1 Corinthians 11-14

Christian Standard Bible

11 Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.^(A)

Instructions about Head Coverings

² Now I praise you^[a] because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions^(B) just as I delivered^(C) them to you. ³ But I want you to know that Christ is the head^(D) of every man, and the man is the head of the woman,^[b](E) and God is the head of Christ.^{(F) 4} Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors^(G) his head. ⁵ Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since that is one and the same as having her head shaved.^{(H) 6} For if a woman doesn’t cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her head be covered.

⁷ A man should not cover his head, because he is the image^(I) and glory of God.^(J) So too, woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man.^{(K) 9} Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man. ¹⁰ This is why a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, and man is not independent of woman. ¹² For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman, and all things come from God.^(L)

¹³ Judge^(M) for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not even nature itself teach^(N) you that if a man has long hair it is a disgrace^(O) to him, ¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?^(P) For her hair is given to her^[c] as a covering. ¹⁶ If anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other^[d] custom, nor do the churches of God.

The Lord’s Supper

¹⁷ Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸ For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. ¹⁹ Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions^(Q) among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. ²⁰ When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.^{(R) 21} For at the meal, each one eats his own supper.^[e] So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! ²² Don’t you have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you in this matter!

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:^(S) On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said,^[f] “This is my body, which is^[g] for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”^(T)

²⁵ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant^(U) in my blood.^(V) 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^(W) until he comes.^(X)

Self-Examination

²⁷ So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body^[h] and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹ For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body,^[i] eats and drinks judgment^(Y) on himself. ³⁰ This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.^{(Z) 31} If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged, ³² but when we are judged^(AA) by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned^(AB) with the world.

³³ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, welcome one another.^{[j] 34} If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you gather together you will not come under judgment. I will give instructions about the other matters whenever I come.^(AC)

Diversity of Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts:^[k] brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware. ² You know that when you were pagans, you used to be enticed and led astray by mute^(AD) idols.^{(AE) 3} Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are different gifts,^(AF) but the same Spirit. ⁵ There are different ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. ⁷ A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person^(AG) for the common good: ⁸ to one^(AH) is given a message of wisdom^(AI) through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, ⁹ to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing^(AJ) by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another, the performing of miracles,^(AK) to another, prophecy,^(AL) to another, distinguishing between spirits,^(AM) to another, different kinds of tongues,^[l] to another, interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he wills.

Unity Yet Diversity in the Body

¹² For just as the body is one^(AN) and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.^{(AO) 13} For we were all baptized by^[m] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.^{(AP) 14} Indeed, the body is not one part but many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted.^{(AQ) 19} And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. ²³ And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable,^(AR) we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, ²⁴ which our respectable parts do not need.

Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, ²⁵ so that there would be no division^(AS) in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. ²⁶ So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ,^(AT) and individual members of it. ²⁸ And God has appointed these in the church:^(AU) first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,^(AV) next miracles,^(AW) then gifts of healing,^(AX) helping, leading, various kinds of tongues.^{[n] 29} Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?^{(AY) 31} But desire^(AZ) the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

Love: The Superior Way

13 If I speak human or angelic tongues^[o] but do not have love,^(BA) I am a noisy gong^(BB) or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy^(BC) and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains^(BD) but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast^[p] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient,^(BE) love is kind. Love does not envy,^(BF) is not boastful, is not arrogant,^{(BG) 5} is not rude, is not self-seeking,^(BH) is not irritable,^(BI) and does not keep a record of wrongs. ⁶ Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.^{(BJ) 7} It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures^(BK) all things.

⁸ Love never ends.^(BL) But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. ⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. ¹² For now we see only a reflection^[q] as in a mirror, but then face to face.^(BM) Now I know in part, but then I will know fully,^(BN) as I am fully known.^{(BO) 13} Now these three remain: faith, hope,^(BP) and love—but the greatest of these is love.

Prophecy: A Superior Gift

14 Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. ² For the person who speaks in a tongue^[r](BQ) is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit.^{[s] 3} On the other hand, the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening,^[t] encouragement, and consolation. ⁴ The person who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵ I wish all of you spoke in tongues,^[u] but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.

⁶ So now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation^(BR) or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? ⁷ Even lifeless instruments that produce sounds—whether flute or harp^(BS)—if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized? ⁸ In fact, if the bugle makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle?^{(BT) 9} In the same way, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech, how will what is spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are doubtless many different kinds of languages in the world, none is without meaning. ¹¹ Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner^[v] to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. ¹² So also you—since you are zealous^(BU) for spiritual gifts,^[w](BV) seek to excel in building up the church.

¹³ Therefore the person who speaks in a tongue should pray that he can interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit^(BW) prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.^{(BX) 15} What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing praise with the spirit, and I will also sing praise with my understanding. ¹⁶ Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit,^[x] how will the outsider^[y] say “Amen”^(BY) at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up. ¹⁸ I thank^(BZ) God that I speak in tongues more than all of you; ¹⁹ yet in the church I would rather speak five words^(CA) with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

²⁰ Brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking.^{(CB) 21} It is written in the law,

says the Lord. ²² Speaking in tongues, then, is intended as a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. ²³ If, therefore, the whole church assembles together and all are speaking in tongues and people who are outsiders or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds? ²⁴ But if all are prophesying and some unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convicted by all and is called to account by all. ²⁵ The secrets of his heart will be revealed, and as a result he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is really among you.”^(CD)

Order in Church Meetings

²⁶ What then, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each one^[aa] has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation.^(CE) Everything is to be done for building up. ²⁷ If anyone speaks in a tongue, there are to be only two, or at the most three, each in turn, and let someone interpret. ²⁸ But if there is no interpreter, that person is to keep silent in the church and speak to himself and God. ²⁹ Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate.^{(CF) 30} But if something has been revealed to another person sitting there, the first prophet should be silent. ³¹ For you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may learn and everyone may be encouraged.^{(CG) 32} And the prophets’ spirits are subject to the prophets, ³³ since God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

As in all the churches of the saints,^{(CH) 34} the women^[ab] should be silent in the churches,^(CI) for they are not permitted to speak, but are to submit themselves, as the law also says. ³⁵ If they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands^(CJ) at home, since it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. ³⁶ Or did the word of God originate from you, or did it come to you only?

³⁷ If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, he should recognize that what I write to you is the Lord’s command. ³⁸ If anyone ignores this, he will be ignored.^{[ac] 39} So then, my brothers and sisters, be eager^(CK) to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. ⁴⁰ But everything is to be done decently^(CL) and in order.