1 Corinthians 11:18

First of all, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Paul addresses the Corinthian believers while reviewing their recent congregational meetings. He opens his critique by acknowledging the harmful nature of their current gatherings.

The words — Πρῶτον (Prōton) means "first" and signals the opening point of his argument. ἐκκλησίᾳ (ekklēsia) translates literally to "assembly," referring to the gathered community rather than a building.

The thread — Internal factionalism reappears in 1 Corinthians 3:3, where jealousy and dissension are identified as proof of their worldly condition. Paul previously demanded in 1 Corinthians 1:10 that all believers agree together without divisions.

Why it lands — The verse states the factual report of divisions before Paul confirms its partial accuracy. Readers must recognize how their own gatherings actively fracture unity rather than preserve it.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

ΠρῶτονPrōtonFirst μὲνmenindeed γὰρgarfor συνερχομένωνsunerchomenōncoming together ὑμῶνhumōnyou ἐνenin τῇtēa<the>ἐκκλησίᾳekklēsiaan assembly ἀκούωakouōI hear σχίσματαschismatadivisions ἐνenamong ὑμῖνhuminyou ὑπάρχειν,huparcheinthere to be,καὶkaiand μέροςmerosin part τιtiit πιστεύω·pisteuōI believe;

King James Version

For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 3:3 for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction.
1 Corinthians 5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.
1 Corinthians 6:1 If any of you has a grievance against another, how dare he go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints!