^11:2I praise you¹ because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I passed them on to you. ^11:3But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman,² and God is the head of Christ. ^11:4Any man who prays or prophesies with his head covered disgraces his head. ^11:5But any woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered disgraces her head, for it is one and the same thing as having a shaved head. ^11:6For if a woman will not cover her head, she should cut off her hair. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, she should cover her head. ^11:7For a man should not have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God. But the woman is the glory of the man. ^11:8For man did not come from woman, but woman from man. ^11:9Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for man. ^11:10For this reason a woman should have a symbol of authority³ on her head, because of the angels.⁴^11:11In any case, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. ^11:12For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman. But all things come from God. ^11:13Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ^11:14Does not nature⁵ itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace for him, ^11:15but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering.⁶^11:16If anyone intends to quarrel about this, we have no other practice, nor do the churches of God.

The Lord’s Supper

^11:17Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. ^11:18For in the first place, when you come together as a church I hear there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. ^11:19For there must in fact be divisions among you, so that those of you who are approved may be evident.⁷^11:20Now when you come together at the same place, you are not really eating the Lord’s Supper. ^11:21For when it is time to eat, everyone proceeds with his own supper. One is hungry and another becomes drunk. ^11:22Do you not have houses so that you can eat and drink? Or are you trying to show contempt for the church of God by shaming those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I will not praise you for this!

^11:23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread, ^11:24and after he had given thanks he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ^11:25In the same way, he also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, every time you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ^11:26For every time you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

^11:27For this reason, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. ^11:28A person should examine himself first,⁸ and in this way⁹ let him eat the bread and drink of the cup. ^11:29For the one who eats and drinks without careful regard¹⁰ for the body eats and drinks judgment against himself. ^11:30That is why many of you are weak and sick, and quite a few are dead.¹¹^11:31But if we examined ourselves, we would not be judged. ^11:32But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned with the world. ^11:33So then, my brothers and sisters,¹² when you come together to eat, wait for one another. ^11:34If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you assemble it does not lead to judgment. I will give directions about other matters when I come.

Spiritual Gifts

^12:1With regard to spiritual gifts,¹ brothers and sisters,² I do not want you to be uninformed.³^12:2You know that when you were pagans you were often led astray by speechless idols, however you were led. ^12:3So I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

^12:4Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. ^12:5And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. ^12:6And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. ^12:7To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. ^12:8For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ^12:9to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ^12:10to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. ^12:11It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things.

Different Members in One Body

^12:12For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body—though many—are one body, so too is Christ. ^12:13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves⁴ or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. ^12:14For in fact the body is not a single member, but many. ^12:15If the foot says, “Since I am not a hand, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. ^12:16And if the ear says, “Since I am not an eye, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. ^12:17If the whole body were an eye, what part would do the hearing? If the whole were an ear, what part would exercise the sense of smell? ^12:18But as a matter of fact, God has placed each of the members in the body just as he decided. ^12:19If they were all the same member, where would the body be? ^12:20So now there are many members, but one body. ^12:21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor in turn can the head say to the foot, “I do not need you.” ^12:22On the contrary, those members that seem to be weaker are essential, ^12:23and those members we consider less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our unpresentable members are clothed with dignity,⁵^12:24but our presentable members do not need this. Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honor to the lesser member, ^12:25so that there may be no division in the body, but the members may have mutual concern for one another. ^12:26If one member suffers, everyone suffers with it. If a⁶ member is honored, all rejoice with it.

^12:27Now you are Christ’s body, and each of you is a member of it. ^12:28And God has placed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, gifts of healing, helps, gifts of leadership, different kinds of tongues. ^12:29Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform miracles, do they? ^12:30Not all have gifts of healing, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all interpret, do they?⁷^12:31But you should be eager for the greater gifts.

And now I will show you a way that is beyond comparison.⁸

The Way of Love

^13:1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ^13:2And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ^13:3If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast,¹ but do not have love, I receive no benefit.

