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11 Copy me, just as I’m copying the Messiah.

Male and female in the worshiping church

I congratulate you that you are remembering me in everything, and you are keeping the traditions as I handed them on to you. But I want you to know this: that the Messiah is the “head” of every man, and the husband is the “head” of every wife, and God is the “head” of the Messiah. Every man who prays or prophesies while wearing something on his head brings shame on his “head”; and every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered brings shame on her “head.” It would be just the same if she had her head shaved. For if a woman isn’t covered, then she should be shaved; but if it’s shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then let her be covered.

A man ought not to cover his head, you see; he is the image and glory of God. But a wife is the glory of her husband. For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. And man was not created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man. 10 That’s why the wife must have authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 However, woman is not apart from man, nor man apart from woman, in the Lord; 12 for just as woman came from man, so now man comes into the world by means of woman. And everything is from God.

13 Judge the matter for yourselves. Is it really appropriate for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Doesn’t nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is shameful to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it’s her glory? Her hair is given her, you see, instead of a covering. 16 If anyone wants to dispute this, we have no other custom, nor do the churches of God.

Rich and poor at the table of the Lord

17 What I have to talk about now isn’t a matter for praise. When you meet together, you make things worse, not better! 18 What I mean is this: to begin with, I hear that when you come together in the assembly there are divisions among you. Well, I believe it—at least partly. 19 There are bound to be groupings among you; that’s how the genuine ones among you will stand out, I suppose! 20 So when you gather together into one meeting, it isn’t the Lord’s Supper that you eat. 21 Everyone brings their own food to eat, and one person goes hungry while another gets drunk. 22 Haven’t you got houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise God’s assembly, and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? No, in this matter I shan’t!

Recognizing the body

23 This, you see, is what I received from the Lord, and handed on to you. On the night when the Lord Jesus was betrayed, he took bread, 24 gave thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body; it’s for you! Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 He did the same with the cup after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink the cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes.

27 It follows from this that anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone should test themselves; that’s how you should eat the bread and drink the cup. 29 You see, if you eat and drink without recognizing the body, you eat and drink judgment on yourself. 30 That’s why several of you are weak and sick, and some have died. 31 But if we learned how to judge ourselves, we would not incur judgment. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are punished, so that we won’t be condemned along with the world.

33 So, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, treat one another as honored guests by waiting for each other. 34 If anyone is hungry, they should eat at home, so that you don’t come together and find yourselves facing judgment. I will put the other matters in order when I come.

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