Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Corinthians 11:20

"When therefore ye assemble yourselves together, it is not possible to eat the Lord`s supper:" — 1 Corinthians 11:20 (ASV)

“It is not the Lord’s Supper you eat” may be interpreted in two ways—either by supplying the word “it” as in NIV, or by taking the verb “is” to mean “can,” thus rendering it, “You cannot eat [or celebrate] the Lord’s Supper.” Either translation fits the context. What Paul means is that in acting the way he is about to describe, they were not approaching the Lord’s Supper in the right manner but were nullifying its spiritual meaning.