1 Corinthians 10:18

1 Corinthians 10:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
• New International Version (NIV)Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

Context of 1 Corinthians 10:18

16When we bless the cup of blessing aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? When we break the bread aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one loaf, we are one body, although we are many individuals. All of us share one loaf. Look at the people of Israel from a human point of view. Don’t those who eat the sacrifices share what is on the altar? 19Do I mean that an offering made to a false god is anything, or that a false god itself is anything? 20Hardly! What I am saying is that these sacrifices which people make are made to demons and not to God. I don’t want you to be partners with demons.

1 Corinthians 10:18 word by word

βλέπετε τὸν Ἰσραὴλ κατὰ σάρκα· οὐχ οἱ ἐσθίοντες τὰς θυσίας κοινωνοὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου εἰσίν;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Beholdβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• IsraelἸσραήλIsraēl · IsraelG2474
• afterκατάkata · according toG2596
• the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐχίouchi · not!G3780
• which eatἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068
• of the sacrificesθυσίαthusia · sacrificeG2378
• partakersκοινωνόςkoinōnos · participantG2844
• of the altarθυσιαστήριονthusiastērion · altarG2379

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 10:18

• Romans 4:1What can we say that we have discovered about our ancestor Abraham?
• Romans 9:3I wish I could be condemned and cut off from Christ for the sake of others who, like me, are Jewish by birth.
• 2 Corinthians 11:18Since it’s common for people to brag, I’ll do it too.
• Galatians 6:16Peace and mercy will come to rest on all those who conform to this principle. They are the Israel of God.
• Ephesians 2:11Remember that once you were not Jewish physically. Those who called themselves “the circumcised” because of what they had done to their bodies called you “the uncircumcised.”
• Philippians 3:3We are the ⌞true⌟ circumcised people ⌞of God⌟ because we serve God’s Spirit and take pride in Christ Jesus. We don’t place any confidence in physical things,
• 1 Corinthians 9:13Don’t you realize that those who work at the temple get their food from the temple? Don’t those who help at the altar get a share of what is on the altar?
• Leviticus 3:3From your offering remove the fat that covers the internal organs
• Leviticus 7:11“These are the instructions for the fellowship offering that you must bring to the Lord.
• 1 Samuel 2:13Now, this was how the priests dealt with the people who were offering sacrifices: While the meat was boiling, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand.
• 1 Samuel 9:12The girls answered, “He’s there ahead of you. Hurry! He ⌞just⌟ went into the city today since the people are offering a sacrifice on the worship site.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 10:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Behold Israel after the flesh - The Jews not yet converted to Christianity: the latter being Israel after the Spirit. As the design of the apostle was to withdraw his converts at Corinth from all temptations to idolatry, he produces two examples to show the propriety of his endeavors. All who join together in celebrating the Lord's Supper, and are partakers of that one bread, give proof by this that they are Christians, and have fellowship with Christ. 2…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Behold Israel - Look at the Jews. The design here is to illustrate the sentiment which he was establishing, by a reference to the fact that among the Jews those who partook of the same sacrifices were regarded as being one people, and as worshipping one God. So, if they partook of the sacrifices offered to idols, they would be regarded also as being fellow-worshippers of idols with them. After the flesh - See Romans 4:1. The phrase “after the flesh” is…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. 16-18Paul explains the spiritual meaning of sacred meals. In the Lord’s Supper, believers share in the blood and body of Christ (see also 11:17–34; Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:19–20). Sharing one loaf unites believers as one body in Christ, similar to how pagans’ religious meals connect them with the gods they worship (see 1 Corinthians 10:19–21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Israel after the flesh--the literal, as distinguished from the spiritual, Israel (Ro 2:29; 4:1; 9:3; Ga 4:29). partakers of the altar--and so of God, whose is the altar; they have fellowship in God and His worship, of which the altar is the symbol.Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Admonition
• Lust
• Meekness
• Christ, Offices of
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Jude, the Epistle of
• Paul, the Apostle

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