1 COR 10:17 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Because there’s just one loaf that we all eat pieces of, thus we who are many, are one body together.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Because there is one bread, we the many are one body; for we all partake from the one bread.

UST We use one loaf of bread in the Lord’s Supper, and we all together eat pieces of that one loaf. Because we do this, we join ourselves together like we all make up one body.

BLB Because there is one loaf, we the many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.

AICNT Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

OEB The bread is one, and we, though many, are one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

WEBBE Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share the one bread.

LSV Because one bread, one body, are we the many—for we all partake of the one bread.

FBV By eating from one loaf of bread, we show that even though we are many, we are one body.

TCNT Because we, who are many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of the one bread.

T4T Because it is one loaf of bread that we break and eat during the Lord’s Supper, it symbolizes that we who are many are one group, because we all eat from the one loaf.

LEB Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share from the one bread.

BBE Because we, being a number of persons, are one bread, we are one body: for we all take part in the one bread.

Moff (for many as we are, we are one Bread, one Body, since we all partake of the one Bread).

Wymth Since there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; we, all of us, share in that one loaf.

ASV seeing that we, who are many, are one bread, one body: for we all partake of the one bread.

DRA For we, being many, are one bread, one body, all that partake of one bread.

YLT because one bread, one body, are we the many — for we all of the one bread do partake.

Drby Because we, [being] many, are one loaf, one body; for we all partake of that one loaf.

RV seeing that we, who are many, are one bread, one body: for we all partake of the one bread.

SLT That, one bread, one body, we are many: for we all partake of one bread.

Wbstr For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

KJB-1769 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

KJB-1611 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
(Same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps For we that are many, are one bread and one body, in as much as we all are partakers of one bread.

Gnva For we that are many, are one bread and one body, because we all are partakers of one bread.

Cvdl The bred that we breake, is it not ye partakinge of ye body of Christ? For we many, are one bred & one body, in as moch as we all are partakers of one bred.
(The bred that we break, is it not ye/you_all partakinge of ye/you_all body of Christ? For we many, are one bred and one body, in as much as we all are partakers of one bred.)

TNT because that we (though we be many) yet are one breed and one bodye in as moch as we all are partetakers of one breed.
(because that we (though we be many) yet are one bread and one bodye in as much as we all are partetakers of one breed. )

Wycl For we manye ben o breed and o bodi, alle we that taken part of o breed and of o cuppe.
(For we many been o bread and o body, all we that taken part of o bread and of o cup.)

Luth Denn ein Brot ist‘s; so sind wir viele ein Leib, dieweil wir alle eines Brotes teilhaftig sind.
(Because a bread it_is; so are we/us many a Leib, meanwhile we/us all one/a breadss participating are.)

ClVg Quoniam unus panis, unum corpus multi sumus, omnes qui de uno pane participamus.[fn]
(Since one bread/food, one body many we_are, everyone who/which from/about one pane participamus. )

10.17 Quoniam unus, etc. Unus panis unione fidei, spei et charitatis. Corpus est per subministrationem charitatis: quia unum sumus, et unum sentire debemus. Hæc autem dicit ut fides una unum habeat sensum et opus.

10.17 Since one, etc. One bread/food unione of_faith, hope and of_charity. Corpus it_is through subministrationem of_charity: because one we_are, and one sentire we_must. This however he_says as faith together one have sense and opus.

UGNT ὅτι εἷς ἄρτος, ἓν σῶμα οἱ πολλοί ἐσμεν; οἱ γὰρ πάντες ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἄρτου μετέχομεν.
(hoti heis artos, hen sōma hoi polloi esmen; hoi gar pantes ek tou henos artou meteⱪomen.)

SBL-GNT ὅτι εἷς ἄρτος, ἓν σῶμα οἱ πολλοί ἐσμεν, οἱ γὰρ πάντες ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἄρτου μετέχομεν.
(hoti heis artos, hen sōma hoi polloi esmen, hoi gar pantes ek tou henos artou meteⱪomen.)

RP-GNT Ὅτι εἷς ἄρτος, ἓν σῶμα, οἱ πολλοί ἐσμεν· οἱ γὰρ πάντες ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἄρτου μετέχομεν.
(Hoti heis artos, hen sōma, hoi polloi esmen; hoi gar pantes ek tou henos artou meteⱪomen.)

TC-GNT Ὅτι εἷς ἄρτος, ἓν σῶμα, οἱ πολλοί ἐσμεν· οἱ γὰρ πάντες ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἄρτου μετέχομεν.
(Hoti heis artos, hen sōma, hoi polloi esmen; hoi gar pantes ek tou henos artou meteⱪomen. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

The Church as a Dynamic Body

Paul viewed the church as the living body of Christ comprised of believers. Paul made no formal distinction between professional clergy and laity, in which the ministry was done only by the clergy. The community had leaders (see, e.g., 1 Tim 3:1-13), but every believer had a ministry in building up the body (1 Cor 12:12-31). When the early believers gathered together, usually in someone’s home, everyone brought something from God to share with the others (14:26-33).

Paul understood God’s Spirit as gifting people for their specific ministries (12:7-11, 28; Rom 12:6-8; Eph 4:11) and leading them when they came together for worship. Guided by the Spirit, every believer was to use their spiritual gifts for the benefit of the church. Paul wanted believers to be sensitive to the empowering of the Spirit in all that they did (1 Cor 14:26-33).

