Bible Strands
Matthew 26:26
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — During the meal, Jesus addresses His disciples immediately after identifying Judas as His betrayer (Matthew 26:25). He acts while they are eating, taking, blessing, and breaking bread to give to the group.
The words — λαβὼν (labōn) means "having taken," and ἄρτον (arton) means "bread." The Greek construction shows Jesus taking the bread before He blesses and breaks it.
The thread — This bread institution parallels the account in 1 Corinthians 11:23, where Paul records Jesus taking bread on the night He was betrayed. Luke 22:18 similarly records Jesus speaking about the coming kingdom within this same meal context.
Why it lands — The text commands the disciples to “Take and eat; this is My body,” directly linking the physical bread to His person. It requires immediate obedience to partake and recognition of His self-giving presence at the meal.
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
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread,
- Luke 22:18 For I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:16 Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?
- John 6:33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
- Mark 14:22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it; this is My body.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
- John 6:47 Truly, truly, I tell you, he who believes has eternal life.
- Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Since Paul was ready to leave the next day, he talked to them and kept on speaking until midnight.
- Acts 2:46 With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,
- Luke 24:30 While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them.