27 verses · KJV · every verse read aloud
Early Christian writers taught that the Eucharist was not just ordinary bread and wine. Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Cyprian all speak of it as Christ’s body and blood, tied to John 6 and the Lord’s words at the Last Supper. The teaching is broad across the 1st to 3rd centuries and appears in both church writings and liturgical texts. Some writers also used spiritual language about thanksgiving, symbol, or memorial, but even those texts still kept a strong link to Christ’s real body and blood. The evidence is strong for a sacramental and realist view of the Eucharist, while debates about exact wording or explanation are mixed.
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
Unworthy-reception verse that also names body and blood
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about 1 Corinthians 11:27
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
Paul's communion language in 1 Corinthians 10
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about 1 Corinthians 10:16
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Direct Last Supper words about the bread
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about Matthew 26:26
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Luke's Last Supper wording with remembrance
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about Luke 22:19
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
Direct proclamation of the Lord's death
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about 1 Corinthians 11:26
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Direct John 6 promise of eternal life
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about John 6:54
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Direct warning about eating and drinking the Son of Man
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about John 6:53
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Direct abiding language from John 6
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about John 6:56
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
Core John 6 passage about eating Christ's flesh
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about John 6:51
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.
Direct Last Supper words about the cup
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about 1 Corinthians 11:25
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
Supporting Bible line about not discerning the Lord's body
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about 1 Corinthians 11:29
And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.
Parallel institution wording.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about Mark 14:22
If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.
Thanksgiving sacrifice background, not direct proof.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about Leviticus 7:12
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Direct passage on true food and true drink.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about John 6:55
And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
Thanksgiving sacrifice background, not direct proof.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about Amos 4:5
Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
Sacrifice of thanksgiving background only.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about Psalms 50:14
Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.
Thanksgiving offering background, not direct Eucharist proof.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about Leviticus 7:13
And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.
Thanksgiving sacrifice law background only.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about Leviticus 22:29
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
Thanksgiving sacrifice background only.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about Psalms 116:17
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
Self-examination before eating and drinking at the Lord's table
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about 1 Corinthians 11:28
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
Direct passage about the cup and table of the Lord.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about 1 Corinthians 10:21
This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
Direct passage on living forever.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about John 6:58
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
Direct passage on bread from heaven and not dying.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about John 6:50
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about 1 Corinthians 11:30
Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Relevant blood-of-the-covenant wording, but not directly about Eucharistic practice in context.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about Hebrews 10:29
For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about 1 Corinthians 11:21
When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.
Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.
Also in NKJV · ESV What the early church said about 1 Corinthians 11:20
Easy to memorize, to write in a card, or to send to a friend.
“For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.”
John 6:55 KJV · 12 words
Listen“Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:”
Psalms 50:14 KJV · 12 words
Listen“For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.”
1 Corinthians 11:30 KJV · 13 words
ListenExact words from our library of the early church writers. Each one opens at the place it was written.
“When, therefore, the mixed cup and the made bread receive the Word of God, and the Eucharist of the blood and body of Christ is formed, from which the substance of our flesh is grown and sustained, how can they claim that the flesh is incapable of receiving the gift of God, which is eternal life, when this flesh is no…”
“5. Then, again, how can they say that the flesh, which is nourished with the body of the Lord and with His blood, goes to corruption and does not partake of life? Let them, therefore, either change their opinion or stop offering the things just mentioned. But our opinion agrees with the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in…”
“This food is called among us [the Eucharist], and only those who believe that our teachings are true, have been washed with the washing for the remission of sins and renewal, and live as Christ instructed, are allowed to partake. We do not receive these as common bread and drink, but in the same way that Jesus Christ…”
“They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not acknowledge the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, who suffered for our sins, and whom the Father, in His goodness, raised up again. Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, bring upon themselves death in the midst of…”
“And we ask that this bread should be given to us daily, that we who are in Christ, and daily receive the Eucharist for the food of salvation, may not, by the interposition of some heinous sin, by being prevented, as withheld and not communicating, from partaking of the heavenly bread, be separated from Christ's body,…”
“They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again.”
More on what the early Christians believed about The Eucharist →
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