I Corinthians 11:19 · Bible study
1 Corinthians 11:19 Commentary: Factions and the Revealing of the Approved
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Paul says divisions must happen and how God uses them to reveal who is genuinely faithful. Greek terms and pastoral meaning explained.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul explains that factions are inevitable in the church and are used by God to reveal who is genuinely faithful.
- Key words: αἱρέσεις (factions, not yet “heresies” in the technical sense); δεῖ (necessity arising from human nature, not divine command); δόκιμοι (tested and approved).
- Main debate: Whether αἱρέσεις here means doctrinal heresies or merely parties/divisions; the context supports the latter.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereignty over sin, he permits division to serve the sifting of believers.
- Best use: A pastoral tool to help congregations see God’s purpose in church conflict without excusing sin.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And indeed, there must be differences among you to show which of you are approved.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you.
KJV King James Version 1769
For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
for it behoveth sects also to be among you, that those approved may become manifest among you;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For there must also be sects among you, that the approved may become manifest among you.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For there must be also heresies: that they also, who are approved may be made manifest among you.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Porque preciso es que haya entre vosotros aun herejías, para que los que son probados se manifiesten|strong="G1096, G5318" entre vosotros.
Porque é necessário que haja diferenças de opinião entre vós, para que os que são aprovados sejam evidenciados entre vós.
car il faut qu’ il y ait aussi des sectes parmi vous, afin que ceux qui sont approuvés soient reconnus comme tels au milieu de vous.
Denn es müssen Parteien unter euch sein, auf daß die, so rechtschaffen sind, offenbar unter euch werden.
Want er moeten ook ketterijen onder u zijn, opdat degenen, die oprecht zijn, openbaar mogen worden onder u.
perché bisogna che ci sian fra voi anche delle sètte, affinché quelli che sono approvati, siano manifesti fra voi.
Bo muszą być kacerstwa między wami, aby ci, którzy są doświadczeni, byli jawnymi między wami.
Ибо надлежит быть и разномыслиям между вами, дабы открылись между вами искусные.
在你們 中間 不免 有 分門結黨的事，好叫 那些有經驗 的人顯明 出來。
For divisions are necessary among you, in order that those who have God's approval may be clearly seen among you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · I Corinthians 11:19
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Paul uses δεῖ (dei, “must”) to describe the inevitability of factions, not as God’s command but as a result of human sin and weakness (Barnes, Gill). The word αἱρέσεις (haireseis) is better translated “factions” or “sects” than the later technical term “heresies”; it refers to parties formed by personal choice, not necessarily false doctrine (Cambridge Bible, Vincent). Barnes notes that in the context of 1 Corinthians 11, Paul is correcting ethical disorder at the Lord’s Supper, not doctrinal error. The ἵνα (hina) clause, “in order that”, points to God’s sovereign purpose: these divisions serve to show who is δόκιμος (dokimos, “approved”), that is, genuine believers who have been tested and found faithful (Gill, Cambridge). Calvin amplifies this by linking the factions to a sifting process that exposes both sincerity and hypocrisy.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Factions as general splits: Context of behavior at the Supper, not doctrine; the word's usage in Acts for religious parties (Acts 5:17, 15:5).
- Factions as doctrinal heresies: Later Christian usage of αἵρεσις for false teaching; 2 Peter 2:1; some patristic readings.
- Factions as entrenched schisms: Calvin and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown see a progression from σχίσματα (lesser) to αἱρέσεις (greater).
What is clear: God uses the reality of human division within the church to expose whose faith is genuine and who is merely going through the motions.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of αἱρέσεις | The word describes divisions, sects, or parties within the church. | Some (e.g., later ecclesiastical tradition) read it as doctrinal heresy; others (Barnes, Cambridge, Vincent) argue it means simply factions or parties, grounded in the context of behavior at the Lord's Supper. |
| The necessity (δεῖ) of factions | Factions are not commanded by God but are inevitable given human sin. | Gill emphasizes God's decree; Barnes emphasizes the natural outworking of sinful human nature. Both see it as permitted and overruled by God. |
| Purpose of factions | Factions serve to reveal who is genuinely approved (δόκιμοι). | Calvin sees it as a sifting process for the whole church; Wesley and Matthew Henry focus on making manifest the difference between sincere and false believers. |
| Relation to σχίσματα (divisions) in v.18 | αἱρέσεις are connected to the divisions already mentioned. | Calvin views αἱρέσεις as a more serious development of σχίσματα; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown calls them 'inveterate schisms.' Others see simple synonyms. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Corinthian church met in private homes, where the Lord’s Supper was usually accompanied by a love feast (a shared meal). Paul had heard that their gatherings were doing more harm than good: the rich were eating and drinking without waiting for the poor, some went hungry while others got drunk (vv.21, 22). This was not merely a failure of manners, it undermined the very meaning of the Supper. The “divisions” Paul mentions in v.18 (σχίσματα) were likely cliques that formed around social status or allegiance to particular leaders (see 1 Corinthians 1:12). Now in v.19 he says that even more entrenched factions (αἱρέσεις) are to be expected. The word αἱρέσεις originally meant “choice”, it describes parties that people deliberately choose to join. Corinth, a wealthy port city known for its social stratification and competitive culture, was fertile ground for such factionalism. Some church members probably formed separate groups at the love feast, eating only with their own class. Paul does not approve of this, but he sees that God can use even these painful divisions to test the congregation. Just as Deuteronomy 13:3 says God tests his people to know their hearts, so the emergence of factions reveals who truly loves the body of Christ.
