1 Corinthians 11
11
1You should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. 2I'm grateful that you always remember me and that you are keeping to the teachings just as I passed them on to you. 3I do want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.#11:3. The meaning of “head” in this context is much discussed. In Scripture “head” can have to do with “origin,” “source,” or “authority.” 4A man's head is dishonored if he prays or prophesies with his head covered. 5A woman's head is dishonored if she prays or prophesies with her head uncovered—it's just as if she had her hair shaved off. 6If a woman's head is not covered, then she should have her head shaved. If it's scandalous for a woman to be shorn or shaven, then she should have her head covered. 7A man shouldn't cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God, while the woman is the glory of the man. 8Man didn't come from woman, but woman came from man; 9and man was not created for the woman, but the woman was created for the man. 10That's why the woman should have this sign of authority on her head out of respect for the watching angels.#11:10. As many commentators note, this is one of the most difficult verses in the New Testament to understand and translate. Some understand the “authority” as the head covering demonstrating the woman is respectable and has a position in relationship to man. Others see this as an “authority” to speak and prophesy, since this would not normally be a woman's role in this society. There are many other interpretations of this, as well as of the phrase literally translated “because of the angels.” 11Even so, from the Lord's perspective, the woman is as essential as the man, and the man as essential as the woman.#11:11. Literally, “nevertheless neither woman without man nor man without woman in the Lord.” 12As the woman came from the man, so the man comes from the woman#11:12. Referring back to Creation, where Eve is made from Adam, but from then on women gave birth to men.—but more importantly everything comes from God. 13Judge for yourselves: is it appropriate for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14Doesn't nature itself indicate that a man with long hair disgraces himself? 15However, a woman with long hair brings herself glory, because her hair is given to her as a covering. 16But if anyone wants to argue about this, we don't have any other custom than this, and neither do any other of God's churches.#11:16. Paul clearly indicates this is simply the way things work in practice in the church by using the word “custom” or “habit” rather than the word “rule” or “command.”
17Now in giving you the instructions that follow I can't commend you, because when you meet together you cause more harm than good! 18First of all, I hear that when you have church meetings that you are split into different factions, and I believe there's some truth to this. 19Of course such splits among you must happen so those who are genuine can prove themselves by their evidence! 20When you meet together you're not really celebrating the Lord's Supper at all. 21Some want to eat first before everyone else, leaving others hungry. Still others get drunk. 22Don't you have your own houses to eat and drink in? Do you look down on God's church, and humiliate those who are poor? What should I tell you? That you're doing really well? I have nothing good to say about you for doing this!
23For I received from the Lord what I passed on to you: the Lord Jesus on the night he was betrayed took some bread. 24After giving thanks, he broke the bread into pieces and said, “This bread is my body, which is given for you. Remember me by doing this.” 25In the same way he took the cup, after the meal, and said, “This cup is the new agreement#11:25. This translates the word often rendered as “covenant” which has limited use in modern English. The idea is of an agreement between two parties. In this case it is the relationship between God and human beings. sealed with my blood. Remember me when you drink it. 26For every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you announce the Lord's death, until he returns.”
27So anyone who eats the bread or drinks from the Lord's cup in a dishonorable way will be guilty of doing wrong against the body and blood of the Lord. 28Let each person examine themselves, and then let them eat the bread and drink from the cup. 29Those who eat and drink bring judgment on themselves if they don't recognize their relationship with the body of the Lord. 30That's the reason why many of you are weak and sick, and some even have died. 31However, if we really examined ourselves, we would not be judged like this. 32But when we are judged, we are being disciplined by the Lord so that we won't be condemned along with the world. 33So my brothers and sisters, when you meet together to eat the Lord's Supper, wait for each other. 34If anyone is hungry, then eat at home so that when you meet together you won't bring condemnation on yourselves. I'll give you more directions when I visit.
Currently Selected:
1 Corinthians 11: FBV
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
1 Corinthians 11
11
1And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
Instructions for Public Worship
2I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you. 3But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.#11:3 Or to know: The source of every man is Christ, the source of woman is man, and the source of Christ is God. Or to know: Every man is responsible to Christ, a woman is responsible to her husband, and Christ is responsible to God. 4A man dishonors his head#11:4 Or dishonors Christ. if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. 5But a woman dishonors her head#11:5 Or dishonors her husband. if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. 6Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.#11:6 Or should have long hair.
7A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory. 8For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. 9And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. 10For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.#11:10 Greek should have an authority on her head.
11But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. 12For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.
13Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? 14Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair? 15And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. 16But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.
Order at the Lord’s Supper
17But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. 18First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. 19But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!
20When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper. 21For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. 22What? Don’t you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God’s church and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this!
23For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you.#11:24 Greek which is for you; other manuscripts read which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.
27So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against#11:27 Or is responsible for. the body and blood of the Lord. 28That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ,#11:29 Greek the body; other manuscripts read the Lord’s body. you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.
31But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
33So, my dear brothers and sisters,#11:33 Greek brothers. when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. 34If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
For more information about the NLT: