1 Corinthians 11

King James Version

Full text for 1 Corinthians Chapter 11

1¶ Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.

2Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered [them] to you.

3But 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.

4Every man praying or prophesying, having [his] head covered, dishonoureth his head.

5But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with [her] head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

6For 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.

7For 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.

8For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.

9Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

10For this cause ought the woman to have power on [her] head because of the angels.

11Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

12For as the woman [is] of the man, even so [is] the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

13Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

14Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

15But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for [her] hair is given her for a covering.

16But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

17¶ Now in this that I declare [unto you] I praise [you] not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

18For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

19For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

20When ye come together therefore into one place, [this] is not to eat the Lord's supper.

21For in eating every one taketh before [other] his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

22What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise [you] not.

23¶ For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread:

24And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, ‹Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.›

25After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, ‹This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me.›

26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

27Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup.

29For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

30For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

31For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

32But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

33Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

34And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Paul addresses two significant issues in Corinth: the proper order of headship and conduct during worship, particularly concerning head coverings, and the abuses surrounding the Lord's Supper. He establishes a hierarchy where Christ is the head of man, and man is the head of woman, instructing on the symbolic significance of head coverings based on creation. Furthermore, Paul condemns their selfish and divisive practices during the communal meal, reminding them of the solemn institution and purpose of the Lord's Supper, urging self-examination and worthy participation to avoid judgment.

Medium Summary

In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul begins by commending the Corinthians for remembering his teachings but then addresses significant issues within their assembly. He clarifies the divine order of headship, stating that Christ is the head of every man, man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ. Based on this order and creation principles, Paul instructs that men should pray or prophesy with uncovered heads, while women should do so with covered heads, emphasizing the woman's glory to the man and the man's glory to God. He then shifts to the Corinthians' disorderly conduct during their gatherings, particularly concerning the Lord's Supper, where divisions and selfish eating led to some being hungry and others drunken. Paul strongly rebukes these practices, reminding them that such behavior despises the church and shames the poor. He reiterates the sacred institution of the Lord's Supper, as received from Christ, emphasizing it as a remembrance of Christ's body and blood, proclaiming His death until His return. Paul warns against partaking unworthily, which brings judgment, and urges self-examination before participating to discern the Lord's body and avoid condemnation.

Long Summary

First Corinthians chapter 11 opens with Paul encouraging the Corinthians to imitate him as he imitates Christ, praising them for remembering his ordinances. However, he immediately addresses two critical areas of concern within their church. The first involves the order of headship and its implications for public worship, particularly concerning head coverings. Paul establishes a hierarchy: God is the head of Christ, Christ is the head of every man, and man is the head of the woman. Consequently, he teaches that a man praying or prophesying with a covered head dishonors Christ, his head, while a woman doing so with an uncovered head dishonors her head, the man, comparing it to being shaven. He grounds this teaching in creation, noting that man is the image and glory of God, whereas woman is the glory of man, created from and for the man. Despite this order, Paul emphasizes the mutual interdependence of man and woman in the Lord, with all things ultimately originating from God. He appeals to their own sense of propriety and even nature, suggesting that long hair is a glory for a woman but a shame for a man, serving as a natural covering for the woman. The second major issue Paul confronts is the Corinthians' scandalous behavior during their communal gatherings, specifically their abuse of the Lord's Supper. He expresses strong disapproval, stating that their coming together is for the worse, not the better, due to divisions and selfish practices. Paul notes that when they assemble, they do not truly eat the Lord's Supper, as individuals prioritize their own meals, leading to some being hungry while others become drunken. He sharply questions whether they lack homes to eat in or if they despise the church of God and shame those who are poor. To correct these grave errors, Paul recounts the institution of the Lord's Supper, which he received directly from the Lord. He reminds them that on the night He was betrayed, Jesus took bread, broke it, and declared it His body, to be eaten in remembrance of Him. Similarly, He took the cup, declaring it the new testament in His blood, to be drunk in remembrance. Paul clarifies that partaking in this meal proclaims the Lord's death until He comes. He issues a solemn warning that anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup unworthily is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, eating and drinking damnation to themselves by not discerning the Lord's body. He attributes the weakness, sickness, and death among them to this unworthy participation. Therefore, Paul exhorts them to examine themselves before partaking, and when they gather, to wait for one another, with those who are hungry eating at home, to avoid coming together unto condemnation.

Core Concepts

  • Headship OrderPaul establishes a divine hierarchy where God is the head of Christ, Christ is the head of every man, and man is the head of the woman, which informs the proper conduct in worship.
  • Head CoveringsInstructions are given for women to cover their heads when praying or prophesying as a sign of their authority or submission, contrasting with men who should remain uncovered as the image and glory of God.
  • Creation OrderThe chapter references the order of creation, stating that man was not created from woman but woman from man, and woman was created for man, reinforcing the basis for headship distinctions.
  • Interdependence in ChristDespite the established order, Paul emphasizes that man and woman are mutually dependent in the Lord, and neither is without the other, with all things ultimately originating from God.
  • Abuse of the Lord's SupperPaul condemns the Corinthians' practices during their communal meals, where selfish eating, divisions, and drunkenness marred the sacred observance of the Lord's Supper.
  • Institution of the Lord's SupperPaul recounts the Lord's institution of the Supper, detailing how Jesus took bread as His body and the cup as the new testament in His blood, to be observed in remembrance of His death until His return.
  • Worthy ParticipationBelievers are admonished to examine themselves before partaking in the Lord's Supper, discerning the Lord's body, to avoid eating and drinking judgment upon themselves through unworthy conduct.