The Lord's Supper is anchored in scripture, and the passages a pastor reads at the table shape how the congregation experiences it. This guide gathers the essential communion scriptures — from Paul's institution account in 1 Corinthians 11 to the Gospel narratives of the Last Supper and the Old Testament covenant background — with pastoral notes on when each one lands best.
Every passage below is drawn from the ESV, with brief notes on placement, pairing, and tone so you can serve the table with clarity and care.
The Words of Institution
The single most commonly read communion passage. Works as the entire reading on its own, or as the anchor paired with a Gospel account.
Luke's account carries the tenderness of the upper room — good for a Maundy Thursday or a communion service focused on Christ's self-giving.
Matthew's phrasing — 'poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins' — foregrounds atonement. Pair with a service centered on the cross.
Mark's compressed account — good when the sermon is long and the reading needs to be short.
Approaching the Table Rightly
The self-examination passage. Read carefully — its point is discernment, not exclusion. Frame with grace so it doesn't produce fear.
The unity passage — the table is not private devotion but common life. Good for services that emphasize the body of Christ together.
Covenant Background
The new-covenant prophecy Jesus explicitly invoked at the Last Supper. Pairs powerfully with 1 Corinthians 11.
The phrase Jesus quotes when he says 'this is my blood of the covenant.' Reading this first makes his words in the upper room land with their full Old Testament weight.
The suffering-servant passage that stands behind 'this is my body, given for you.'
Communion and Hope
The forward-looking verse — the meal is not only memory but anticipation. Good closing verse before distribution.
Ties the present meal to the future feast. A single-line reading right before the elements are served.
The eschatological framing. Christ's own longing for the meal — and for the greater meal it points toward.
How to Use These in a Service
Placement. The words of institution (typically 1 Corinthians 11:23–26) belong right before the elements are distributed, not earlier in the service. Reading them at the moment of distribution roots the physical act in Christ's own words rather than in your framing of them.
Pairing. A common pattern is one anchor text plus one shorter paired reading: the anchor is almost always 1 Corinthians 11, and the paired reading rotates — Old Testament covenant background one month, a Gospel account the next, a hope-oriented text the next. This keeps the meaning three-dimensional without abandoning the central passage.
The self-examination text. 1 Corinthians 11:27–29 is often read but frequently misapplied. Paul's concern was rich Corinthians humiliating poor ones at the meal — the 'unworthy manner' is that specific social sin, not general unworthiness. Frame the reading so it produces honest self-examination without producing fear that keeps grieving or struggling believers from the table.
Tone. Communion is both serious and joyful. Scriptures that carry only the weight of the cross without the promise of return, or only the celebration of union without the discernment of the body, distort the meal. The four categories above — institution, approach, covenant, hope — held in balance produce a service that feels neither morbid nor sentimental.
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Start free →Frequently asked
What scripture is traditionally read at communion?
1 Corinthians 11:23–26 is the most commonly read passage — it contains the words of institution given to Paul directly from the Lord. Many pastors pair it with one of the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper (Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22) or with Jesus' bread-of-life discourse in John 6.
What does the Bible say about taking communion?
1 Corinthians 11:27–29 is the central passage on how to approach the table: examine yourself, discern the body, and eat and drink without treating it as ordinary food. The tone is serious but not fearful — the same passage roots the meal in Christ's love and covenant.
Do I have to read a scripture before communion?
No fixed liturgical requirement in most traditions, but reading a scripture roots the practice in Christ's own words rather than in a repeated ritual disconnected from its source. Even a single verse from 1 Corinthians 11 or Luke 22 does that work.
What is a good short scripture for communion?
1 Corinthians 11:26 — 'For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.' It captures institution, remembrance, and hope in one sentence.
Can I use Old Testament passages for communion?
Yes — Exodus 12 (Passover), Exodus 24:8 (blood of the covenant), and Jeremiah 31:31–34 (new covenant) all illuminate what Jesus was doing at the Last Supper. They work best as background readings paired with a New Testament institution text.
How often should communion scriptures change?
Rotating between 1 Corinthians 11, the four Gospel accounts, and a covenant background text over the course of a year keeps the meaning fresh without abandoning the anchor passage. Many pastors keep 1 Corinthians 11 as the constant and rotate the paired reading.