1 Corinthians 10:21

1 Corinthians 10:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
• New International Version (NIV)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.
• English Standard Version (ESV)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
• New King James Version (NKJV)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.

Context of 1 Corinthians 10:21

19What do I mean then? That a thing offered to idols is anything [special or changed simply because it is offered], or that an idol is anything? 20On the contrary, the things which the Gentiles (pagans) sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons [in effect], and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons [by eating at feasts in pagan temples]. You cannot drink [both] the Lord’s cup and the cup of demons. You cannot share in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons [thereby becoming partners with them]. 22Do we [really] provoke the Lord to jealousy [when we eat food sacrificed to handmade “gods” at pagan feasts]? Are we [spiritually] stronger than He? [Certainly not! He knows that the idols are nothing. But we deeply offend Him.] 23All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate, permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].

1 Corinthians 10:21 word by word

οὐ δύνασθε ποτήριον κυρίου πίνειν καὶ ποτήριον δαιμονίων· οὐ δύνασθε τραπέζης κυρίου μετέχειν καὶ τραπέζης δαιμονίων.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ye cannotοὐou · noG3756
• Ye cannotδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• drinkπίνωpinō piō poō · to drinkG4095
• the cupποτήριονpotērion · cupG4221
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• of devilsδαιμόνιονdaimonion · demonG1140
• be partakersμετέχωmetechō · to shareG3348
• tableτράπεζαtrapeza · tableG5132

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 10:21

• 1 Corinthians 10:16Is the cup of blessing which we bless [at the Lord’s Supper] not a sharing in the blood of Christ? [Indeed it is.] Is the bread which we break not a sharing in the body of Christ? [Indeed it is.]
• 1 Corinthians 8:10For if someone sees you, a person having knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, then if he is weak, will he not be encouraged to eat things sacrificed to idols [and violate his own convictions]?
• Deuteronomy 32:37And He will say, ‘Where are their gods, The rock in which they took refuge?
• 1 Kings 18:21Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people [of Israel] did not answer him [so much as] a word.
• Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].
• 2 Corinthians 6:15What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial (Satan)? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 10:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord - It is in vain that you who frequent these idol festivals profess the religion of Christ, and commemorate his death and passion in the holy eucharist; for you can not have that fellowship with Christ which this ordinance implies, while you are partakers of the table of demons. That the Gentiles, in their sacrifices, fed on the slain beasts, and ate bread and drank wine in honor of their gods, is sufficiently clear from…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord … - This does not mean that they had no physical ability to do this, or that it was a natural impossibility; for they certainly had power to do it. But it must mean that they could not “consistently” do it. It was not fit, proper, decent. They were solemnly bound to serve and obey Christ, they had devoted themselves to him, and they could not, consistently with these obligations, join in the worship of demons. This is a…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 Did not the joining in the Lord's supper show a profession of faith in Christ crucified, and of adoring gratitude to him for his salvation ? Christians, by this ordinance, and the faith therein professed, were united as the grains of wheat in one loaf of bread, or as the members in the human body, seeing they were all united to Christ, and had fellowship with him and one another. This is confirmed from the Jewish worship and customs in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Believers should avoid joining in religious meals in a pagan temple (see 8:10). Those united with the Lord (Christ) cannot also unite with demons (see 2 Corinthians 6:14–16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord--really and spiritually; though ye may outwardly (1Ki 18:21). cup of devils--in contrast to the cup of the Lord. At idol feasts libations were usually made from the cup to the idol first, and then the guests drank; so that in drinking they had fellowship with the idol. the Lord's table--The Lord's Supper is a feast on a table, not a sacrifice on an altar. Our only altar is the cross, our only sacrifice that of…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 10:21

• Consistency
• Cup
• Demons
• Holiness
• Idolatry
• Table

In the dictionaries

• Admonition
• Cup
• Lust
• Meekness
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Jude, the Epistle of
• Lord's Supper; (eucharist)
• Paul, the Apostle
• Table
• pagan

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings