1Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
On covering the head in worship
2I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.3But I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man,[1] and the head of Christ is God.4Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his head.5But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head – it is the same as having her head shaved.6For 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.7A man ought not to cover his head,[2] since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.8For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;9neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.10It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own[3] head, because of the angels.11Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.12For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.13Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?14Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,15but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.16If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice – nor do the churches of God.
Correcting an abuse of the Lord’s Supper
17In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.18In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.19No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.20So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat,21for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk.22Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.27So 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.28Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.30That is why many among you are weak and ill, and a number of you have fallen asleep.31But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.32Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.33So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together.34Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further instructions.
1 Corinthians 11
English Standard Version
1Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. (1Co 4:16)
Head Coverings
2Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. (1Co 4:17; 1Th 3:6; 1Th 4:1; 2Th 2:15; 2Th 3:6)3But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife[1] is her husband,[2] and the head of Christ is God. (Ge 3:16; 1Co 3:23; Eph 1:22; Eph 4:15; Eph 5:23; Col 1:18)4Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head,5but every wife[3] who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. (Nu 5:18; De 21:12; Lu 2:36; Ac 21:9; 1Co 14:34)6For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head.7For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. (Ge 1:26; Pr 12:4)8For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. (Ge 2:21; 1Ti 2:13)9Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. (Ge 2:18)10That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.[4]11Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; (Ga 3:28)12for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. (Ro 11:36)13Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?14Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him,15but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.16If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God. (1Co 7:17; 1Co 10:32; 1Th 2:14; 2Th 1:4; 1Ti 6:3)
The Lord’s Supper
17But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.18For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,[5] (1Co 1:10; 1Co 3:3)19for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. (De 13:3; Mt 18:7; Lu 17:1; Ac 20:30; 1Ti 4:1; 2Pe 2:1; 1Jo 2:19)20When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.21For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. (2Pe 2:13; Jud 1:12)22What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. (Pr 17:5; Ac 20:28; Jas 2:6)23For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, (Mt 26:26; Mr 14:22; Lu 22:19; 1Co 15:3; Ga 1:12)24and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for[6] you. Do this in remembrance of me.”[7]25In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (Joh 21:22)27Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. (Nu 9:10; Nu 9:13; Joh 6:51; Joh 6:53; Joh 13:27)28Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. (2Co 13:5; Ga 6:4)29For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.30That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.[8] (Mt 27:52)31But if we judged[9] ourselves truly, we would not be judged. (1Jo 1:9)32But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined[10] so that we may not be condemned along with the world. (Pr 3:11; Ro 5:16)33So then, my brothers,[11] when you come together to eat, wait for[12] one another—34if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come. (1Co 4:19; 1Co 7:17; 1Co 11:21; 1Co 11:22; Tit 1:5)