Other New Testament verses, or "second-string" descriptions of the event.
| Verse | In Context | Comments |
Act 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Act 2:46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, | These are the very first converts after Jesus’ death, describing how they spent their time together. | These early Christians lived communally, sharing everything in common. They spent a lot of time together, praying and eating together. Here, the breaking of bread could be a daily event. |
Act 20:7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. Act 20:11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. | This was one of Paul’s late talks. In the middle, a young man topples out of an upstairs window. Paul miraculously heals the boy. | Here, the breaking of bread together is a weekly event. |
Act 27:34-36 "Therefore I urge you to take some food. It will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you." And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. | Paul was on his way to trial. The trip was dangerous, and even his captors despaired that they would arrive safely. Paul calms them down with these words. | Eating together is a way to bring comfort and community. |
1Cr 10:16-17 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. | Here Paul speaks of what is profane and what is holy, and settles differences between Gentile and Jewish convert practices. | Note that all believers are of the same body, so partake of the same bread. |
1Cr 11:20-34 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for[fn4] you. Do this in remembrance of me."[fn5] In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.[fn6] But if we judged[fn7] ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined[fn8] so that we may not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brothers,[fn9] when you come together to eat, wait for[fn10] one another— if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come. | The Corinthians have been excessive, and Paul reins them in. | Corinthians were preparing feasts, and they were not sharing! Paul reminds them that this is to remember Jesus’ sacrifice. They should be filled with love for the "body of Christ", or the body of believers, when they partake. Remember also John’s account, where Jesus exhorted the brothers over and over to love one another. |