1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Meaning: Do This in Remembrance of Me
23For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread.
24When 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.”
25In the same way he also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.”
26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
23For 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:
24And 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.
25After 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.
26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
23For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was betrayed took bread;
24and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, This is my body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord’s death till he come.
23For I--I received from the Lord that which also I did deliver to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was delivered up, took bread,
24and having given thanks, he brake, and said, `Take ye, eat ye, this is my body, that for you is being broken; this do ye--to the remembrance of me.'
25In like manner also the cup after the supping, saying, `This cup is the new covenant in my blood; this do ye, as often as ye may drink it --to the remembrance of me;'
26for as often as ye may eat this bread, and this cup may drink, the death of the Lord ye do shew forth--till he may come;
23For I received from the Lord, that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, in the night in which he was delivered up, took bread,
24and having given thanks broke [it], and said, This is my body, which [is] for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25In like manner also the cup, after having supped, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as often as ye shall drink [it], in remembrance of me.
26For as often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye announce the death of the Lord, until he come.
Meaning in one sentence
Understand Paul's account of the Lord's Supper. What 'remembrance' really means and how every communion proclaims Christ's death until He returns.
Context
Paul is not happy with the Corinthians. When they gather for the Lord's Supper, some eat all the food while others go hungry. The rich humiliate the poor. So Paul stops and reminds them what this meal is actually for. He writes down the words he himself received, whether by direct revelation from the risen Jesus or passed down through the apostles, he wants them to know this ceremony comes with the Lord's own authority. In the dark hours before His betrayal, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said something stunning: this is my body, for you. Then He took the cup and called it the new covenant in His blood. Every time we eat and drink, Paul says, we are doing something public. We are proclaiming a death, and waiting for the day He comes back.
Key Words
Three Greek words give this passage its weight. First, paralambanō: “I received.” Paul uses the same word for receiving a tradition passed hand to hand. He then says he “delivered” it (paradidōmi), a word also used for handing over a prisoner. The institution itself came wrapped in the language of betrayal. Second, eucharistēsas, “having given thanks.” The root gives us the word Eucharist. Jesus faced the cross with gratitude on His lips, not bitterness. Third, anamnēsis, “remembrance.” In the Old Testament, when the priest brought a memorial offering before God, it wasn't just calling something to mind. It was making that reality present before the Lord. When we eat and drink in remembrance of Christ, we are not merely recalling an old story. We are holding His death before God and before one another, asking that its power be real for us today.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read Jesus' words “This is my body” in different ways. The Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions understand that the bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Christ through the prayer of consecration. Many Protestant churches instead see the bread and wine as symbols that represent Christ's presence spiritually; the bread remains bread, but through faith the believer encounters the risen Lord. Other traditions, such as Lutherans, hold that Christ is present “in, with, and under” the elements. The question of how Christ is present matters deeply to each tradition. But all agree on the command: do this in remembrance of me. All agree that this meal is central to Christian worship and that it looks back to the cross and forward to the King's return.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to think that “in remembrance of me” means only to think back fondly, like looking at an old photograph. In fact, the Greek word anamnēsis carries the force of making something present before God. When Israel celebrated Passover, they weren't just remembering an escape; they were entering into that deliverance afresh. The Lord's Supper is a memorial that brings the reality of Christ's sacrifice into the present moment, so that we encounter Him again.
Living This Out
Before you next take Communion, pause to remember that Jesus knew He was betrayed and still gave thanks. The night was dark, Judas was already moving, but Jesus took bread anyway. Consider what the “broken for you” really cost Him. Then go to the table not with guilt or hurry, but with the quiet assurance that this meal is a proclamation. You are telling the world, in a way words cannot: Christ died. He will come again. You can carry that truth through the week ahead, and let it shape how you treat the brothers and sisters who sit beside you.
Main takeaway: Jesus gave us bread and wine so that every time we share them we hold His death before God and the world until He returns.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jesus had a special dinner with His friends the night before He died. He took bread and said, “This is my body.” He took a cup and said, “This is my blood.” He wants us to remember Him when we eat and drink.
For ages 9, 12
Paul reminds the Corinthians that the Lord's Supper isn't a regular meal. Jesus started it the night He was betrayed. He broke bread and said it was His body, given for us. The cup was His blood that made a new promise from God to us. Every time we take Communion, we are telling the world that Jesus died and that He is coming back.
Questions People Ask
Did Paul receive this account directly from Jesus or from other people?
Paul writes that he 'received from the Lord' what he passed on. Some Christians believe this means a direct revelation from the risen Christ, as Paul mentions elsewhere in Galatians 1:12. Others think Paul received the tradition through the apostles who were eyewitnesses. Either way, Paul presents the institution of the Lord's Supper with full apostolic authority, holding it up as the rule for how the church should celebrate.
What does 'new covenant in my blood' mean?
A covenant is a binding promise or agreement. In the Old Testament, God made a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai sealed with animal blood. Jesus announces a new covenant, a better one, sealed with His own blood. Instead of animal sacrifices repeated over and over, His one death forgives sins completely. The cup represents that new relationship with God, purchased at the highest cost.
Since Jesus said 'this is my body,' do the bread and wine actually become His body and blood?
Christians disagree on how to understand Jesus' words. The Catholic and Orthodox churches teach that the bread and wine become the literal body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation). Lutherans say Christ is present 'in, with, and under' the elements. Many Protestant traditions see the bread and wine as powerful symbols that represent Christ's presence spiritually. All agree that Christ is truly present in the Supper, though they differ on the exact nature of that presence.
Why does Paul say 'as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup'?
The phrase 'as often as' shows that the Lord's Supper should be celebrated regularly, not just once. The New Testament doesn't give a strict rule about frequency. Early Christians likely celebrated it weekly when they gathered (Acts 20:7). Today, churches observe it weekly, monthly, or quarterly. The point is that every time we do it, we are proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes.
What does it mean to 'proclaim the Lord's death' when we take Communion?
The Greek word katangellō means to announce publicly. Eating the bread and drinking the cup is a visible sermon. It declares to the world that Christ died for sinners. It also proclaims to God our faith in that sacrifice. And it declares to one another that we belong to the same covenant family. Every Communion service is an act of preaching, even when no words are spoken.
For pastors & researchers
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