1 Corinthians 11:5

1 Corinthians 11:5

3 But I want you to know that ^athe head of every man is Christ, ^bthe head of woman is man, and the ^chead of Christ is God.

4 Every man praying or ^aprophesying, 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 ^ashaved.

6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is ^ashameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.

7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since ^ahe is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.

8 For man is not from woman, but woman ^afrom man.

9 Nor was man created for the woman, but woman ^afor the man.

10 For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

11 Nevertheless, ^aneither 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 given¹ to her for a covering.

16 But ^aif anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, ^bnor 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.

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

<< 1 Corinthians 11:4

1 Corinthians 11:6 >>

With her head unveiled (akatakaluptw th kefalh). Associative instrumental case of manner and the predicative adjective (compound adjective and feminine form same as masculine), "with the head unveiled." Probably some of the women had violated this custom. "Amongst Greeks only the etairai, so numerous in Corinth, went about unveiled; slave-women wore the shaven head—also a punishment of the adulteress" (Findlay). Cf. Numbers 5:18.

One and the same thing as if she were shaven (en kai to auto th ecurhmenh). Literally, "One and the same thing with the one shaven" (associative instrumental case again, Robertson, Grammar, p. 530). Perfect passive articular participle of the verb curaw, later form for the old curew. It is public praying and prophesying that the Apostle here has in mind. He does not here condemn the act, but the breach of custom which would bring reproach. A woman convicted of adultery had her hair shorn (Isaiah 7:20). The Justinian code prescribed shaving the head for an adulteress whom the husband refused to receive after two years. Paul does not tell Corinthian Christian women to put themselves on a level with courtesans.

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 1 Corinthians 11:5:**

Acts 2:17
Acts 21:9
1 Corinthians 1:10
1 Corinthians 14:34
1 Timothy 2:9
1 Peter 5:9

<< 1 Corinthians 11:4

1 Corinthians 11:6 >>

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Conduct at the Lord’s Supper