^13:4Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. ^13:5It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. ^13:6It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. ^13:7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

^13:8Love never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside. ^13:9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, ^13:10but when what is perfect² comes, the partial will be set aside. ^13:11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But when I became an adult,³ I set aside childish ways. ^13:12For now we see in a mirror indirectly,⁴ but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known. ^13:13And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Prophecy and Tongues

^14:1Pursue love and be eager for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. ^14:2For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, for no one understands; he is speaking mysteries by the Spirit.¹^14:3But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening,² encouragement, and consolation. ^14:4The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up,³ but the one who prophesies builds up the church. ^14:5I wish you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be strengthened.

^14:6Now, brothers and sisters,⁴ if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I speak to you with a revelation or with knowledge or prophecy or teaching? ^14:7It is similar for lifeless things that make a sound, like a flute or harp. Unless they make a distinction in the notes, how can what is played on the flute or harp be understood? ^14:8If, for example, the trumpet makes an unclear sound, who will get ready for battle? ^14:9It is the same for you. If you do…

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Footnotes

1 The Western and Byzantine texts, as well as one or two Alexandrian (D F G Ψ 33 𝔐 latt sy), combine in reading ἀδελφοί (adelphoi, “brothers”) here, while the Alexandrian witnesses (𝔓46 א A B C P 81 630 1175 1739 1881 2464 co) largely lack the address. The addition of ἀδελφοί is apparently a motivated reading, however, for scribes would have naturally wanted to add it to ἐπαινῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς (epainō de humas, “now I praise you”), especially as this begins a new section. On the other hand, it is difficult to explain how the shorter reading could have arisen from the longer one. Thus, on both internal and external grounds, the shorter reading is strongly preferred.
2 Or “the husband is the head of his wife.” The same Greek words translated “man” and “woman” can mean, as determined by context, “husband” and “wife” respectively. Such an approach is followed by , , , and (with some variations).
3 Paul does not use a word specifying what type of “covering” is meant (veil, hat, etc.). The Greek word he uses here (ἐξουσία exousia; translated symbol of authority) could be (1) a figure of speech that may substitute the result (the right to participate in worship) for the appropriate appearance that makes it possible (the covered head). Or (2) it refers to the outward symbol (having the head covered) as representing the inward attitude the woman is to possess (deference to male leadership in the church).
4 Paul does not explain this reference to the angels, and its point is not entirely clear. It seems to reflect an awareness that angels are witnesses to church life (cf. Eph 3:10) and would be particularly sensitive to resistance against God’s created order.
5 Paul does not mean nature in the sense of “the natural world” or “Mother Nature.” It denotes “the way things are” because of God’s design.
6 No word for veil or head covering occurs in vv. 3–14 (see the note on authority in v. ). That the hair is regarded by Paul as a covering in v. 15 is not necessarily an argument that the hair is the same as the head covering that he is describing in the earlier verses (esp. v. 10). Throughout this unit of material, Paul points out the similarities of long hair with a head covering. But his doing so seems to suggest that the two are not to be identified with each other. Precisely because they are similar they do not appear to be identical (cf. vv. 5, 6, 7, 10, 13). If head covering = long hair, then what does v. 6 mean (“For if a woman will not cover her head, she should cut off her hair”)? This suggests that the covering is not the same as the hair itself.
7 Grk “those approved may be evident among you.”
8 The word “first” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. It has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
9 Grk “in this manner.”
10 The word more literally means, “judging between, recognizing, distinguishing.”
11 Grk “are asleep.” The verb κοιμάω (koimaō) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.
12 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
