1 Corinthians 11

1Take me as your model, just as I take Christ as mine.

2I praise you, because you keep me in mind in everything, and you hold firmly to the traditions in the form I passed them on to you. 3But there is something I want you to understand: Christ is the head of every man, man is the head of woman, and God is the head of Christ. 4Any man who prays or prophesies with something covering his head brings shame on his head. 5But a woman who prays or prophesies with nothing over her head shames her head; it is no different from having her head shaved. 6If a woman does not wear a covering, let her have her hair cropped too. But if having her hair cropped or shaved off is shameful for a woman, then she should wear a covering. 7A man should not have his head covered, because he is God’s image and glory. Woman, for her part, is man’s glory. 8Man was not made from woman; woman was made from man. 9Nor was man created for the sake of woman; woman was created for the sake of man. 10For this reason, and because of the angels, a woman should have authority over her head. 11Yet in the Lord there is no woman without man, and no man without woman. 12Just as woman was made from man, so man is born through woman, and all things have their source in God. 13Use your own judgment. When a woman prays to God, is it fitting for her head to be uncovered? 14Is it not nature itself that teaches you this: for a man, long hair is a dishonor, 15but for a woman, long hair is her glory? Long hair was given to her to serve as a covering. 16If anyone wants to dispute it, we recognize no such custom, and neither do the churches of God.

17But as I give you this next instruction, I do not praise you, because when you come together, it makes things worse, not better. 18To begin with, I am told that when you gather as a church you are split into groups, and I believe some of it. 19For factions among you are bound to come, so that those who stand the test may be seen for what they are. 20So when you gather in one place, what you eat is not really the Lord’s Supper. 21Each of you, as you eat, goes ahead with your own meal; one is left hungry, and another is drunk. 22Surely you have homes of your own for eating and drinking? Or do you look down on God’s church and shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Should I praise you? In this matter, no, I do not praise you.

23What I handed on to you, I myself received from the Lord: on the night he was handed over, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24gave thanks and broke it, saying, “This is my body; it is for you. Do this to remember me.” 25He did the same with the cup once supper was over, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Every time you drink it, do this to remember me.” 26For each time you eat this bread and drink the cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death, until he comes.

27So whoever eats the bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in an unworthy way will be answerable for the Lord’s body and blood. 28Each of you should first examine yourself, and then eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29Anyone who eats and drinks brings judgment on themselves by that eating and drinking, if they do not discern the body. 30This is the reason so many among you are weak and ill, and a good number have died. 31If we examined ourselves with discernment, we would not be coming under judgment. 32But when the Lord judges us, he is correcting us, to keep us from being condemned along with the world.

33So, my brothers and sisters, when you meet for the meal, wait for each other. 34If someone is hungry, let them eat at home, so that your coming together does not lead to judgment. The remaining matters I will set right when I come.