1CO 11:1-16

Roles in Worship

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

2Now I praise you, because in all things you remember me, and even as I delivered them to you, you hold the traditions.

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

4Every man praying or prophesying, having anything down over his head, dishonors his head;

5and every woman praying or prophesying with the head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is one and the same thing as to the shaven one.

6For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn; but if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or to be shaven, let her be covered.

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

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

9for indeed man was not created on account of the woman, but woman on account of the man.

10On account of this the woman ought to have authority on the head, on account of the angels.

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

12For just as the woman is from the man, so also the man is through the woman; and all things are from God.

13Judge for yourselves: is it fitting for a woman to pray to God uncovered?

14Does not nature itself teach you that, on the one hand, if a man wears long hair, it is a dishonor to him,

15but on the other hand, if a woman wears long hair, it is a glory to her? For the long hair has been given to her instead of a covering.

16But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor the assemblies of God.

In the world it was spoken into

In the Greco-Roman world, head coverings were deeply tied to social and religious norms. For men, uncovering the head during worship was a sign of honor and respect, particularly in Roman civic and religious contexts. For women, however, veiling was a marker of modesty and social propriety, reflecting their subordinate role in the household and public sphere. The term (head) carried both literal and metaphorical weight, signifying authority or source, as seen in hierarchical relationships like husband-wife or Christ-God. Paul’s instruction reflects these cultural expectations, emphasizing order and propriety in worship. The mention of angels likely refers to divine observers of worship, underscoring the cosmic significance of proper conduct. The term (authority) may refer to the woman’s veil as a symbol of her submission to societal and divine order. Paul’s appeal to (custom) highlights the importance of maintaining communal harmony and avoiding practices that might bring shame or disorder.

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How other translations render this

1CO 11:1

KJV: Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
BSB: You are to imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
Koinōnos: Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

1CO 11:2

KJV: Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
BSB: Now I commend you for remembering me in everything and for maintaining the traditions, just as I passed them on to you.
Koinōnos: Now I praise you, because in all things you remember me, and even as I delivered them to you, you hold the traditions.

1CO 11:3

KJV: But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
BSB: But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
Koinōnos: But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of a woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.

1CO 11:4

KJV: Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
BSB: Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
Koinōnos: Every man praying or prophesying, having anything down over his head, dishonors his head;

1CO 11:5

KJV: But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
BSB: And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is just as if her head were shaved.
Koinōnos: and every woman praying or prophesying with the head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is one and the same thing as to the shaven one.

1CO 11:6

KJV: For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
BSB: If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. And if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head.
Koinōnos: For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn; but if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or to be shaven, let her be covered.

1CO 11:7

KJV: For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
BSB: A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
Koinōnos: For a man indeed ought not to cover the head, being the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.

1CO 11:8

KJV: For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.
BSB: For man did not come from woman, but woman from man.
Koinōnos: For man is not from woman, but woman from man;

1CO 11:9

KJV: Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
BSB: Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
Koinōnos: for indeed man was not created on account of the woman, but woman on account of the man.

1CO 11:10

KJV: For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
BSB: For this reason a woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.
Koinōnos: On account of this the woman ought to have authority on the head, on account of the angels.

1CO 11:11

KJV: Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
BSB: In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
Koinōnos: However, neither is woman apart from man, nor man apart from woman, in the Lord.

1CO 11:12

KJV: For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
BSB: For just as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
Koinōnos: For just as the woman is from the man, so also the man is through the woman; and all things are from God.

1CO 11:13

KJV: Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
BSB: Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
Koinōnos: Judge for yourselves: is it fitting for a woman to pray to God uncovered?

1CO 11:14

KJV: Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
BSB: Doesnʼt nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,
Koinōnos: Does not nature itself teach you that, on the one hand, if a man wears long hair, it is a dishonor to him,

1CO 11:15

KJV: But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
BSB: but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.
Koinōnos: but on the other hand, if a woman wears long hair, it is a glory to her? For the long hair has been given to her instead of a covering.

1CO 11:16

KJV: But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
BSB: If anyone is inclined to dispute this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God.
Koinōnos: But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor the assemblies of God.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

1CO 11:3

head:The word translated 'head' here can refer to a literal anatomical head, but it also carried the sense of source, origin, or preeminence, much like the 'head' of a river or the 'head' of a household.

1CO 11:10

authority:The term translated 'authority' refers to the right or power to act, often implying a delegated or legitimate power, rather than mere strength or force.
angels.:The word translated 'angels' literally means 'messengers' and could refer to divine beings, human messengers, or even natural phenomena understood as divine communications.

1CO 11:16

custom:The word translated 'custom' refers to a deeply ingrained habit or established practice, often with the implication of something widely accepted and followed within a community.