly believe it.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For first of all I hear that when you come together in the church, there are schisms among you; and in part I believe it.

Darby Bible Translation
For first, when ye come together in assembly, I hear there exist divisions among you, and I partly give credit to it.

Young's Literal Translation
for first, indeed, ye coming together in an assembly, I hear of divisions being among you, and partly I believe it,

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's 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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

18. first of all—In the first place. The "divisions" (Greek, "schisms") meant, are not merely those of opinion (1Co 1:10), but in outward acts at the love-feasts (Agapæ), (1Co 11:21). He does not follow up the expression, "in the first place," by "in the second place." But though not expressed, a second abuse was in his mind when he said, "In the first place," namely, THE ABUSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS, which also created disorder in their assemblies [Alford], (1Co 12:1; 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. The very ordinance instituted for uniting together believers in one body, was made an occasion of "divisions" (schisms).

partly—He hereby excepts the innocent. "I am unwilling to believe all I hear, but some I cannot help believing" [Alford]: while my love is unaffected by it [Bengel].