⁷ Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, Israel’s Holy One, to him whom man rejects and despises, to him whom the nations abhor, to the servant of rulers: Kings shall see you and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the Lord, Who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, Who has chosen you.

⁸ Thus says the Lord, In an acceptable and favorable time I have heard and answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you; and I will preserve you and give you for a covenant to the people, to raise up and establish the land [from its present state of ruin] and to apportion and cause them to inherit the desolate [moral wastes of heathenism, their] heritages,^(A)

⁹ Saying to those who are bound, Come forth, and to those who are in [spiritual] darkness, Show yourselves [come into the light of the Sun of righteousness]. They shall feed in ^[a]all the ways [in which they go], and their pastures shall be [not in deserts, but] on all the bare [grass-covered] hills.

¹⁰ They will not hunger or thirst, neither will mirage [mislead] or scorching wind or sun smite them; for He Who has mercy on them will lead them, and by springs of water will He guide them.^(B)

¹¹ And I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways will be raised up.

¹² Behold, these shall come from afar—and, behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim (China).

¹³ Sing for joy, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion upon His afflicted.

¹⁶ Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord: There shall be wailing in all the broad ways, and in all the streets they shall say, Alas! Alas! And they shall call the farmers to mourning and such as are skilled in lamentation to wailing.

¹⁷ And in all vineyards there shall be wailing, for I will pass through the midst of you, says the Lord.

¹⁸ Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness and not light;

¹⁹ It is as if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned with his hand against the wall and a serpent bit him.

²⁰ Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, not light? Even very dark with no brightness in it?

²¹ I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will not smell a savor or take delight in your solemn assemblies.

²² Though you offer Me your burnt offerings and your cereal offerings, I will not accept them, neither will I look upon the peace or thank offerings of your fatted beasts.

²³ Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not listen to the melody of your harps.

²⁴ But let justice run down like waters and righteousness as a mighty and ever-flowing stream.

² I appreciate and commend you because you always remember me in everything and keep firm possession of the traditions (the substance of my instructions), just as I have [verbally] passed them on to you.

³ But I want you to know and realize that Christ is the Head of every man, the head of a woman is her husband, and the Head of Christ is God.

⁴ Any man who prays or prophesies (teaches, refutes, reproves, admonishes, and comforts) with his head covered dishonors his Head (Christ).

⁵ And any woman who [publicly] prays or prophesies (teaches, refutes, reproves, admonishes, or comforts) when she is bareheaded dishonors her head (her husband); it is the same as [if her head were] shaved.

⁶ For if a woman will not wear [a head] covering, then she should cut off her hair too; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her head shorn or shaven, let her cover [her head].

⁷ For a man ought not to wear anything on his head [in church], for he is the image and [reflected] glory of God [^[a]his function of government reflects the majesty of the divine Rule]; but woman is [the expression of] man’s glory (majesty, preeminence).^(A)

⁸ For man was not [created] from woman, but woman from man;^(B)

⁹ Neither was man created on account of or for the benefit of woman, but woman on account of and for the benefit of man.^(C)

^10 [b]Therefore she should [be subject to his authority and should] have a covering on her head [as a token, a symbol, of her submission to authority, ^[c]that she may show reverence as do] the angels [and not displease them].

¹¹ Nevertheless, in [the plan of] the Lord and from His point of view woman is not apart from and independent of man, nor is man aloof from and independent of woman;

¹² For as woman was made from man, even so man is also born of woman; and all [whether male or female go forth] from God [as their Author].

¹³ Consider for yourselves; is it proper and decent [according to your customs] for a woman to offer prayer to God [publicly] with her head uncovered?

¹⁴ Does not ^[d]the native sense of propriety (experience, common sense, reason) itself teach you that for a man to wear long hair is a dishonor [humiliating and degrading] to him,

¹⁵ But if a woman has long hair, it is her ornament and glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.

¹⁶ Now if anyone is disposed to be argumentative and contentious about this, we hold to and recognize no other custom [in worship] than this, nor do the churches of God generally.

¹⁷ But in what I instruct [you] next I do not commend [you], because when you meet together, it is not for the better but for the worse.

¹⁸ For in the first place, when you assemble as a congregation, I hear that there are cliques (divisions and factions) among you; and I in part believe it,

¹⁹ For doubtless there have to be factions or parties among you in order that they who are genuine and of approved fitness may become evident and plainly recognized among you.

²⁰ So when you gather for your meetings, it is not the supper instituted by the Lord that you eat,

²¹ For in eating each one [hurries] to get his own supper first [not waiting for the poor], and one goes hungry while another gets drunk.

²² What! Do you have no houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and mean to show contempt for it, while you humiliate those who are poor (have no homes and have brought no food)? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, [most certainly] I will not!