1 Corinthians 11–16

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

On Covering the Head in Worship

²I praise you^p for remembering me in everything^q 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,^at and the head of Christ is God.^{u 4}Every man who prays or prophesies^v with his head covered dishonors his head. ⁵But every woman who prays or prophesies^w 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.

⁷A man ought not to cover his head,^b since he is the image^y and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. ⁸For 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 own^c head, because of the angels. ¹¹Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. ¹²For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.^b

¹³Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, ¹⁵but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. ¹⁶If 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

¹⁷In the following directives I have no praise for you,^d for your meetings do more harm than good. ¹⁸In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions^e among you, and to some extent I believe it. ¹⁹No 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, ²¹for 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. ²²Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God^h by humiliating those who have nothing?ⁱ What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?^j Certainly not in this matter!

²³For I received from the Lord^k what I also passed on to you:^l The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴and 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.” ²⁵In 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.” ²⁶For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.^p

²⁷So 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 themselves^r before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. ²⁹For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. ³⁰That 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 disciplined^u so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.^v

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

And when I come^y I will give further directions.

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

12Now 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

⁴There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit^g distributes them. ⁵There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone^h it is the same Godⁱ at work.

⁷Now 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 knowledge^l by means of the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith^m by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healingⁿ by that one Spirit, ¹⁰to another miraculous powers,^o to another prophecy,^p to another distinguishing between spirits,^q to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^ar 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

¹²Just 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 baptized^v by^c one Spirit^w so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free^x—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

¹⁵Now 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. ¹⁶And 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. ¹⁷If 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? ¹⁸But in fact God has placed^a 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? ²⁰As it is, there are many parts, but one body.^c

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

²⁷Now 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 church^f 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? ³⁰Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^d?^l Do all interpret? ³¹Now eagerly desire^m the greater gifts.

Love Is Indispensable

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

13If I speak in the tongues^an of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy^o and can fathom all mysteries^p and all knowledge,^q and if I have a faith^r that can move mountains,^s but do not have love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor^t and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^bu but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴Love 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 evil^a but rejoices with the truth.^{b 7}It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.^c

⁸Love 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. ⁹For we know in part^f and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰but when completeness comes,^g what is in part disappears. ¹¹When 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 childhood^h behind me. ¹²For 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

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

Intelligibility in Worship

14Follow the way of loveⁿ and eagerly desire^o gifts of the Spirit,^p especially prophecy.^{q 2}For anyone who speaks in a tongue^ar does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them;^s they utter mysteries^t by the Spirit. ³But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening,^u encouraging^v and comfort. ⁴Anyone who speaks in a tongue^w edifies^x themselves, but the one who prophesies^y edifies the church. ⁵I 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

⁶Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation^b or knowledge^c 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? ⁸Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get…