Christian Order

11 (A)Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

Now (B)I praise you because you (C)remember me in everything and (D)hold firmly to the traditions, just as I handed them down to you. But I want you to understand that Christ is the (E)head of every man, and [a](F)the man is the head of a woman, and God is the (G)head of Christ. Every man who has something on his head while praying or (H)prophesying disgraces his head. But every (I)woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for it is one and the same as the woman [b]whose head is (J)shaved. For if a woman does not cover [c]her head, have her also [d]cut her hair off; however, if it is disgraceful for a woman to [e]have her hair cut off or [f]her head shaved, have her cover [g]her head. For a man should not have his head covered, since he is the (K)image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For (L)man [h]does not originate from woman, but woman from man; for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but (M)woman for the man’s sake. 10 Therefore the woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 However, in the Lord, neither is woman [i]independent of man, nor is man [j]independent of woman. 12 For as the woman originated from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and (N)all things originate (O)from God. 13 (P)Judge [k]for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does even nature itself not teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her as a covering. 16 But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, (Q)we have no [l]such practice, nor have (R)the churches of God.

17 Now in giving this next instruction (S)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 come together [m]as a church, I hear that [n](T)divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. 19 For there also (U)have to be factions among you, (V)so that those who are approved may become [o]evident among you. 20 Therefore when you come together it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, 21 for when you eat, each one takes his own supper first; and one goes hungry while (W)another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the (X)church of God and (Y)shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall (Z)I praise you? In this I do not praise you.

The Lord’s Supper

23 For (AA)I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that (AB)the Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He also took (AC)the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the (AD)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 the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death (AE)until He comes.

27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way, shall be (AF)guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a person must (AG)examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For the one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not properly recognize the [p]body. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number [q](AH)are asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are (AI)disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with (AJ)the world.

33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 If anyone is (AK)hungry, have him eat (AL)at home, so that you do not come together for judgment. As to the remaining matters, I will (AM)give instructions (AN)when I come.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 11:3 Or the head of a woman is her husband
  2. 1 Corinthians 11:5 Lit who is shaved
  3. 1 Corinthians 11:6 Lit herself
  4. 1 Corinthians 11:6 Lit shear herself
  5. 1 Corinthians 11:6 Lit shear herself
  6. 1 Corinthians 11:6 Lit herself
  7. 1 Corinthians 11:6 Lit herself
  8. 1 Corinthians 11:8 Lit is not from
  9. 1 Corinthians 11:11 Lit without
  10. 1 Corinthians 11:11 Lit without
  11. 1 Corinthians 11:13 Lit among
  12. 1 Corinthians 11:16 I.e., the one advocated by Paul’s opponents
  13. 1 Corinthians 11:18 Lit in church
  14. 1 Corinthians 11:18 Or dissensions
  15. 1 Corinthians 11:19 Or recognizable
  16. 1 Corinthians 11:29 I.e., body of the Lord
  17. 1 Corinthians 11:30 I.e., are dead

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