1 Corinthians 11:18

Contextual Overview

¹⁷ In the things I tell you now I don't praise you. Your meetings hurt you more than they help you. ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁷ This I warne you of and commende not that ye come to gedder: not after a better maner but after a worsse. ¹⁷ But in giving you this command, I don't praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁷ Now in giving this next instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better, but for the worse. ¹⁷ In the things I tell you now I do not praise you, because when you come together you do more harm than good. ¹⁷ But in giving you this charge, I do not praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁷ Now in this that I declare [to you], I praise [you] not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. ¹⁷ 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I hear: 1 Corinthians 1:10-12, 1 Corinthians 3:3, 1 Corinthians 5:1, 1 Corinthians 6:1

divisions: or, schisms, 1 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 3:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 37:2 - evil report John 10:19 - General Acts 11:26 - with the church Acts 14:27 - and had Romans 16:17 - cause 1 Corinthians 1:11 - it hath 1 Corinthians 13:5 - behave 1 Corinthians 14:23 - the whole 2 Corinthians 1:14 - in part 1 Timothy 6:4 - words Hebrews 10:25 - forsaking

Cross-References

Luke 3:35
Nahor was the son of Serug. Serug was the son of Reu. Reu was the son of Peleg. Peleg was the son of Eber. Eber was the son of Shelah.

Luke 3:35
which was the sonne of Saruch: which was the sonne of Ragau: which was the sonne of Phalec: which was the sonne of Heber: which was the sonne of Sala:

Luke 3:35
the son of Serug, the son of Re`u, the son of Peleg, the son of `Ever, the son of Shelach

Luke 3:35
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

Luke 3:35
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Heber, the son of Shelah,

Luke 3:35
Nahor was the son of Serug. Serug was the son of Reu. Reu was the son of Peleg. Peleg was the son of Eber. Eber was the son of Shelah.

Luke 3:35
the [son] of Serug, the [son] of Reu, the [son] of Peleg, the [son] of Eber, the [son] of Shelah,

Luke 3:35
Who was [the son] of Serug, who was [the son] of Reu, who was [the son] of Peleg, who was [the son] of Heber, who was [the son] of Sala,

Luke 3:35
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Heber, the son of Shelah,

Luke 3:35
the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For first of all, when ye come together in the church,.... The place where the church met together to perform divine service, called "one place". 1 Corinthians 11:20 and is distinguished from their own "houses", 1 Corinthians 11:22 and the first thing he took notice of as worthy of dispraise and reproof, in their religious assemblies, were their animosities and factions:

I hear that there be divisions among you: schisms and parties, either about their ministers, one being for Paul, another for Apollos, and another for Cephas; or in the celebration of the Lord's supper, and that which went before it, they going into separate bodies, and partook by themselves, and each took his own supper before another, one ate, and another did not. This the apostle had heard from the house of Chloe:

and I partly believe it; meaning, either that this was the practice of a part of the church to do so, though not of them all; or that part of the report that had been made to him was true; though he hoped in that charity which hopeth all things, that it was not quite so bad as was feared or represented, since things are generally heightened and increased by fame; but yet he had it from such good hands, that he could not but believe there was something in it. So the Syriac version renders it, ומדם מדם, "and something, something I believe".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For first of all - That is, I mention as the first thing to be reproved.

When ye come together in the church - When you come together in a religious assembly; when you convene for public worship. The word “church” here does not mean, as it frequently does with us, a “building.” No instance of such a use of the word occurs in the New Testament; but it means when they came together as a Christian assembly; when they convened for the worship of God. These divisions took place then; and from some cause which it seems then operated to produce alienations and strifes.

I hear - I have learned through some members of the family of Chloe; 1 Corinthians 1:11.

That there be divisions among you - Greek, as in the margin, Schisms. The word properly means a rent, such as is made in cloth Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21, and then a division, a split, a faction among people; John 7:43; John 9:10; John 10:19. It does not mean here that they had proceeded so far as to form separate churches, but that there was discord and division in the church itself; see the notes on 1 Corinthians 1:10-11.

And I partly believe it - I credit a part of the reports; I have reason to think, that, though the evil may have been exaggerated, yet that it is true at least in part. I believe that there are dissensions in the church that should be reproved.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 18. There be divisions among you — They had σχισματα, schisms, among them: the old parties were kept up, even in the place where they assembled to eat the Lord's Supper. The Paulians, the Kephites, and the Apollonians, continued to be distinct parties; and ate their meals separately, even in the same house.