Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
11 ·Follow my example [Imitate me], as I ·follow the example of [imitate] Christ.
Being Under Authority
2 I praise you because you ·remember me in everything [are always thinking of me], and you follow closely the ·teachings [traditions] just as I ·gave them [passed them on] to you. 3 But I want you to understand this: The head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is ·the man [or her husband], and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies ·with his head covered [or with long hair; L having down the head; C most scholars think the passage concerns head coverings; others long or short hair (see v. 14)] brings shame to his head [C meaning shame to Christ, who is the head of the man; v. 3]. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with ·her head uncovered [or no covering (of hair); v. 4] brings shame to her head. She is the same as a woman who has her head shaved. 6 If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. But since it is shameful for a woman to cut off her hair or to shave her head, she should cover her head. 7 But a man should not cover his head, because he is the likeness and glory of God. But woman is man’s glory [C God’s glory should be unveiled (revealed), while human glory should be veiled]. 8 [L For] Man did not come from woman, but woman came from man. 9 And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man [Gen. 2:18]. 10 So that is why a woman should have a ·symbol of authority on [or authority over] her head, because of the angels [C the significance of the angels is unclear; perhaps their presence at worship calls for reverence and propriety].
11 But in the Lord women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. 12 This is true because woman came from man, but also man is born from woman. But everything comes from God. 13 ·Decide [Judge] this for yourselves: Is it ·right [fitting; proper] for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 ·Even [L Does not…?] ·nature [or custom; culture] itself teaches you that wearing long hair is shameful for a man [C Greco-Roman men normally wore their hair short]. 15 But long hair is a woman’s glory. Long hair is given to her as a covering. 16 ·Some people [L If anyone] may still want to argue about this, but I would add that neither we nor the churches of God have any other ·practice [custom].
The Lord’s Supper
17 In the ·things [instructions; commands] I tell you now I do not praise you, because ·when you come together you [your meetings as a congregation] do more harm than good. 18 First, I hear that when you meet together as a church ·you are divided [there are divisions among you], and I believe some of this. 19 (It is necessary to have ·differences [factions] among you so that it may be clear which of you really have God’s approval [C controversy is necesssary because error must be opposed].) 20 When you ·come together [meet as a congregation], you are not really eating the Lord’s Supper [C the worship meal Jesus told his followers to celebrate to remember his death; Luke 22:14–20]. 21 This is because when you eat, each person eats without waiting for the others [C the wealthy church members were arriving early to avoid sharing with the poorer members; such social distinctions were common throughout the Greco-Roman world]. Some people do not get enough to eat, while others ·have too much to drink [get drunk]. 22 Don’t you have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you ·despise [have contempt for; have no regard for] God’s church and so ·embarrass [humiliate] those who ·are poor [have nothing]? What should I tell you? Should I praise you? I will not praise you for doing this [C the Corinthians were turning a time meant for unity into one of discrimination].
23 [L For] The teaching I ·gave [passed on to] you is the same teaching I received from the Lord: On the night when the Lord Jesus was ·handed over to be killed [betrayed], he took bread 24 and gave thanks for it. Then he broke the bread and said, “This is my body; it is[a] for you. Do this to remember me.” 25 In the same way, after ·they ate [the meal; supper], Jesus took the cup. He said, “This cup is the new ·agreement [covenant; Ex. 24:8; Jer. 31:31–34] ·that is sealed with the blood of my death [L in my blood]. When you drink this, do it to remember me [Matt. 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:19, 20].” 26 [L For] Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup you ·are telling others about [proclaim; announce] the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 So a person who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in ·a way that is not worthy of it [or an inappropriate manner] will be ·guilty of sinning against [or held responsible for; liable for; L guilty of] the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 ·Look into your own hearts [L Let a person examine himself] before you eat the bread and drink the cup, 29 because all who eat the bread and drink the cup without ·recognizing [discerning; careful regard for] the body eat and drink judgment against themselves. 30 That is why many in your group are sick and weak, and ·some [a number] of you have ·died [L fallen asleep; C a euphemism for death]. 31 But if we ·judged ourselves in the right way [evaluated/examined ourselves], ·God would not judge us [L we would not be judged/punished]. 32 But when the Lord judges us, he disciplines us so that we will not be ·destroyed [condemned] along with the world.
