1 Corinthians 11

Lexham English Bible

Concerning Head Coverings in Worship

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

² 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. ³ 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. ⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies while^[a] having something^[b] on his head dishonors his head, ⁵ 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. ⁶ 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] 7} 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. ⁸ For man is not from woman, but woman from man. ⁹ 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.