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Verse

1 Corinthians 11:25

ESV 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.”
NIV In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.'
NASB In 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 it, in remembrance of Me.'
CSB In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
NLT In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant between God and his people — an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.'
KJV 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.

What does 1 Corinthians 11:25 mean?

Paul is reminding the Christians in Corinth about the purpose of observing the Lord's Supper. They seemed to have forgotten the point and turned the celebration into a raucous party at which the poor were treated unequally (1 Corinthians 11:17–22). Paul proceeds to relate the institution of communion, in an account he says he "received from the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:23). In that event, the Last Supper, Jesus first broke and distributed bread to the disciples. This was a representation of His broken body (Matthew 26:26–28).

After this, Jesus similarly distributed wine. In Scripture, wine and blood are frequently connected through symbolism (Isaiah 63:3; Revelation 19:15). Deuteronomy even refers to wine as "the blood of the grape" (Deuteronomy 32:14). After the supper ended, Jesus raised the cup and commanded this disciples to remember Him whenever they drank from it, as part of the communion remembrance.

The disciples must have been confused by this, though they were used to hearing Jesus say hard-to-understand things. Jesus would soon shed His blood and die for the sins of all who trust in Christ. He would become the final sacrifice. Hebrews 9:22 says that without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness from sin.

Jesus referred to this as the "cup of the new covenant." God had made the Old Covenant with His people Israel during the time of Moses. It was also sealed with blood, that of sacrificial animals (Exodus 24:1–8). The new covenant is between God and all those He has called to faith in Christ (Hebrews 9:14–15).
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