When believers meet together, every individual is important and each one has an active role to play. Believers must listen for God speaking his word—and be prepared to speak it—in all their relationships. Paul also calls for the others to “evaluate” what is said (14:26, 29). Every believer is a crucial part of the body, called to be actively involved in its growth.

Passages for Further Study

Rom 12:4-8; 1 Cor 12:7-31; 14:26-33; Eph 1:23; 4:11-13; Col 1:24; 2:18-19; 1 Tim 3:1-16

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 10:1–11:1: Avoid idolatry completely

Paul addressed believers who thought it was acceptable to eat meals in an idol’s temple. First he warned them (10:1–13). He used examples from the Old Testament to show them their danger. Then he commanded them (10:14–22). He said that no one can take part in both the Lord’s Supper and idol feasts. He said that believers are free to eat meat sold in the market place unless this will hurt someone else’s conscience (10:23–30). In summary, he said that believers should control their behavior in two ways. They should praise God in everything they do, and they should not allow their actions to harm another person (10:31–11:1).

Here are some other possible section headings:

Don’t worship idols

Do everything for the glory of God

Paragraph 10:14–22

Paul forbade believers from having anything to do with idolatry. Demons control idol worship, and anyone who shares in the Lord’s Supper cannot also take part in a feast that honors demons. That will cause the Lord to be angry, and no one should risk testing him in that way.

10:17a

Because there is one loaf,

Because there is one loaf of bread,
There is only one loaf/lump/piece of bread,

Because there is one loaf: Another way to translate this is:

Because there is one loaf of bread

In Paul’s time, when a group of believers took communion, they used a single loaf of bread. Today in some churches believers use individual wafers instead. If this is the case in the churches in your area, it may be helpful to include a footnote explaining the practice in Paul’s time. A sample footnote is:

FOOTNOTE: In the early church, the believers broke a loaf of bread apart and shared it during Communion.

10:17b

we who are many are one body;

although there are many of us, we^(incl) are one body,
and we show that we are all united

we who are many are one body: Paul expressed two ideas: we are many individuals, and we form one body. The words many and one are in contrast. It may be more natural to say:

although we are many people, we are one body

we…are one body: This is a metaphor for the unity that we have in Christ.

Here are three ways to translate this metaphor:

Keep the figure of speech. For example:
we become one body
we are like a single body
Keep the figure of speech with a different point of comparison. For example:
we become like one heart
we become like one person
Translate the meaning only. For example:
we are one
we are united
it is as if we are one

10:17c

for we all partake of the one loaf.

for we^(incl) all eat from the same loaf.
by eating together from that one loaf/lump/piece of bread.

for: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as for introduces a further explanation of what Paul wrote. He said in 10:17a that there is one loaf, and now he adds that we all eat that one loaf.

we all partake of the one loaf: The verb partake means to share in something. In the Lord’s Supper, believers share in one loaf by eating from it together.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

we share in the same loaf/lump/piece of bread

we all eat together from the same bread

the one loaf: The phrase the one loaf refers to the loaf of bread mentioned in 10:17a. In some languages it may be natural to make this clear by saying:

that one loaf of bread

General Comment on 10:17a-c

Some English versions combine the clauses “Because there is one loaf” and “for we all partake of the one loaf.” For example:

^17a&cAnd we all eat from one loaf, ^17bshowing that we are one body. (NLT96)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

ὅτι εἷς ἄρτος, ἓν σῶμα οἱ πολλοί ἐσμεν; οἱ γὰρ πάντες ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἄρτου μετέχομεν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι εἱς ἄρτος ἕν σῶμα οἱ πολλοί ἐσμέν οἱ γάρ πάντες ἐκ τοῦ ἑνός ἄρτου μετέχομεν)

Here Paul presents his argument by stating a premise, a conclusion, and then another premise. If your language would naturally state both premises before the conclusion, you could rearrange these clauses. Alternate translation: [Because there is one bread, and we all partake from the one bread, we who are many are one body]

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

εἷς ἄρτος & τοῦ ἑνὸς ἄρτου

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι εἱς ἄρτος ἕν σῶμα οἱ πολλοί ἐσμέν οἱ γάρ πάντες ἐκ τοῦ ἑνός ἄρτου μετέχομεν)

Here Paul speaks of one bread because he has in mind one “loaf” of bread from which we would eat pieces. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express one bread with a word or phrase that refers to one loaf of bread. Alternate translation: [there is one loaf … the one loaf]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἓν σῶμα οἱ πολλοί ἐσμεν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι εἱς ἄρτος ἕν σῶμα οἱ πολλοί ἐσμέν οἱ γάρ πάντες ἐκ τοῦ ἑνός ἄρτου μετέχομεν)

Here Paul is speaking as if those who partake from the one bread together share one body. He speaks in this way to emphasize the unity that these people have when they eat the one bread, which is as close as if they had only one body. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this figure of speech with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [we who are many share all things together] or [we who are many are united together]

Parallel 1 COR 10:17

Section 10:1–11:1: Avoid idolatry completely

Paragraph 10:14–22

10:17a

10:17b

10:17c

General Comment on 10:17a-c

Parallel 1 COR 10:17