Bible Verses on the Eucharist
The Real Presence is rooted in Scripture itself — most directly in Jesus' words in John 6 and St. Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians.
Below are the foundational biblical passages, quoted in full with their references. They are the starting point for the Church's unbroken witness to the Eucharist.
Quick reference: the key passages
| Passage | What it says about the Eucharist |
|---|---|
| Matthew 26:26–28 | Last Supper institution — "This is my body… this is my blood of the covenant." |
| Mark 14:22–24 | Parallel institution narrative — "Take it; this is my body." |
| Luke 22:19–20 | Institution + the command "Do this in remembrance of me." |
| John 6:51–58 | Bread of Life discourse — "My flesh is true food, my blood is true drink." |
| Luke 24:30–35 | Emmaus — the disciples recognize the risen Christ "in the breaking of the bread." |
| 1 Corinthians 10:16 | The cup is "a participation in the blood of Christ," the bread "a participation in the body." |
| 1 Corinthians 11:27–29 | Receiving unworthily makes one "guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord." |
| Acts 2:42 | The first Christians "devoted themselves… to the breaking of the bread." |
Gospel of John 6:53-56
Jesus Christ“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”
1 Corinthians 10:16-21; 11:27-30
St. Paul“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? (...) Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.”
Frequently asked questions
What Bible verses support the Real Presence in the Eucharist?
Four passages are foundational. John 6:53–56: Jesus says "my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." The Last Supper accounts (Matthew 26:26–28, Mark 14:22–24, Luke 22:19–20): "This is my body… this is my blood." 1 Corinthians 10:16: St. Paul calls the cup "a participation in the blood of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:27–29: Paul warns that receiving unworthily makes one "guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord."
Where does Jesus say the Eucharist is his body and blood?
In two places. First, John 6 (the "Bread of Life" discourse): "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:53). Second, at the Last Supper, recorded in Matthew 26:26–28, Mark 14:22–24, and Luke 22:19–20: Jesus took bread and said, "This is my body," and the cup, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many."
Did St. Paul teach the Real Presence?
Yes. In 1 Corinthians 10:16 Paul describes the Eucharist as "a participation in the body" and "blood of Christ." In 1 Corinthians 11:27–29 he warns that anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup "in an unworthy manner" is "guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord" — language that assumes Christ is really present, not merely symbolized.
What does John 6 say about the Eucharist?
John 6:51–58 — the "Bread of Life" discourse — is the most extended teaching of Jesus on the Eucharist. He says: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world" (6:51). Then: "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life… for my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink" (6:54–55). When listeners object, Jesus does not soften the language but repeats it more forcefully.
When did Jesus institute the Eucharist?
At the Last Supper, the night before his crucifixion. Matthew 26:26–28, Mark 14:22–24, and Luke 22:19–20 record the same scene: Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said "This is my body." Then he took the cup and said "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Luke and Paul add the command: "Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24).
See how the Church carried this Scripture forward across 2,000 years.
And see it confirmed in flesh and blood
What Jesus said in John 6 and Paul confirmed in 1 Corinthians has reappeared in examined hosts — human heart tissue, type AB blood, the wounds of the Passion.