1 Corinthians 11-14

New American Standard Bible 1995

Christian Order

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

² Now ^(B)I praise you because you ^(C)remember me in everything and ^(D)hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. ³ But I want you to understand that ^[a]Christ is the ^(E)head of every man, and ^(F)the man is the head of a woman, and God is the ^(G)head of ^[b]Christ. ⁴ Every man who has something on his head while praying or ^(H)prophesying disgraces his head. ⁵ But every ^(I)woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman ^[c]whose head is ^(J)shaved. ⁶ For if a woman does not cover ^[d]her head, let her also ^[e]have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to ^[f]have her hair cut off or ^[g]her head shaved, let her cover ^[h]her head. ⁷ For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the ^(K)image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For ^(L)man ^[i]does not originate from woman, but woman from man; ⁹ for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but ^(M)woman for the man’s sake. ¹⁰ Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ However, in the Lord, neither is woman ^[j]independent of man, nor is man ^[k]independent of woman. ¹² For as the woman ^[l]originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and ^(N)all things ^[m]originate ^(O)from God. ^13 (P)Judge ^[n]for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not even nature itself 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 for a covering. ¹⁶ But if one is inclined to be contentious, ^(Q)we have no ^[o]other practice, nor have ^(R)the churches of God.

¹⁷ But in giving this 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 ^[p]as a church, I hear that ^[q](T)divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. ¹⁹ For there ^(U)must also be factions among you, ^(V)so that those who are approved may become ^[r]evident among you. ²⁰ Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, ²¹ for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and ^(W)another is 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 shall I say to you? Shall ^(Z)I praise you? In this I will 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 in the night in which 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 took ^(AC)the cup also 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 manner, shall be ^(AF)guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But a man must ^(AG)examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. ³⁰ For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number ^[s](AH)sleep. 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 brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. ³⁴ If anyone is ^(AK)hungry, let him eat ^(AL)at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. The remaining matters I will ^(AM)arrange ^(AN)when I come.

The Use of Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning ^(AO)spiritual gifts, brethren, ^(AP)I do not want you to be unaware. ^2 (AQ)You know that when you were pagans, you were ^(AR)led astray to the ^(AS)mute idols, however you were led. ³ Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking ^[t](AT)by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is ^[u](AU)accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is ^(AV)Lord,” except ^[v](AW)by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are ^(AX)varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶ There are varieties of effects, but the same ^(AY)God who works all things in all persons. ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit ^(AZ)for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given the word of ^(BA)wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of ^(BB)knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another ^(BC)faith ^[w]by the same Spirit, and to another ^(BD)gifts of ^[x]healing ^[y]by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the ^[z]effecting of ^[aa](BE)miracles, and to another ^(BF)prophecy, and to another the ^[ab](BG)distinguishing of spirits, to another various ^(BH)kinds of tongues, and to another the ^(BI)interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, ^(BJ)distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

¹² For even ^(BK)as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, ^(BL)so also is Christ. ¹³ For ^[ac](BM)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether ^(BN)Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to ^(BO)drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For ^(BP)the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[ad]any the less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[ae]any the less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has ^(BQ)placed the members, each one of them, in the body, ^(BR)just as He desired. ¹⁹ If they were all one member, where would the body be? ²⁰ But now ^(BS)there are many members, but one body. ²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, ^[af]it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³ and those members of the body which we ^[ag]deem less honorable, ^[ah]on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, ²⁴ whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, ²⁵ so that there may be no ^[ai]division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is ^[aj]honored, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are ^(BT)Christ’s body, and ^(BU)individually members of it. ²⁸ And God has ^[ak](BV)appointed in ^(BW)the church, first ^(BX)apostles, second ^(BY)prophets, third ^(BZ)teachers, then ^[al](CA)miracles, then ^(CB)gifts of healings, helps, ^(CC)administrations, various ^(CD)kinds of tongues. ²⁹ All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of ^[am]miracles, are they? ³⁰ All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not ^(CE)interpret, do they? ³¹ But ^(CF)earnestly desire the greater gifts.

And I show you a still more excellent way.

