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

Instructions about Head Coverings

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. 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) Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors(G) his head. 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) 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.

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. For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man.(K) 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)

Footnotes

  1. 11:2 Other mss add brothers,
  2. 11:3 Or the husband is the head of the wife
  3. 11:15 Other mss omit to her
  4. 11:16 Or no such
  5. 11:21 Or eats his own supper ahead of others
  6. 11:24 Other mss add “Take, eat.
  7. 11:24 Other mss add broken
  8. 11:27 Lit be guilty of the body
  9. 11:29 Other mss read drinks unworthily, not discerning the Lord’s body
  10. 11:33 Or wait for one another

11 Follow my example, just like I follow Christ’s.

Appropriate dress in worship

I praise you because you remember all my instructions, and you hold on to the traditions exactly as I handed them on to you. Now I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered shames his head. Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered disgraces her head. It is the same thing as having her head shaved. If a woman doesn’t cover her head, then she should have her hair cut off. If it is disgraceful for a woman to have short hair or to be shaved, then she should keep her head covered. A man shouldn’t have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is man’s glory. Man didn’t have his origin from woman, but woman from man; and man wasn’t created for the sake of the woman, but the woman for the sake of the man. 10 Because of this a woman should have authority over her head, because of the angels. 11 However, woman isn’t independent from man, and man isn’t independent from woman in the Lord. 12 As woman came from man so also man comes from woman. But everything comes from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: Is it appropriate for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Doesn’t nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him; 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? This is because her long hair is given to her for a covering. 16 But if someone wants to argue about this, we don’t have such a custom, nor do God’s churches.

The community meal

17 Now I don’t praise you as I give the following instruction because when you meet together, it does more harm than good. 18 First of all, when you meet together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and I partly believe it. 19 It’s necessary that there are groups among you, to make it clear who is genuine. 20 So when you get together in one place, it isn’t to eat the Lord’s meal. 21 Each of you goes ahead and eats a private meal. One person goes hungry while another is drunk. 22 Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on God’s churches and humiliate those who have nothing? What can I say to you? Will I praise you? No, I don’t praise you in this.

23 I received a tradition from the Lord, which I also handed on to you: on the night on which he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread. 24 After giving thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this to remember me.” 25 He did the same thing with the cup, after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Every time you drink it, do this to remember me.” 26 Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you broadcast the death of the Lord until he comes.

27 This is why those who eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord inappropriately will be guilty of the Lord’s body and blood. 28 Each individual should test himself or herself, and eat from the bread and drink from the cup in that way. 29 Those who eat and drink without correctly understanding the body are eating and drinking their own judgment. 30 Because of this, many of you are weak and sick, and quite a few have died. 31 But if we had judged ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged. 32 However, we are disciplined by the Lord when we are judged so that we won’t be judged and condemned along with the whole world. 33 For these reasons, my brothers and sisters, when you get together to eat, wait for each other. 34 If some of you are hungry, they should eat at home so that getting together doesn’t lead to judgment. I will give directions about the other things when I come.