What does the Bible say about communion?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible teaches that communion is Christ’s ordained meal in which believers remember his sacrificial death, receive spiritual nourishment by faith, and proclaim his saving work together. At the Last Supper, Jesus gave bread and the cup as signs of his body and blood, establishing the new covenant and commanding his disciples to remember him (Matthew 26:26-28; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:24). The bread and cup are a participation in Christ, not a repetition of his sacrifice, and they display the unity of his one body, the church (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). Christians therefore observe this meal reverently, discerning Christ’s body and proclaiming his death until he returns (1 Corinthians 11:26).
Top passages, ranked by readers
Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- Matthew 26:26-28 4 votes
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.
- 1 Corinthians 11:26 4 votes
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
- 1 Corinthians 10:16 3 votes
The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ?
- Luke 22:19-20 3 votes
He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
- Acts 2:42 3 votes
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.
- John 6:53-58 3 votes
Jesus therefore said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don’t have life in yourselves. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on me will also live because of me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven—not as our fathers ate the manna and died. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
- 1 Corinthians 11:24 2 votes
When he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.”
- Mark 14:22-25 2 votes
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had blessed it, he broke it and gave to them, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body.” He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. Most certainly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in God’s Kingdom.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:17 2 votes
Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.
- Acts 20:7 2 votes
On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day; and continued his speech until midnight.
Related topics
Go deeper
Ask Explain Bible AI about communion and get a fuller answer from a Reformed theological perspective.
Ask what the Bible says about communion