Bible Verses About Communion

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

Core Bible text on communion as participation in body and blood

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Jesus' command to remember him

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

One bread, one body passage.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

Direct John 6 warning about eating and drinking

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

John 6 base text used by many early writers

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

Parallel institution text in Matthew

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

Parallel institution text in Mark

And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

Cup passage from Mark 14; supports the institution narrative.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

Cup passage from Luke 22.

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Paul's remembrance wording for the bread

And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

Post-resurrection breaking of bread, useful background only.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

Parallel cup text in Matthew

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

Paul's account of the institution

He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

John 6:56 on abiding in Christ

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

John 6:55 explicit true food and true drink wording.

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

Cup remembered in the new covenant

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:54 on eternal life

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

Paul says communion proclaims the Lord's death

Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Unworthy reception brings guilt

Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

Old Testament altar-participation typology used by early Christians.

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God: and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died. And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died. And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My LORD, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:

That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed:

neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes:

and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man. And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?

And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Editorially approved supporting passage for this topical Bible page.