11:1 You must follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. |
11:2 I am proud of you, because you always remember me and obey the teachings I gave you. |
11:3 Now I want you to know that Christ is the head over all men, and a man is the head over a woman. But God is the head over Christ. |
11:4 This means that any man who prays or prophesies with something on his head brings shame to his head. |
11:5 But any woman who prays or prophesies without something on her head brings shame to her head. In fact, she may as well shave her head. |
11:6 A woman should wear something on her head. It is a disgrace for a woman to shave her head or cut her hair. But if she refuses to wear something on her head, let her cut off her hair. |
11:7 Men were created to be like God and to bring honor to God. This means that a man should not wear anything on his head. Women were created to bring honor to men. |
11:8 It was the woman who was made from a man, and not the man who was made from a woman. |
11:9 He wasn't created for her. She was created for him. |
11:10 And so, because of this, and also because of the angels, a woman ought to wear something on her head, as a sign of her authority. |
11:11 As far as the Lord is concerned, men and women need each other. |
11:12 It is true that the first woman came from a man, but all other men have been given birth by women. Yet God is the one who created everything. |
11:13 Ask yourselves if it is proper for a woman to pray without something on her head. |
11:14 Isn't it unnatural and disgraceful for men to have long hair? |
11:15 But long hair is a beautiful way for a woman to cover her head. |
11:16 This is how things are done in all of God's churches, and that's why none of you should argue about what I have said. |
11:17 Your worship services do you more harm than good. I am certainly not going to praise you for this. |
11:18 I am told that you can't get along with each other when you worship, and I am sure that some of what I have heard is true. |
11:19 You are bound to argue with each other, but it is easy to see which of you have God's approval. |
11:20 When you meet together, you don't really celebrate the Lord's Supper. |
11:21 You even start eating before everyone gets to the meeting, and some of you go hungry, while others get drunk. |
11:22 Don't you have homes where you can eat and drink? Do you hate God's church? Do you want to embarrass people who don't have anything? What can I say to you? I certainly cannot praise you. |
11:23 I have already told you what the Lord Jesus did on the night he was betrayed. And it came from the Lord himself. He took some bread in his hands. |
11:24 Then after he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Eat this and remember me." |
11:25 After the meal, Jesus took a cup of wine in his hands and said, "This is my blood, and with it God makes his new agreement with you. Drink this and remember me." |
11:26 The Lord meant that when you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you tell about his death until he comes. |
11:27 But if you eat the bread and drink the wine in a way that isn't worthy of the Lord, you sin against his body and blood. |
11:28 That's why you must examine the way you eat and drink. |
11:29 If you fail to understand that you are the body of the Lord, you will condemn yourselves by the way you eat and drink. |
11:30 That's why many of you are sick and weak and why a lot of others have died. |
11:31 If we carefully judge ourselves, we won't be punished. |
11:32 But when the Lord judges and punishes us, he does it to keep us from being condemned with the rest of the world. |
11:33 My dear friends, you should wait until everyone gets there before you start eating. |
11:34 If you really are hungry, you can eat at home. Then you won't condemn yourselves when you meet together. After I arrive, I will instruct you about the other matters. |