Lord's Supper (Communion) — Meaning in the Bible
The meal of bread and cup that Jesus shared with his disciples the night before he died, telling them to do it in remembrance of him.
What it means
At the last supper Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it and said "This is my body"; he gave them the cup, "the new covenant in my blood", and said "Do this in memory of me". Luke 22:14–20Mark 14:22–25
Paul passes on these words to the Corinthians, calls it "the Lord's supper", and speaks of the cup and bread as a sharing (communion) in Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:20–261 Corinthians 10:16–17
Key passages
- Luke 22:14–20 — The last supper.
- Acts 2:42 — The breaking of bread.
- 1 Corinthians 10:16–17 — A sharing in Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 — The Lord's supper.
Original language
κοινωνία koinōnia
Greek · Strong’s G2842 · gloss: “participation”
The Greek word koinonia, sharing or fellowship, used in 1 Corinthians 10:16. 1 Corinthians 10:16
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
How translations differ
- In 1 Corinthians 10:16 the Greek word is translated "communion", "sharing", "participation" or "fellowship". 1 Corinthians 10:16
For children
The Lord's Supper is the special meal of bread and a cup that Jesus shared with his friends before he died. He said, "Do this in memory of me". Luke 22:19
Study further
- Luke 22:7–23 The meal.
- 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 Paul's instructions.