1 Corinthians 11:17

1 Corinthians 11:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
• New International Version (NIV)In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.

Context of 1 Corinthians 11:17

15And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. 16But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches. But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. 18First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. 19But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!

1 Corinthians 11:17 word by word

Τοῦτο δὲ παραγγέλλων οὐκ ἐπαινῶ ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τὸ κρεῖσσον ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸ ἧσσον συνέρχεσθε.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• in thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• that I declareπαραγγέλλωparaggellō · to orderG3853
• I praiseἐπαινέωepaineō · to praiseG1867
• notοὐou · noG3756
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• ye come togetherσυνέρχομαιsunerchomai · to assembleG4905
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the betterκρείττωνkreittōn · strongerG2909
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• the worseἥσσωνhētton · less/worseG2276

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 11:17

• 1 Corinthians 11:2I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you.
• Leviticus 19:17“Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin.
• Proverbs 27:5An open rebuke is better than hidden love!
• Romans 13:3For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you.
• 1 Peter 2:14or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.
• 1 Corinthians 11:20When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper.
• 1 Corinthians 14:23Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy.
• Isaiah 1:13Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting— they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings.
• Isaiah 58:1“Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout aloud! Don’t be timid. Tell my people Israel of their sins!
• Jeremiah 7:9Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours,
• Hebrews 10:25And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 11:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Now in this - I praise you not - In the beginning of this epistle the apostle did praise them for their attention in general to the rules he had laid down, see 1 Corinthians 11:2; but here he is obliged to condemn certain irregularities which had crept in among them, particularly relative to the celebration of the Lord's Supper. Through some false teaching which they had received, in the absence of the apostle, they appear to have celebrated it precisely…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Now in this that I declare - In this that I am about to state to you; to wit, your conduct in regard to the Lord‘s Supper. Why this subject is introduced here is not very apparent. The connection may be this. In the subjects immediately preceding he had seen much to commend, and he was desirous of commending them as far as it could be done. In 1 Corinthians 11:2 of this chapter he commends them in general for their regard to the ordinances which he had…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-22Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17your gatherings: Early Christians met in someone's home at least once a week, usually on the Lord's Day (see 16:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. in this--which follows. I declare--rather, "I enjoin"; as the Greek is always so used. The oldest manuscripts read literally "This I enjoin (you) not praising (you)." that--inasmuch as; in that you, &c. Here he qualifies his praise (1Co 11:2). "I said that I praised you for keeping the ordinances delivered to you; but I must now give injunction in the name of the Lord, on a matter in which I praise you not; namely, as to the Lord's Supper (1Co 11:23…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 11:17

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Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 11

• 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
• 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
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings