Chapter 11

Be imitators of me, in so far as I in turn am an imitator of Christ.

Now I commend you for remembering me in everything, and because you hold fast truths and practices precisely as I have taught them to you.

I would have you know, however, that of every man, Christ is the Head, that of a woman her husband is the Head, and that God is Christ's Head.

A man who wears a veil when praying or prophesying dishonors his Head;

but a woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her Head, for it is exactly the same as if she had her hair cut short.

If a woman will not wear a veil, let her also cut off her hair. But since it is a dishonor to a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her wear a veil.

For a man ought not to have a veil on his head, since he is the image and glory of God; while woman is the glory of man.

Man does not take his origin from woman, but woman takes hers from man.

For man was not created for woman's sake, but woman for man's.

That is why a woman ought to have on her head a symbol of subjection, because of the angels.

Yet, in the Lord, woman is not independent of man nor man independent of woman.

For just as woman originates from man, so also man comes into existence through woman, but everything springs originally from God.

Judge of this for your own selves: is it seemly for a woman to pray to God when she is unveiled?

Does not Nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair it is a dishonor to him,

but that if a woman has long hair it is her glory, because her hair was given her for a covering?

But if any one is inclined to be contentious on the point, we have no such custom, nor have the Churches of God.

But while giving you these instructions, there is one thing I cannot praise--your meeting together, with bad rather than good results.

for, in the first place, when you meet as a Church, there are divisions among you. This is what I am told, and I believe that there is some truth in it.

For there must of necessity be differences of opinion among you, in order that it may be plainly seen who are the men of sterling worth among you.

When, however, you meet in one place, there is no eating the Supper of the Lord;

for it is his own supper of which each of you is in a hurry to partake, and one eats like a hungry man, while another has already drunk to excess.

Why, have you no homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you wish to show your contempt for the Church of God and make those who have no homes feel ashamed? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this matter I certainly do not praise you.

For it was from the Lord that I received the facts which, in turn, I handed on to you; how that the Lord Jesus, on the night He was to be betrayed, took some bread,

and after giving thanks He broke it and said, 'This is my body which is about to be broken for you. Do this in memory of me.'

In the same way, when the meal was over, He also took the cup. 'This cup,' He said, 'is the new Covenant of which my blood is the pledge. Do this, every time that you drink it, in memory of me.'

For every time that you eat this bread and drink from the cup, you are proclaiming the Lord's death--until He returns.

Whoever, therefore, in an unworthy manner, eats the bread or drinks from the cup of the Lord sins against the body and blood of the Lord.

But let a man examine himself, and, having done that, then let him eat the bread and drink from the cup.

For any one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgement to himself, if he fails to estimate the body aright.

That is why many among you are sickly and out of health, and why not a few die.

If, however, we estimated ourselves aright, we should not be judged.

But when we are judged by the Lord, chastisement follows, to save us from being condemned along with the world.

Therefore, brethren, when you come together for this meal, wait for one another.

If any one is hungry, let him eat at home; so that your coming together may not lead to judgement. The other matters I will deal with whenever I come.