And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

LUKE 22:19KJV
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Luke 22:19 (KJV)

What does Luke 22:19 mean?

Luke 22:19 describes Jesus taking bread, giving thanks, breaking it, and giving it to his disciples, saying that the bread represents his body given for them, and telling them to do this in remembrance of him. This verse shows Jesus establishing a symbolic act for his followers to remember his sacrifice.

In this scene, Jesus is speaking to his closest followers during a meal on the night before his crucifixion. The act of breaking bread and sharing it is given new meaning by Jesus, who connects the bread to his own body and upcoming death. The instruction to "do this in remembrance of me" sets up a practice for his followers to recall his life and sacrifice together.

The Greek behind Luke 22:19

  • "Remembrance" (ἀνάμνησις, anamnēsis) means more than just recalling a memory; it often carries the sense of an active, purposeful remembering that brings the past event into the present experience.
  • "Given" (δίδωμι, didōmi) is used here to show that Jesus’s body is something offered or handed over for the benefit of others, highlighting the idea of a voluntary sacrifice.
  • "Body" (σῶμα, sōma) in Greek refers to the whole person, not just physical flesh, so Jesus is offering his whole self for his followers.

Why Luke 22:19 matters

  • Luke 22:19 clarifies that the act of breaking and sharing bread is not just a meal, but a meaningful symbol tied to Jesus’s own life and death.
  • The verse emphasizes that remembering Jesus is not a passive act, but something his followers are called to do together, as a community.
  • This moment connects to the wider story of Jesus’s final hours and sets the foundation for a key Christian practice known as Communion or the Lord’s Supper.

Where else these words appear

“remembrance” Greek G364 · used in 4 verses

  • 1 Corinthians 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
  • 1 Corinthians 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
  • Hebrews 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

“brake” Greek G2806 · used in 14 verses

  • Matthew 14:19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
  • Mark 8:19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.
  • Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

“thanks” Greek G2168 · used in 38 verses

  • Matthew 15:36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
  • Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
  • Ephesians 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

“me” Greek G1699 · used in 68 verses

  • Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
  • John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
  • 1 Corinthians 7:40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.