‏ 1 Corinthians 11

1Imitate me, as I myself imitate Christ.

2I praise you, indeed, because you never forget me, and are keeping my injunctions in mind, exactly as I laid them upon you. 3But I am anxious that you should understand that the Christ is the Head of every man, that man is the Head of woman, and that God is the Head of the Christ. 4Any man who keeps his head covered, when praying or preaching in public, dishonours him who is his Head; 5while any woman, who prays or preaches in public bare-headed, dishonours him who is her Head; for that is to make herself like one of the shameless women who shave their heads. 6Indeed, if a woman does not keep her head covered, she may as well cut her hair short. But, since to cut her hair short, or shave it off, marks her as one of the shameless women, let her keep her head covered. 7A man ought not to have his head covered, for he has been from the beginning ‘the likeness of God’ and the reflection of his glory, but woman is the reflection of man’s glory. 8For it was not man who was taken from woman, but woman who was taken from man. 9Besides, man was not created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man. 10And, therefore, a woman ought to wear on her head a symbol of her subjection, because of the presence of the angels. 11Still, when in union with the Lord, woman is not independent of man, or man of woman; 12for just as woman came from man, so man comes by means of woman; and all things come from God. 13Judge for yourselves. Is it fitting that a woman should pray to God in public with her head uncovered? 14Does not nature herself teach us that, while for a man to wear his hair long is degrading to him, 15a woman’s long hair is her glory? Her hair has been given her to serve as a covering. 16If, however, any one still thinks it right to contest the point — well, we have no such custom, nor have the Churches of God.

17In giving directions on the next subject, I cannot praise you; because your meetings do more harm than good. 18To begin with, I hear you and, to some extent, I believe it. 19Indeed, there must be actual parties among you, for so only will the men of real worth become known. 20When you meet together, as I understand, it is not possible to eat the Lord’s Supper; 21for, as you eat, each of you tries to secure his own supper first, with the result that one has too little to eat, and another has too much to drink! 22Have you no houses in which you can eat and drink? Or are you trying to show your contempt for the Church of God, and to humiliate the poor? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this matter I cannot praise you. 23For I myself received from the Lord the account which I have in turn given to you — how the Lord Jesus, on the very night of his betrayal, took some bread, 24and, after saying the thanksgiving, broke it and said “This is my own body given on your behalf. Do this in memory of me.” 25And in the same way with the cup, after supper, saying “This cup is the new Covenant made by my blood. Do this, whenever you drink it, in memory of me.” 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death — till he comes. 27Therefore, whoever eats the bread, or drinks the Lord’s cup, in an irreverent spirit, will have to answer for an offence against the Lord’s body and blood. 28Let each man look into his own heart, and only then eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29For the man who eats and drinks brings a judgment upon himself by his eating and drinking, when he does not discern the body. 30That is why so many among you are weak and ill, and why some are sleeping. 31But, if we judged ourselves rightly, we should not be judged. 32Yet, in being judged by the Lord, we are undergoing discipline, so that we may not have judgment passed upon us with the rest of the world. 33Therefore, my Brothers, when you meet together to eat the Supper, wait for one another. 34If a man is hungry, let him eat at home, so that your meetings may not bring a judgment upon you. The other details I will settle when I come.