The First to the Corinthians
11 Become imitators of me, just as I am of Christ.+
2 I commend you because in all things you remember me and you are holding fast the traditions just as I handed them on to you. 3 But I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ;+ in turn, the head of a woman is the man;+ in turn, the head of the Christ is God.+ 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head shames his head; 5 but every woman who prays or prophesies+ with her head uncovered shames her head, for it is one and the same as if she were a woman with a shaved head. 6 For if a woman does not cover herself, she should have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or shaved, she should be covered.
7 For a man should not have his head covered, as he is God’s image+ and glory, but the woman is man’s glory. 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man.+ 9 And what is more, man was not created for the sake of the woman, but woman for the sake of the man.+ 10 That is why the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.+
11 Besides, in connection with the Lord, neither is woman separate from man nor is man separate from woman. 12 For just as the woman is from the man,+ so also the man is through the woman; but all things are from God.+ 13 Judge for yourselves: Is it fitting for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not nature itself teach you that long hair is a dishonor to a man, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her instead of a covering. 16 However, if anyone wants to argue in favor of some other custom, we have no other, nor do the congregations of God.
17 But while giving these instructions, I do not commend you, because it is, not for the better, but for the worse that you meet together. 18 For first of all, I hear that when you come together in a congregation, divisions exist among you; and to an extent I believe it. 19 For there will certainly also be sects among you,+ so that those of you who are approved may also become evident.
20 When you come together in one place, it is not really to eat the Lord’s Evening Meal.+ 21 For when you eat it, each one takes his own evening meal beforehand, so that one is hungry but another is intoxicated. 22 Do you not have houses for eating and drinking? Or do you despise the congregation of God and make those who have nothing feel ashamed? What can I say to you? Should I commend you? In this I do not commend you.
23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night+ on which he was going to be betrayed took a loaf, 24 and after giving thanks, he broke it and said: “This means my body,+ which is in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”+ 25 He did the same with the cup+ also, after they had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant+ by virtue of my blood.+ Keep doing this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”+ 26 For whenever you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he comes.
27 Therefore, whoever eats the loaf or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty respecting the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 First let a man approve himself after scrutiny,+ and only then let him eat of the loaf and drink of the cup. 29 For the one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment against himself. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and quite a few are sleeping in death.*+ 31 But if we would discern what we ourselves are, we would not be judged. 32 However, when we are judged, we are disciplined by Jehovah,*+ so that we may not become condemned with the world.+ 33 Consequently, my brothers, when you come together to eat it, wait for one another. 34 If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you come together it is not for judgment.+ But as for the remaining matters, I will put them in order when I get there.