1 Corinthians 11:1–14:40

11 Follow my example,n as I follow the example of Christ.o

On Covering the Head in Worship

2 I praise youp for remembering me in everythingq and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.r 3 But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ,s and the head of the woman is man,a t and the head of Christ is God.u 4 Every man who prays or prophesiesv with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesiesw with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.x 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

7 A man ought not to cover his head,b since he is the imagey and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;z 9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.a 10 It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her ownc head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.b

13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, 15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. 16 If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.c

Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper

11:23–25pp—Mt 26:26–28; Mk 14:22–24; Lk 22:17–20

17 In the following directives I have no praise for you,d for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisionse among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.f 20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers.g As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of Godh by humiliating those who have nothing?i What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?j Certainly not in this matter!

23 For I received from the Lordk what I also passed on to you:l The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body,m which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenantn in my blood;o do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.p

27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.q 28 Everyone ought to examine themselvesr before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.s 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.t 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplinedu so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.v

33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34 Anyone who is hungryw should eat something at home,x so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.

And when I comey I will give further directions.

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit,z brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.a 2 You know that when you were pagans,b somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.c 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,”d and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,”e except by the Holy Spirit.f

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spiritg distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyoneh it is the same Godi at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.j 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom,k to another a message of knowledgel by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faithm by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healingn by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers,o to another prophecy,p to another distinguishing between spirits,q to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,a r and to still another the interpretation of tongues.b 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,s and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Unity and Diversity in the Body

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,t so it is with Christ.u 13 For we were all baptizedv byc one Spiritw so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or freex—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.y 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.z

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placeda the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.b 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.c

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ,d and each one of you is a part of it.e 28 And God has placed in the churchf first of all apostles,g second prophets,h third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,i of helping, of guidance,j and of different kinds of tongues.k 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tonguesd?l Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desirem the greater gifts.

Love Is Indispensable

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

13 If I speak in the tonguesa n of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecyo and can fathom all mysteriesp and all knowledge,q and if I have a faithr that can move mountains,s but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poort and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,b u but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient,v love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.w 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,x it is not easily angered,y it keeps no record of wrongs.z 6 Love does not delight in evila but rejoices with the truth.b 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.c

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,d they will cease; where there are tongues,e they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in partf and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes,g what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhoodh behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;i then we shall see face to face.j Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.k

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.l But the greatest of these is love.m

Intelligibility in Worship

14 Follow the way of loven and eagerly desireo gifts of the Spirit,p especially prophecy.q 2 For anyone who speaks in a tonguea r does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them;s they utter mysteriest by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening,u encouragingv and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tonguew edifiesx themselves, but the one who prophesiesy edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues,b but I would rather have you prophesy.z The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues,c unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.a

6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelationb or knowledgec or prophecy or word of instruction?d 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will …