1 Grk “spiritual things.”
2 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
3 Grk “ignorant.”
4 See the note on the word “slave” in .
5 Grk “have greater propriety (or decorum, presentability).”
6 Before μέλος (melos, “member”) the great majority of witnesses read ἕν (hen, “one”; א2 C D F G Ψ 0285 33 1881 𝔐 latt sy), while the most important of the Alexandrian omit it (𝔓46 א* A B 1739). The addition of ἕν appears to be motivated by its presence earlier in the verse with μέλος and the parallel structure of the two conditional clauses in this verse, while little reason can be given for its absence (although accidental oversight is of course possible, it is not likely that all these witnesses should have overlooked it). has the word in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
7 The questions in vv. 29–30 all expect a negative response.
8 Grk “a still more excellent way.” In this context the phrase has an elative rather than a comparative sense, however.
1 The reading καυχήσωμαι (kauchēsōmai, “I might boast”) is well supported by 𝔓46 א A B 048 33 1739* co Hiermss. The competing reading, καυθήσομαι (kauthēsomai, “I will burn”), is found in C D F G L 81 1175 1881* latt and a host of patristic writers. From this reading other variants were obviously derived: καυθήσωμαι (kauthēsōmai), a future subjunctive (“I might burn”) read by the Byzantine text and a few others (Ψ 1739c 1881c 𝔐); and καυθῇ (kauthē, “it might be burned”) read by 1505 . On an external level, the Alexandrian reading is obviously superior, though the Western and Byzantine readings need to be accounted for. (The following discussion is derived largely from ). Internally, καυχήσωμαι is superior for the following reasons: (1) Once the Church started suffering persecution and martyrdom by fire, the v.l. naturally arose. Once there, it is difficult to see why any scribe would intentionally change it to καυχήσωμαι. (2) Involving as it does the change of just two letters (χ to θ [ch to th], ω to ο [ō to o]), this reading could be accomplished without much fanfare. Yet, it appears cumbersome in the context, both because of the passive voice and especially the retention of the first person (“If I give up my body that I may be burned”). A more logical word would have been the third person passive, καυθῇ, as read in 1505 (“If I give up my body that it may be burned”). (3) Although the connection between giving up one’s body and boasting is ambiguous, this very ambiguity has all the earmarks of being from Paul. It may have the force of giving up one’s body into slavery. In any event, it looks to be the harder reading. Incidentally, the Byzantine reading is impossible because the future subjunctive did not occur in Koine Greek. As the reading of the majority of Byzantine minuscules, its roots are clearly post-Koine and as such is a “grammatical monstrosity that cannot be attributed to Paul” ( ). Cf. also the notes in §28; 2:.
2 Or “when completion.”
3 The Greek term translated “adult” here is ἀνήρ (anēr), a term which ordinarily refers to males, husbands, etc. In this context Paul contrasts the states of childhood and adulthood, so the term has been translated “adult”; cf. 1.b.
4 Grk “we are seeing through [= using] a mirror by means of a dark image.” Corinth was well known in the ancient world for producing some of the finest bronze mirrors available. Paul’s point in this analogy, then, is not that our current understanding and relationship with God is distorted (as if the mirror reflected poorly), but rather that it is “indirect,” (i.e., the nature of looking in a mirror) compared to the relationship we will enjoy with him in the future when we see him “face to face” (cf. G. D. Fee, First Corinthians [], ). The word “indirectly” translates the Greek phrase ἐν αἰνίγματι (ejn ainigmati, “in an obscure image”) which itself may reflect an allusion to Num 12:8 ( οὐ διʼ αἰνιγμάτων), where God says that he speaks to Moses “mouth to mouth [= face to face] … and not in dark figures [of speech].” Though this allusion to the OT is not explicitly developed here, it probably did not go unnoticed by the Corinthians who were apparently familiar with OT traditions about Moses (cf. 1 Cor 10:2). Indeed, in 2 Cor 3:13–18 Paul had recourse with the Corinthians to contrast Moses’ ministry under the old covenant with the hope afforded through apostolic ministry and the new covenant. Further, it is in this context, specifically in 2 Cor 3:18, that the apostle invokes the use of the mirror analogy again in order to unfold the nature of the Christian’s progressive transformation by the Spirit.
1 Or “with the spirit”; cf. vv. 14–16.
2 Grk “edification.”
3 The Greek term builds (himself) up does not necessarily bear positive connotations in this context.
4 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .