1 Corinthians 11

¹Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ. ^a

Instructions about Head Coverings

²Now I praise you ^b because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions ^c just as I delivered ^d them to you. ³But I want you to know that Christ is the head ^e of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, ^f,^g and God is the head of Christ. ^{h 4}Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors ⁱ his head. ⁵Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since that is one and the same as having her head shaved. ^{j 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.

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

¹³Judge ^o for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴Does not even nature itself teach ^p you that if a man has long hair it is a disgrace ^q to him, ¹⁵but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? ^r For her hair is given to her ^s as a covering. ¹⁶If anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other ^t custom, nor do the churches of God.

The Lord’s Supper

¹⁷Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. ¹⁹Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions ^u among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. ²⁰When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. ^{v 21}For at the meal, each one eats his own supper. ^w So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! ²²Don’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!

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

²⁵In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant^ab in my blood.^ac Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death ^ad until he comes. ^ae

Self-Examination

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

³³Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, welcome one another. ^{al 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. ^am