1 Corinthians 10:18

Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

1 Corinthians 10:18, King James Version

1 Corinthians 10:18 in other translations

BSB	Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar?
WEB	Consider Israel according to the flesh. Don’t those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?
ASV	Behold Israel after the flesh: have not they that eat the sacrifices communion with the altar?
YLT	See Israel according to the flesh! are not those eating the sacrifices in the fellowship of the altar?
DARBY	See Israel according to flesh: are not they who eat the sacrifices in communion with the altar?
BBE	See Israel after the flesh: do not those who take as food the offerings of the altar take a part in the altar?
Webster	Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they who eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar?

What does 1 Corinthians 10:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

18. Israel after the flesh--the literal, as distinguished from the spiritual, Israel (Ro 2:29; 4:1; 9:3; Ga 4:29). partakers of the altar--and so of God, whose is the altar; they have fellowship in God and His worship, of which the altar is the symbol.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 18. Behold Israel. Look at the Jews. The design here is to illustrate the sentiment which he was establishing, by a reference to the fact that among the Jews those who partook of the same sacrifices were regarded as being one people, and as worshipping one God. So, if they partook of the sacrifices offered to idols, they would be regarded also as being fellow-worshippers of idols with them.

After the flesh. See Rom 4:1. The phrase, "after the flesh," is designed to denote the Jews who were not converted to Christianity; the natural descendants of Israel, or Jacob.

Are not they which eat of the sacrifices. A portion of the sacrifices offered to God was eaten by the offerer, and another portion by the priests. Some portions of the animal, as the fat, were burnt; and the remainder, unless it was a holocaust, or whole burnt-offering, was then the property of the priests who had officiated, or of the persons who had brought it, Ex 29:13,22, Lev 3:4,10,15, 4:9, 7:3,4, 8:26. The right shoulder and the breast was the part which was assigned to the priests; the remainder belonged to the offerer.

Partakers of the altar? Worshippers of the same God. They are united in their worship, and are so regarded. And in like manner, if you partake of the sacrifices offered to idols, and join with their worshippers in their temples, you will be justly regarded as united with them in their worship, and partaking with them in their abominations.

(a) "after the flesh" Rom 4:1,12 (b) "are not" 1Cor 9:13

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 18 Behold Israel after the flesh - The Jews not yet converted to Christianity: the latter being Israel after the Spirit. As the design of the apostle was to withdraw his converts at Corinth from all temptations to idolatry, he produces two examples to show the propriety of his endeavors. 1. All who join together in celebrating the Lord's Supper, and are partakers of that one bread, give proof by this that they are Christians, and have fellowship with Christ. 2. All the Israelites who offer sacrifice, and partake of those sacrifices, give proof thereby that they are Jews, and are in fellowship with the object of their worship: so they who join in idol festivals, and eat things which have been offered to idols, give proof that they are in communion with those idolaters, and that they have fellowship with the demons they worship.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 10:15-22

Did not the joining in the Lord's supper show a profession of faith in Christ crucified, and of adoring gratitude to him for his salvation ? Christians, by this ordinance, and the faith therein professed, were united as the grains of wheat in one loaf of bread, or as the members in the human body, seeing they were all united to Christ, and had fellowship with him and one another. This is confirmed from the Jewish…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 10:15-22 →

1 Corinthians 10:18 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

βλέπετεblepetedo considerG991

τὸνton<the>G3588

ἸσραὴλIsraēlIsraelG2474

κατὰkataaccording toG2596

σάρκα·sarkaflesh:G4561

οὐχouchSurelyG3756

οἱhoithoseG3588

ἐσθίοντεςesthionteseatingG2068

τὰςtastheG3588

θυσίαςthusiassacrificesG2378

κοινωνοὶkoinōnoifellow partakersG2844

τοῦtouin theG3588

θυσιαστηρίουthusiastērioualtarG2379

εἰσίν;¶eisinare?G1510

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 10:18

Philippians 3:3-5
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Leviticus 3:11
And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the Lord.
Ephesians 2:11-12
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Galatians 6:16
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
Leviticus 7:6
Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy.
Romans 4:12
And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
1 Corinthians 9:13
Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
Romans 4:1
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Leviticus 3:3-5
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. And Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
2 Corinthians 11:18-22
Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. …
Romans 1:3
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
Romans 9:3-8
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Israel.
Ro 4:1,12; 9:3-8; 2Co 11:18-22; Ga 6:16; Eph 2:11,12; Php 3:3-5
are.
9:13; Le 3:3-5,11; 7:11-17; 1Sa 2:13-16; 9:12,13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

1 Corinthians 10:17
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
1 Corinthians 10:18
Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
1 Corinthians 10:19
What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?

Read all of 1 Corinthians 10

1 Corinthians 10:18 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mirad á Israel según la carne: los que comen de los sacrificios ¿no son partícipes con el altar?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Considérez l’Israël selon la chair: ceux qui mangent les sacrifices n’ont-ils pas communion avec l’autel?
German Elberfelder 1871	Sehet auf Israel nach dem Fleische. Sind nicht die, welche die Schlachtopfer essen, in Gemeinschaft mit dem Altar?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Videte Israël secundum carnem: nonne qui edunt hostias, participes sunt altaris?