1 Corinthians11
New American Standard
1Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
2Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I handed them down to you.
3But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
4Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head.
5But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for it is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved.
6For if a woman does not cover her head, have her also cut her hair off; however, if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, have her cover her head.
7For a man should not have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.
8For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;
9for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake.
10Therefore the woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
11However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
12For as the woman originated from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.
13Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
14Does even nature itself not teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,
15but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her as a covering.
16But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor have the churches of God.
17Now in giving this next instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better, but for the worse.
18For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it.
19For there also have to be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.
20Therefore when you come together it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper,
21for when you eat, each one takes his own supper first; and one goes hungry while another gets drunk.
22What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I do not praise you.
23For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread;
24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25In 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 it, in remembrance of Me.”
26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
27Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
28But a person must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29For the one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not properly recognize the body.
30For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number are asleep.
31But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.
32But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
33So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
34If anyone is hungry, have him eat at home, so that you do not come together for judgment. As to the remaining matters, I will give instructions when I come.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Corinthians 11.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The apostle, after an exhortation to follow him, (1). corrects some abuses. (2–16). Also contentions, divisions, and disorderly celebrations of the Lord's supper. (17–22). He reminds them of the nature and design of its institution. (23–26). And directs how to attend upon it in a due manner. (27–34).
v1
The first verse of this chapter seems properly to be the close to the last. The apostle not only preached such doctrine as they ought to believe, but led such a life as they ought to live. Yet Christ being our perfect example, the actions and conduct of men, as related in the Scriptures, should be followed only so far as they are like to his.
vv2-16
Here begin particulars respecting the public assemblies, ch. 1Co 14. In the abundance of spiritual gifts bestowed on the Corinthians, some abuses had crept in; but as Christ did the will, and sought the honour of God, so the Christian should avow his subjection to Christ, doing his will and seeking his glory. We should, even in our dress and habit, avoid every thing that may dishonour Christ. The woman was made subject to man, because made for his help and comfort. And she should do nothing, in Christian assemblies, which looked like a claim of being equal. She ought to have “power,” that is, a veil, on her head, because of the angels. Their presence should keep Christians from all that is wrong while in the worship of God. Nevertheless, the man and the woman were made for one another. They were to be mutual comforts and blessings, not one a slave, and the other a tyrant. God has so settled matters, both in the kingdom of providence and that of grace, that the authority and subjection of each party should be for mutual help and benefit. It was the common usage of the churches, for women to appear in public assemblies, and join in public worship, veiled; and it was right that they should do so. The Christian religion sanctions national customs wherever these are not against the great principles of truth and holiness; affected singularities receive no countenance from any thing in the Bible.
vv17-22
The apostle rebukes the disorders in their partaking of the Lord's supper. The ordinances of Christ, if they do not make us better, will be apt to make us worse. If the use of them does not mend, it will harden. Upon coming together, they fell into divisions, schisms. Christians may separate from each other's communion, yet be charitable one towards another; they may continue in the same communion, yet be uncharitable. This last is schism, rather than the former. There is a careless and irregular eating of the Lord's supper, which adds to guilt. Many rich Corinthians seem to have acted very wrong at the Lord's table, or at the love-feasts, which took place at the same time as the supper. The rich despised the poor, and ate and drank up the provisions they brought, before the poor were allowed to partake; thus some wanted, while others had more than enough. What should have been a bond of mutual love and affection, was made an instrument of discord and disunion. We should be careful that nothing in our behaviour at the Lord's table, appears to make light of that sacred institution. The Lord's supper is not now made an occasion for gluttony or revelling, but is it not often made the support of self-righteous pride, or a cloak for hypocrisy? Let us never rest in the outward forms of worship; but look to our hearts.
Key Words
γίνομαι (gínomai): to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.)
μιμητής (mimētḗs): an imitator
μοῦ (moû): of me
καθώς (kathṓs): just (or inasmuch) as, that
κἀγώ (kagṓ): so also the dative case , and accusative case and (or also, even, etc.) I, (to) me
Χριστός (Christós): anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus
δέ (dé): but, and, etc.
ἐπαινέω (epainéō): to applaud
ὑμᾶς (hymâs): you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
ὅτι (hóti): demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
Cross References
1 Corinthians 11The primary Gospel narrative of the institution of the Lord's Supper which Paul recounts.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
The exact verbal parallel for 'this do in remembrance of me' in the Lucan institution account.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Undergirds the argument that man is made as the direct image and glory of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Explicates the concept of paternal, saving chastening of believers to keep them from ultimate condemnation.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Direct parallel establishing Christ as the head of the church and man as head of woman.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels Paul's argument of order and authority based on the chronological sequence of creation.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Demonstrates the apostolic practice of delivering and keeping authoritative traditions/ordinances.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Addresses the broader rules regarding women's public speaking and modesty in the Corinthian assembly.
Supported by JFB
Shows mutual dependence in Christ, balancing authority structures with spiritual equality in grace.
Supported by JFB
Connects the physical bread of communion to the spiritual unity of the one body.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB