1 Corinthians 11

1 You are to imitate [follow as a pattern, be an example of] me, just as [in the same manner, even as] I imitate [mimic, follow the example of] Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah]. word study 2 Now I commend [praise, express appreciation for] you for remembering [recalling to mind, keeping in memory] me in everything [all things, every aspect] and for maintaining [keeping, holding fast to] the traditions [ordinances, teachings, customs] [handed down from me], just as [in the same way, according to] I passed [delivered, surrendered] them on to you. word study 3 But I want you to understand [to know and perceive] that the head [leader, source] of every man [adult male, husband] is Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], and the head [authority, ruler] of the woman [wife, female] is man [husband, male], and the head [sovereign, ruler] of Christ [the Son of God] is God [the Supreme Being, Creator]. word study 4 Every [all, each] man [adult male, husband] who prays [to worship, communicate with God] or [as an alternative] prophesies [speaks under inspiration from God, tells forth God’s message] with his head [the upper part of the body, a leader or source] covered [having something on, veiled] dishonors [brings shame, disgraces] his head [the leader, Christ, or his own person]. word study 5 And every [all, each] woman who prays [to worship, communicate with God] or prophesies [to speak under inspiration from God, foretell] with her head [the upper part of the body, a leader or source] uncovered [unveiled, without a covering] dishonors [brings shame, disgraces] her head, for it is just as if her head were [is the same as being] shaved [cut off, without hair]. word study 6 If a woman [or wife, female] does not cover [veil, completely conceal] her head, she should have her hair [locks, long hair] cut off [shorn, shaved]. And if it is shameful [morally base, disgraceful] for a woman [female, wife] to have her hair cut [shorn] or shaved [cut close, completely removed] off, she should cover [completely conceal, veil] her head. word study 7 A man [adult male, husband] ought not to cover [veil, completely cover] his head, since he is the image [likeness, representation] and glory [honor, praise] of God [the one true deity]; but the woman [wife, female] is the glory [honor, reflection] of man [husband, male]. word study 8 For man [the adult male, husband] did not come [originate, have his source] from woman [the female, wife], but woman [the female, wife] from man [the adult male, husband]. word study 9 Neither was man [the adult male, husband] created [brought into being, formed] for woman [the female, wife], but woman [the female, wife] for man [the adult male, husband]. word study 10 For this reason [because of the previous discussion] a woman [wife or female] ought to have [possess, be under obligation to have] a sign [token] of authority [power, freedom to act] on her head [as a leader, or source of identity], because of [through, on account of] the angels [messengers, heavenly beings]. word study 11 In the Lord [God, the supreme authority], however [but, introducing a contrast], woman [a female, either married or unmarried] is not independent [separate, without need] of man [an adult male, a husband], nor [neither] is man [an adult male, a husband] independent [separate, without need] of woman [a female, either married or unmarried]. word study 12 For just as [in the same way, exactly like] woman [a female, either married or unmarried] came from [originated, was taken] man [an adult male, a husband], so also [in the same manner, thus] man [a male, a husband] is born [brought into existence, given life] of [through, from] woman [a female, a wife]. But everything [all things, the whole universe] comes [originates, is derived] from [out of, because of] God [the one true deity, the Creator]. word study 13 Judge [consider, evaluate, discern] for yourselves: Is it [seemly, fitting] proper for a woman [a female, a wife] to pray [to worship, to petition] to God [the one true deity, the Almighty] with her head [mind, spirit] uncovered [unveiled, without a covering]? word study 14 Doesn’t [even] nature [the natural world] itself teach you [instruct] that if a man [adult male] has long hair [be long-haired], it is [exists as] a [source of] disgrace [dishonour] to him [himself], word study 15 but that if a woman [a female] has long hair [wearing long locks], it is her glory [honor and praise]? For long hair [a symbol of beauty] is given to her as [instead of] a covering [a veil or mantle]. word study 16 If anyone is inclined to dispute this [is inclined to dispute, seems to be contentious], we have [no such custom] no other practice, nor do the churches [assemblies, gatherings] of God [the one true deity]. word study 17 In the following instructions [that I declare unto you, regarding your gatherings] I have no praise [or commendation] to offer, because your gatherings [when you come together, assemble] do more harm [worse, for the worse] than good [for the better, with profit]. word study 18 First of all [at the beginning, initially], I hear [am informed, have knowledge] that when you come together [assemble, gather] as a church [assembly, community of believers], there are divisions [splits, disagreements] among