1 Corinthians 11

Head Coverings and Authority 1 Corinthians 11:3–10

³Verse 3. But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. ⁴Verse 4. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. ⁵Verse 5. But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonors her head. For it is one and the same thing as if she were shaved. ⁶Verse 6. For if a woman is not covered, let her hair also be cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or be shaved, let her be covered.

⁷Verse 7. For a man indeed ought not to have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. ⁸Verse 8. For man is not from woman, but woman from man; ⁹Verse 9. for man wasn’t created for the woman, but woman for the man. ¹⁰Verse 10. For this cause the woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.

Interdependence of Men and Women 1 Corinthians 11:11–16

¹¹Verse 11. Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord. ¹²Verse 12. For as woman came from man, so a man also comes through a woman; but all things are from God. ¹³Verse 13. Judge for yourselves. Is it appropriate that a woman pray to God unveiled? ¹⁴Verse 14. Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? ¹⁵Verse 15. But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering. ¹⁶Verse 16. But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.

Divisions in the Church 1 Corinthians 11:17–22

¹⁷Verse 17. But in giving you this command, I don’t praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸Verse 18. For first of all, when you come together in the assembly, I hear that divisions exist among you, and I partly believe it. ¹⁹Verse 19. For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you. ²⁰Verse 20. When therefore you assemble yourselves together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. ²¹Verse 21. For in your eating each one takes his own supper first. One is hungry, and another is drunken. ²²Verse 22. What, don’t you have houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise God’s assembly, and put them to shame who don’t have enough? What shall I tell you? Shall I praise you? In this I don’t praise you.

The Institution of the Lord's Supper 1 Corinthians 11:23–26

²³Verse 23. For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread. ²⁴Verse 24. When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” ²⁵Verse 25. In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” ²⁶Verse 26. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Worthy Participation in Communion 1 Corinthians 11:27–32

²⁷Verse 27. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. ²⁸Verse 28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. ²⁹Verse 29. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body. ³⁰Verse 30. For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. ³¹Verse 31. For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged. ³²Verse 32. But when we are judged, we are punished by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

Order During the Meal 1 Corinthians 11:33–34

³³Verse 33. Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. ³⁴Verse 34. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest your coming together be for judgment. The rest I will set in order whenever I come.