Textual Notes
Reception History
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Inevitability, Paul uses δεῖ (“must”) to say that divisions are a predictable result of human pride and selfishness, not a sign that Christianity has failed.
- Purpose, The ἵνα (“in order that”) clause shows God’s sovereignty: he permits these divisions to act as a sieve, separating genuine faith from surface allegiance.
- The approved, The δόκιμοι (those who have been tested and proven genuine) are not made perfect by the division, but their steadfast love is made visible.
Five-point outline
- Context: The Lord’s Supper is being profaned by cliquish behavior (vv.17, 22).
- Claim: Worse than mere pettiness, these are the seeds of full-blown sects (αἱρέσεις).
- Inevitability: Human nature, left unchecked, will always produce factions (Barnes).
- Design: God overrules sin for good; the fires of division test the gold of faith.
- Application: When we feel the heat of church conflict, we ask not “who is on my side” but “what is God showing me about my own heart?”
Illustration hooks
- Metal detector at the airport. The scanner does not create the contraband; it reveals what was already in the bag. Factions do not create false Christians, they expose them.
- A sports tryout. Coaches put players through drills that are intentionally tough. The hard drills do not make a player weak; they show which ones have the skill and endurance to make the team.
- Marriage under stress. Financial trouble or a health crisis does not cause a marriage to fail; it reveals the cracks that were already there, and sometimes it reveals strength no one knew was present.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Does this mean God wants churches to split? That can’t be right.”
- “How can I tell if a disagreement is a normal spat or one of these ‘factions’ Paul warns about?”
- “I feel judged when I distance myself from a church group that is clearly wrong. Does that make me the problem or the ‘approved’ one?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse can feel unsettling, Paul says divisions are necessary. But he is not excusing sin; he is helping us see God’s hand even in the mess. As you discuss, let the group be honest about times they have been hurt by church conflict.
Discussion questions
- Read 1 Corinthians 11:17, 22. What specific problems does Paul identify in the Corinthian worship gathering?
- The word αἱρέσεις (“factions”) comes from a word meaning “choice.” How does that root help you understand what Paul is describing?
- Why does Paul use the strong word δεῖ (“must” or “it is necessary”)? Does that mean God commands factions? (Compare Matthew 18:7.)
- Look at the phrase “those who are approved” (δόκιμοι). This word was used of coins that passed the metal test. How does a “test” change the way you view difficult seasons in church life?
- The purpose clause “in order that” (ἵνα) shows a goal. What is that goal, and how does it comfort you when you see division?
- How can we disagree with fellow Christians without becoming a faction? What is the line between standing for truth and forming a party?
- Think of a time when a church conflict actually strengthened your faith. What did you learn about yourself or about God?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 13:3 | you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams; for Yahweh your God is testing you, to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul. |
| Matthew 18:7 | “Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes! |
| Luke 2:35 | Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” |
| Luke 17:1 | He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no occasions of stumbling should come, but woe to him through whom they come! |
| Acts 5:17 | But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy |
| Acts 15:5 | But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” |
| Acts 20:30 | Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. |
| Acts 24:5 | For we have found this man to be a plague, an instigator of insurrections among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke defines heresies not as a common consent of Church members, whether in gospel doctrines or Christian ceremonies. Religious difference in opinion led to different practices, splitting the one body of God into sects and parties. Divisions and heresies sprang out of each other.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that "heresies" here means sects or divisions, not doctrinal errors. He stresses that Paul does not treat these splits as inevitable because of Christianity itself, but as expected due to human nature, and they serve to reveal who the true friends of God really are.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin distinguishes schism from heresy as a matter of degree, not kind. Schism refers to hidden grudges and internal disunity among believers. Heresy is the point where that disunity becomes open hostility, with people deliberately forming opposing factions.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes that divisions among believers serve a God-ordained purpose. Heresies are permitted so that those who are genuine and approved can be distinguished from the false. The point is not simply that heresies will come, but that God uses them to reveal who truly belongs.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees heresies as part of God's sovereign plan: they must happen because God has decreed them, and they serve a beneficial purpose. They expose who is genuinely approved by revealing the steadfastness of true believers and the departure of those who embrace error.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB distinguishes heresies from temporary divisions, seeing them as matured, entrenched schisms that must arise from sin. These hardened factions serve God's purpose by testing and revealing the genuine character of believers, a process Augustine's principle of unity in essentials and liberty in nonessentials helps govern.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that the Corinthians corrupted the Lord's Supper by importing heathen club-feast customs where each guest ate his own food greedily. This selfish individualism, he argues, destroyed the fellowship meant to unite rich and poor. He also draws a careful exegetical distinction between the social cliques (schismata) at these meals and doctrinal heresies (haireseis).
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that the Corinthians' shameful behavior at the Lord's Supper turned the sacred institution against itself, making them spiritually worse instead of better. His key warning is that Christ's ordinances, if they do not improve and soften the soul, will inevitably harden and harm it.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek word often translated "heresies" carries the simpler sense of parties or factions, which arise from the divisions Paul is addressing. He points out that Paul uses this word only here and in Galatians 5:20.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that divisions among believers are inevitable in the ordinary course of church life. God permits them for a purpose: to make clear who is genuinely upright in heart and who is not.