The Excellence of Love

13 If I speak with the ^(CG)tongues of men and of ^(CH)angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a ^(CI)clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of ^(CJ)prophecy, and know all ^(CK)mysteries and all ^(CL)knowledge; and if I have ^(CM)all faith, so as to ^(CN)remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I ^(CO)give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I ^(CP)surrender my body ^[an]to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

⁴ Love ^(CQ)is patient, love is kind and ^(CR)is not jealous; love does not brag and is not ^(CS)arrogant, ⁵ does not act unbecomingly; it ^(CT)does not seek its own, is not provoked, ^(CU)does not take into account a wrong suffered, ^6 (CV)does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but ^(CW)rejoices with the truth; ^7 [ao](CX)bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never fails; but if there are gifts of ^[ap](CY)prophecy, they will be done away; if there are ^(CZ)tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. ⁹ For we ^(DA)know in part and we prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I ^[aq]became a man, I did away with childish things. ¹² For now we ^(DB)see in a mirror ^[ar]dimly, but then ^(DC)face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also ^(DD)have been fully known. ¹³ But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the ^[as]greatest of these is ^(DE)love.

Prophecy a Superior Gift

14 ^(DF)Pursue love, yet ^(DG)desire earnestly ^(DH)spiritual gifts, but especially that you may ^(DI)prophesy. ² For one who ^(DJ)speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one ^[at]understands, but ^[au]in his spirit he speaks ^(DK)mysteries. ³ But one who prophesies speaks to men for ^(DL)edification and ^(DM)exhortation and consolation. ⁴ One who ^(DN)speaks in a tongue ^(DO)edifies himself; but one who ^(DP)prophesies ^(DQ)edifies the church. ⁵ Now I wish that you all ^(DR)spoke in tongues, but ^(DS)even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who ^(DT)speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive ^(DU)edifying.

⁶ But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of ^(DV)revelation or of ^(DW)knowledge or of ^(DX)prophecy or of ^(DY)teaching? ⁷ Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? ⁸ For if ^(DZ)the ^[av]bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? ⁹ So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be ^(EA)speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of ^[aw]languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. ¹¹ If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a ^[ax](EB)barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a ^[ay]barbarian ^[az]to me. ¹² So also you, since you are zealous of ^[ba]spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the ^(EC)edification of the church.

¹³ Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ^15 (ED)What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will ^(EE)sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. ¹⁶ Otherwise if you bless ^[bb]in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ^[bc]ungifted say ^(EF)the “Amen” at your ^(EG)giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not ^(EH)edified. ¹⁸ I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; ¹⁹ however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Instruction for the Church

^20 (EI)Brethren, ^(EJ)do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil ^(EK)be infants, but in your thinking be mature. ²¹ In ^(EL)the Law it is written, “^(EM)By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. ²² So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but ^(EN)prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. ²³ Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ^[bd]ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that ^(EO)you are mad? ²⁴ But if all ^(EP)prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ^[be]ungifted man enters, he is ^(EQ)convicted by all, he is called to account by all; ^25 (ER)the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will ^(ES)fall on his face and worship God, ^(ET)declaring that God is certainly among you.

^26 (EU)What is the outcome then, ^(EV)brethren? When you assemble, ^(EW)each one has a ^(EX)psalm, has a ^(EY)teaching, has a ^(EZ)revelation, has a ^(FA)tongue, has an ^(FB)interpretation. Let ^(FC)all things be done for edification. ²⁷ If anyone speaks in a ^(FD)tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must ^(FE)interpret; ²⁸ but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹ Let two or three ^(FF)prophets speak, and let the others ^(FG)pass judgment. ³⁰ But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. ³¹ For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; ³² and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; ³³ for God is not a God of ^(FH)confusion but of ^[bf]peace, as in ^(FI)all the churches of the ^(FJ)saints.

³⁴ The women are to ^(FK)keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but ^(FL)are to subject themselves, just as ^(FM)the Law also says. ³⁵ If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is ^[bg]improper for a woman to speak in church. ^36 [bh]Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?

^37 (FN)If anyone thinks he is a prophet or ^(FO)spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you ^(FP)are the Lord’s commandment. ³⁸ But if anyone does not recognize this, he ^[bi]is not recognized.

³⁹ Therefore, my brethren, ^(FQ)desire earnestly to ^(FR)prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. ⁴⁰ But ^(FS)all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.