1 Corinthians 11

Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

I praise and appreciate you because you remember me in everything and you firmly hold to the ^[a]traditions [the substance of my instructions], just as I have passed them on to you.

I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.

But I want you to understand that Christ is the head (authority over) of every man, and man is the head of woman, and God is the head of Christ.

But I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man,^[a] and the head of Christ is God.

Every man who prays or ^[b]prophesies with something on his head dishonors his head [and the One who is his head].

Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonours his head.

And every woman who prays or prophesies when she has her ^[c]head uncovered disgraces her head; for she is one and the same as the ^[d]woman whose head is shaved [in disgrace].

But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head – it is the same as having her head shaved.

If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and ^[e]if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, she should cover her head.

For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

A man ought not have his head covered [during worship], since he is the image and [reflected] glory of God; but the woman is [the expression of] man’s glory.

A man ought not to cover his head,^[b] since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.

For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;

For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;

for indeed man was not created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man.

neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

Therefore the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, ^[f]for the sake of the angels [so as not to offend them].

It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own^[c] head, because of the angels.

Nevertheless, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

For as the woman originates from the man, so also man is born through the woman; and all things [whether male or female] originate from God [as their Creator].

For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.

^[g]Judge for yourselves; is it proper for a woman to offer prayer to God [publicly] with her head uncovered?

Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

Does not common sense itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,

Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,

but if a woman has long hair, it is her ornament and glory? For her long hair is given to her as a covering.

but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.

Now if anyone is inclined to be contentious [about this], we have no other practice [in worship than this], nor do the churches of God [in general].

If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice – nor do the churches of God.

Correcting an abuse of the Lord’s Supper

But in giving this next instruction, I do not praise you, because when you meet together it is not for the better but for the worse.

In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.

For, in the first place, when you meet together in church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and in part I believe it,

In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.

for [doubtless] there have to be factions among you, so that those who are of approved character may be clearly recognized among you.

No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.

So when you meet together, it is not to eat the ^[h]Lord’s Supper,

So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat,

for when you eat, each one hurries to get his own supper first [not waiting for others or the poor]. So one goes hungry while another gets drunk.

for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk.

What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you show contempt for the church of God and humiliate those [impoverished believers] who have nothing? What will I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? In this I will not praise you!

The Lord’s Supper

Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!

^[i]For I received from the Lord Himself that [instruction] which I passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread;

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,

and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is (represents) My body, which is [offered as a sacrifice] for you. Do this in [affectionate] remembrance of Me.”

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.’

In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant [ratified and established] in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in [affectionate] remembrance of Me.”

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’

For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are [symbolically] proclaiming [the fact of] the Lord’s death until He comes [again].

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

So then whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in a way that is unworthy [of Him] will be guilty of [profaning and sinning against] the body and blood of the Lord.

So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

But a person must [prayerfully] examine himself [and his relationship to Christ], and only when he has done so should he eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.

For anyone who eats and drinks [without solemn reverence and heartfelt gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ], eats and drinks a judgment on himself if he does not ^[j]recognize the body [of Christ].

For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason why many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep [in death].

That is why many among you are weak and ill, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

But if we evaluated and judged ourselves honestly [recognizing our shortcomings and correcting our behavior], we would not be judged.

But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.

But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined [by undergoing His correction] so that we will not be condemned [to eternal punishment] along with the world.

Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat [the Lord’s Supper], wait for one another [and see to it that no one is left out].

So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together.

If anyone is too hungry [to wait], let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment [on yourselves]. About the remaining matters [of which I was informed], I will take care of them when I come.

Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.

And when I come I will give further instructions.