Concerning Head Coverings in Worship

¹ Become imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

² Now I praise you that you remember me in all things, and just as I handed over to you the traditions, you hold fast to them.

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

⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies while¹ having something² on his head dishonors his head,

1. *Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“having”) which is understood as temporal
2. *Here the direct object must be supplied from context, but the exact nature of the object is not clear from the context, so “something” is used in the English translation

⁵ but every woman who prays or prophesies with uncovered head dishonors her head, for she is one and the same with the one whose head is shaved.

⁶ For if a woman does not cover herself, let her hair be shorn off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her head¹ shorn or shaved, let her cover her head.²

1. Literally “to be”
2. Literally “herself”

⁷ For indeed a man ought not to cover his head, because he¹ is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man.

1. *Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is”) which is understood as causal

⁸ For man is not from woman, but woman from man.

⁹ For indeed man was not created for the sake of the woman, but woman for the sake of the man.

¹⁰ Because of this, the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, on account of the angels.

¹¹ Nevertheless, neither is woman anything apart from man, nor is man anything apart from woman in the Lord.

¹² For just as the woman is from the man, thus also the man is through the woman. But all things are from God.

¹³ You judge ⌞for yourselves⌟¹: is it fitting for a woman to pray to God with her head² uncovered?

1. Literally “in you yourselves”
2. *Here the words “with her head” have been supplied as a necessary clarification

¹⁴ And does not nature itself teach you that a man, if he wears long hair, it is a dishonor to him?

¹⁵ But a woman, if she wears long hair, it is her glory, because her hair is given¹ for a covering.

1. Some manuscripts have “is given to her”

¹⁶ But if anyone is disposed to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

Improper Conduct at the Lord’s Supper

¹⁷ But in giving this instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.

¹⁸ For in the first place, when you¹ come together as a church, I hear there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

1. *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“come together”)

¹⁹ For indeed it is necessary that there be factions among you, in order that those who are approved may become evident among you.

²⁰ Therefore, when¹ you come together in the same place, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper.

1. *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“come together”)

²¹ For when you¹ eat it, each one of you goes ahead to take his own supper, and one is hungry and another is drunk.

1. *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal infinitive (“eat”)

²² For do you not have houses for eating and drinking? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who do not have anything? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you!

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night in which he was betrayed, took bread,

²⁴ and after he¹ had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

1. *Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had given thanks”) which is understood as temporal

²⁵ Likewise also the cup, after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

²⁷ So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

²⁸ But let a person examine himself, and in this way let him eat from the bread and let him drink from the cup.

²⁹ For the one who eats and drinks, if he¹ does not recognize the body, eats and drinks judgment against himself.

1. *Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“recognize”) which is understood as conditional

³⁰ Because of this, many are weak and sick among you, and quite a few ⌞have died⌟¹.

1. Literally “have fallen asleep”

³¹ But if we were evaluating ourselves, we would not be judged.

³² But if we¹ are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined, in order that we will not be condemned with the world.

1. *Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are judged”) which is understood as conditional

³³ So then, my brothers, when you¹ come together in order to eat the Lord’s supper,² wait for one another.

1. *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“come together”) which is understood as temporal
2. *Here the direct object (“the Lord’s supper”) is supplied from context in the English translation

³⁴ If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And I will give directions about the remaining matters whenever I come.