you [in your midst], and in part [to some extent, partially] I believe [trust, have faith] it [this report, the news]. word study 19 And indeed, there must be [divisions, sects, or factions] differences among you [as a necessary part of your spiritual journey] to show [make manifest, reveal] which of you are [tested, and genuine] approved. word study 20 Now then [at this point, therefore], when you [as a collective group] come together [to assemble], it is not [a strong negation] the Lord’s [belonging to Jesus] Supper [a meal of fellowship] you eat [to partake of food]. word study 21 For as you eat [take your meal, have supper], each [individually] of you goes ahead [takes beforehand] without sharing [giving to others] his meal [dinner]. While one remains [is left] hungry [with a strong need for food], another gets drunk [intoxicated]. word study 22 Don’t you have your own homes [houses to eat and drink in] in which to eat [consume food] and drink [swallow liquids]? Or do you despise [think little of, look down on] the church [assembly, community] of God [the one true deity] and humiliate [bring shame, dishonor] those who have nothing [are in need, lacking]? What can I say [speak, tell] to you? Shall I praise [applaud, commend] you for this [your actions]? No [certainly not], I will not [absolutely not]! word study 23 For I received [handed down to me] from the Lord [God, the supreme authority] what I also passed on [delivered, surrendered] to you: The Lord Jesus [the Christ, God’s Anointed], on the night [the time of darkness, the hour of betrayal] He was betrayed [handed over, surrendered], took [received, accepted] bread [loaves, food], word study 24 and when He had given thanks [to express gratitude, with praise], He broke [into pieces, to share] it and said, “This is My body [the whole physical person, My flesh], which is [given, broken] for you [on your behalf, for your benefit]; do this [as a memorial] in remembrance [to recall, to commemorate] of Me [My life, My sacrifice].” word study 25 In the same way [likewise, in a similar manner], after supper [the main meal of the day, the evening meal] He took the cup [a drinking vessel, the cup of wine], saying, “This cup [the cup of wine] is the new [fresh, recently made] covenant [a formal agreement, a promise] in My blood [the atoning blood, the blood of sacrifice]; do this [perform this act, observe this ritual], as often as you drink it [whenever you partake of it, as frequently as you participate], in remembrance [memory, commemoration] of Me [in honor of Me, to recall My sacrifice].” word study 26 For as often as [whenever it may happen] you eat this bread [a loaf of bread] and drink this cup [a drinking vessel], you proclaim [declare publicly, announce] the Lord’s [of God, the supreme authority] death [physical and spiritual separation] until He comes [returns, arrives]. word study 27 Therefore, whoever eats [consumes, partakes of] the bread [a loaf of bread] or drinks [swallows, participates in] the cup [a drinking vessel] of the Lord [the supreme authority] in an unworthy [disrespectful] manner [without honor] will be guilty [liable, responsible] of sinning [acting against, offending] against the body [the physical person] and blood [the atoning sacrifice] of the Lord [the supreme authority]. word study 28 Each one must [carefully, thoroughly] examine [test, prove] himself [their own heart, conscience] before he eats [partakes, consumes] of the bread [loaf, food] and drinks [takes a sip, imbibes] of the cup [chalice, vessel]. word study 29 For anyone who eats [consumes, takes part in the holy meal] and drinks [swallows, participates in the cup] without recognizing [discerning, being conscious of] the body [the Lord’s body, the church] eats and drinks judgment [condemnation, damnation] on himself [to themselves, bringing punishment upon themselves]. word study 30 That is why [because of this reason] many [a large number, numerous] among you are weak [feeble, lacking strength] and sick [ill, physically afflicted], and a number [several, many] of you have fallen asleep [died, passed away, fallen into a deep sleep]. word study 31 Now if [for, in the event that] we judged [examined, discerned] ourselves [our own hearts, motives] properly [with careful consideration, accurately], we would not [certainly not, under no circumstances] come under [be subject to, experience] judgment [condemnation, evaluation]. word study 32 But when we are judged [chastened, disciplined] by the Lord [God, the supreme authority], we are being disciplined [instructed, trained] so that we will not be condemned [judged against, punished] with the world [the earthly realm, sinful society]. word study 33 So [therefore, in this manner], my brothers [fellow believers, brethren], when you come together [assemble, gather] to eat [partake of food, the Lord’s Supper], wait [tarry, expect] for one another [each other, mutually]. word study 34 If anyone [who is in need, hungry] is hungry, he should eat at home [in his own house, privately], so that when you come together [assemble, convene] it will not result in [lead to, bring about] judgment [condemnation, punishment]. And when I come [arrive, visit], I will give instructions [direct, arrange] about the remaining [other, leftover] matters [things, issues]. word study