33 So my brothers and sisters, when you ·come together [gather as a congregation] to eat, wait for each other. 34 Anyone who is too hungry should eat at home so that in meeting together you will not bring God’s judgment on yourselves. I will tell you what to do about ·the other things [additional matters] when I come.
Gifts from the Holy Spirit
12 Now, brothers and sisters, I don’t want you to ·misunderstand [be uninformed] ·about [concerning; or in regard to your question about; see 7:1; 8:1; 16:1] spiritual gifts. 2 You know the way you lived ·before you were believers [L when you were pagans/Gentiles]. You let yourselves be influenced and led away to worship idols—things that could not speak. 3 So I want you to understand that no one who is speaking ·with the help of [by means of; in the power of] God’s Spirit says, “Jesus be cursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” ·without the help of [L except by means of/in the power of] the Holy Spirit.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. 5 There are different ·ways to serve [ministries] but the same Lord to serve. 6 And there are different ·ways that God works through people [kinds of action; activities] but the same God works ·in all of us in everything we do [L all things in all people]. 7 ·Something from the Spirit can be seen in [L The manifestation/disclosure of the Spirit is given to] each person, for the common good. 8 The Spirit gives one person the ·ability to speak with wisdom [message/word of wisdom], and the same Spirit gives another the ·ability to speak with knowledge [message/word of knowledge]. 9 The same Spirit gives faith to one person. And, to another, that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. 10 The Spirit gives to another person ·the power to do miracles [works of power], to another ·the ability to prophesy [L prophecy]. And he gives to another the ·ability to know the difference between good and evil [L discernment/distinguishing of] spirits. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of ·languages [or ecstatic utterance; L tongues] and to another the ·ability to interpret those languages [L interpretation of tongues]. 11 One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things, and the Spirit ·decides what to give [L distributes just as he wishes to] each person.
The Body of Christ Works Together
12 A person’s body is ·one thing [a unity; L one], but it has many parts. Though there are many parts to a body, all those parts make only one body. Christ is like that also. 13 Some of us are Jews, and some are Greeks. Some of us are slaves, and some are free. But we were all baptized into one body ·through [by; in] one Spirit. And we were all made to ·share in [L drink of] the one Spirit.
14 [L For] The ·human body [L body] is not made up of one part, but of many. 15 The foot might say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body.” But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body. 16 The ear might say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body.” But saying this would not stop the ear from being a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, ·it would not be able to [L how would it…?] hear. If the whole body were an ear, ·it would not be able to [L how would it…?] smell.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the foot, “I don’t need you!” 22 ·No! [L On the contrary,] Those parts of the body that seem to be the weaker are ·really necessary [essential; indispensable]. 23 And the parts of the body we think are less ·deserving [honorable] are the parts to which we give ·the most [special; greater] honor. We ·give special respect to [or treat with special modesty] the parts ·we want to hide [that are shameful/unpresentable]. 24 The more ·respectable [presentable] parts of our body need no special care. But God put the body together and gave ·more [special] honor to the parts that need it 25 so ·our body would not be divided [or there would be no division in the body]. God wanted the different parts to care the same for each other. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is ·honored [glorified], all the other parts ·share its honor [L rejoice with it].
27 ·Together you [L You; C the Greek is plural] are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body. 28 In the church God has ·given a place first to [appointed/placed first] apostles, second to prophets, and third to teachers, then those who do ·miracles [acts of powers], those who have gifts of healing, those who can help others, those who are able to ·govern [lead], and those who can speak ·in different languages [or with ecstatic utterance; L different kinds of tongues; v. 10]. 29 ·Not all are apostles [L Not all are apostles, are they? C vv. 29–30 are all rhetorical questions assuming a negative answer]. Not all are prophets. Not all are teachers. Not all do miracles. 30 Not all have gifts of healing. Not all speak ·in different languages [or with ecstatic utterance; L in tongues]. Not all interpret those ·languages [L tongues]. 31 But ·you should truly want to have [eagerly desire; be zealous for] the greater gifts.
And now I will show you ·the best way of all [a better/superior way].
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