1 Corinthians 11:1–12:31

11 Imitate ame, just as I also imitate Christ.

Head Coverings

2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to know that bthe head of every man is Christ, cthe head of woman is man, and dthe head of Christ is God. 4 Every man praying or eprophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were fshaved. 6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is gshameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since hhe is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man is not from woman, but woman ifrom man. 9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman jfor the man. 10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, kneither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. 12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.

13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given 1to her for a covering. 16 But lif anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, mnor do the churches of God.

Conduct at the Lord’s Supper

17 Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, nI hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For othere must also be factions among you, pthat those who are approved may be 2recognized among you. 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and qanother is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise rthe church of God and sshame 3those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

23 For tI received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: uthat the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 4“Take, eat; this is My body which is 5broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death vtill He comes.

Examine Yourself

27 Therefore whoever eats wthis bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and 6blood of the Lord. 28 But xlet a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks 7in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the 8Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many 9sleep. 31 For yif we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, zwe are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

33 Therefore, my brethren, when you acome together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity

12 Now aconcerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know bthat 1you were Gentiles, carried away to these cdumb 2idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus 3accursed, and dno one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

4 eThere are 4diversities of gifts, but fthe same Spirit. 5 gThere are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God hwho works 5all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given ithe word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another jthe word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 kto another faith by the same Spirit, to another lgifts of healings by 6the same Spirit, 10 mto another the working of miracles, to another nprophecy, to another odiscerning of spirits, to another pdifferent kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, qdistributing to each one individually ras He wills.

Unity and Diversity in One Body

12 For sas the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, tso also is Christ. 13 For uby one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—vwhether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and whave all been made to drink 7into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.

15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now xGod has set the members, each one of them, in the body yjust as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no 8schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now zyou are the body of Christ, and amembers individually. 28 And bGod has appointed these in the church: first capostles, second dprophets, third teachers, after that emiracles, then fgifts of healings, ghelps, hadministrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But iearnestly desire the 9best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.