Concerning Head Coverings in Worship

11 Become imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

Now I praise you that you remember me in all things, and just as I handed over to you the traditions, you hold fast to them. But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies while[a] having something[b] on his head dishonors his head, but every woman who prays or prophesies with uncovered head dishonors her head, for she is one and the same with the one whose head is shaved. For if a woman does not cover herself, let her hair be shorn off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her head[c] shorn or shaved, let her cover her head.[d] For indeed a man ought not to cover his head, because he[e] is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. For man is not from woman, but woman from man. For indeed man was not created for the sake of the woman, but woman for the sake of the man. 10 Because of this, the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, on account of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, neither is woman anything apart from man, nor is man anything apart from woman in the Lord. 12 For just as the woman is from the man, thus also the man is through the woman. But all things are from God. 13 You judge for yourselves[f]: is it fitting for a woman to pray to God with her head[g] uncovered? 14 And does not nature itself teach you that a man, if he wears long hair, it is a dishonor to him? 15 But a woman, if she wears long hair, it is her glory, because her hair is given[h] for a covering. 16 But if anyone is disposed to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

Improper Conduct at the Lord’s Supper

17 But in giving this instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For in the first place, when you[i] come together as a church, I hear there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For indeed it is necessary that there be factions among you, in order that those who are approved may become evident among you. 20 Therefore, when[j] you come together in the same place, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper. 21 For when you[k] eat it, each one of you goes ahead to take his own supper, and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 For do you not have houses for eating and drinking? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who do not have anything? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you!

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and after he[l] had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 Likewise also the cup, after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But let a person examine himself, and in this way let him eat from the bread and let him drink from the cup. 29 For the one who eats and drinks, if he[m] does not recognize the body, eats and drinks judgment against himself. 30 Because of this, many are weak and sick among you, and quite a few have died[n]. 31 But if we were evaluating ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But if we[o] are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined, in order that we will not be condemned with the world.

33 So then, my brothers, when you[p] come together in order to eat the Lord’s supper,[q] wait for one another. 34 If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And I will give directions about the remaining matters whenever I come.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 11:4 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“having”) which is understood as temporal
  2. 1 Corinthians 11:4 Here the direct object must be supplied from context, but the exact nature of the object is not clear from the context, so “something” is used in the English translation
  3. 1 Corinthians 11:6 Literally “to be”
  4. 1 Corinthians 11:6 Literally “herself”
  5. 1 Corinthians 11:7 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is”) which is understood as causal
  6. 1 Corinthians 11:13 Literally “in you yourselves”
  7. 1 Corinthians 11:13 Here the words “with her head” have been supplied as a necessary clarification
  8. 1 Corinthians 11:15 Some manuscripts have “is given to her”
  9. 1 Corinthians 11:18 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“come together”)
  10. 1 Corinthians 11:20 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“come together”)
  11. 1 Corinthians 11:21 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal infinitive (“eat”)
  12. 1 Corinthians 11:24 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had given thanks”) which is understood as temporal
  13. 1 Corinthians 11:29 Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“recognize”) which is understood as conditional
  14. 1 Corinthians 11:30 Literally “have fallen asleep”
  15. 1 Corinthians 11:32 Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are judged”) which is understood as conditional
  16. 1 Corinthians 11:33 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“come together”) which is understood as temporal
  17. 1 Corinthians 11:33 *Here the direct object (“the Lord’s supper”) is supplied from context in the English translation

11 Follow my example,(A) as I follow the example of Christ.(B)

On Covering the Head in Worship

I praise you(C) for remembering me in everything(D) and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.(E) But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ,(F) and the head of the woman is man,[a](G) and the head of Christ is God.(H) Every man who prays or prophesies(I) with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies(J) with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.(K) For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

A man ought not to cover his head,[b] since he is the image(L) and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;(M) neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.(N) 10 It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own[c] head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.(O)

13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, 15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. 16 If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.(P)

Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper(Q)

17 In the following directives I have no praise for you,(R) for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions(S) among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.(T) 20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers.(U) As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God(V) by humiliating those who have nothing?(W) What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?(X) Certainly not in this matter!

23 For I received from the Lord(Y) what I also passed on to you:(Z) The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body,(AA) which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant(AB) in my blood;(AC) do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.(AD)

27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.(AE) 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves(AF) before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.(AG) 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.(AH) 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined(AI) so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.(AJ)

33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34 Anyone who is hungry(AK) should eat something at home,(AL) so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.

And when I come(AM) I will give further directions.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 11:3 Or of the wife is her husband
  2. 1 Corinthians 11:7 Or Every man who prays or prophesies with long hair dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with no covering of hair dishonors her head—she is just like one of the “shorn women.” If a woman has no covering, let her be for now with short hair; but since it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair shorn or shaved, she should grow it again. A man ought not to have long hair
  3. 1 Corinthians 11:10 Or have a sign of authority on her