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1 Corinthians · Bible in Basic English

1 Corinthians 11 Bible in Basic English

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About BBE
  • Scholarly edition
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew (not verified)
  • NT: Critical text (not verified)
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Simplified language
  • 1965
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

BBE Bible in Basic English
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 So take me for your example, even as I take Christ for mine.
1 Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.
1 Μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε, καθὼς κἀγὼ Χριστοῦ.
2 Now I am pleased to see that you keep me in memory in all things, and that you give attention to the teaching which was handed down from me to you.
2 Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you.
2 Ἐπαινῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι πάντα μου μέμνησθε καὶ καθὼς παρέδωκα ὑμῖν τὰς παραδόσεις κατέχετε.
3 But it is important for you to keep this fact in mind, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.
3 But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
3 θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι ὅτι παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ἡ κεφαλὴ ὁ Χριστός ἐστι, κεφαλὴ δὲ γυναικὸς ὁ ἀνήρ, κεφαλὴ δὲ Χριστοῦ ὁ Θεός.
4 Every man who takes part in prayer, or gives teaching as a prophet, with his head covered, puts shame on his head.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.
4 πᾶς ἀνὴρ προσευχόμενος ἢ προφητεύων κατὰ κεφαλῆς ἔχων καταισχύνει τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ.
5 But every woman who does so with her head unveiled, puts shame on her head: for it is the same as if her hair was cut off.
5 But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonors her head. For it is one and the same thing as if she were shaved.
5 πᾶσα δὲ γυνὴ προσευχομένη ἢ προφητεύουσα ἀκατακαλύπτῳ τῇ κεφαλῇ καταισχύνει τὴν κεφαλὴν ἑαυτῆς· ἓν γάρ ἐστι καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ τῇ ἐξυρημένῃ.
6 For if a woman is not veiled, let her hair be cut off; but if it is a shame to a woman to have her hair cut off, let her be veiled.
6 For if a woman is not covered, let her hair also be cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or be shaved, let her be covered.
6 εἰ γὰρ οὐ κατακαλύπτεται γυνή, καὶ κειράσθω· εἰ δὲ αἰσχρὸν γυναικὶ τὸ κείρασθαι ἢ ξυρᾶσθαι, κατακαλυπτέσθω.
7 For it is not right for a man to have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
7 For a man indeed ought not to have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man.
7 ἀνὴρ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ὀφείλει κατακαλύπτεσθαι τὴν κεφαλήν, εἰκὼν καὶ δόξα Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων· γυνὴ δὲ δόξα ἀνδρός ἐστιν.
8 For the man did not come from the woman, but the woman from the man.
8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man;
8 οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀνὴρ ἐκ γυναικός, ἀλλὰ γυνὴ ἐξ ἀνδρός·
9 And the man was not made for the woman, but the woman for the man.
9 for man wasn’t created for the woman, but woman for the man.
9 καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἐκτίσθη ἀνὴρ διὰ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἀλλὰ γυνὴ διὰ τὸν ἄνδρα.
10 For this reason it is right for the woman to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.
10 For this cause the woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.
10 διὰ τοῦτο ὀφείλει ἡ γυνὴ ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς διὰ τοὺς ἀγγέλους.
11 But the woman is not separate from the man, and the man is not separate from the woman in the Lord.
11 Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord.
11 πλὴν οὔτε ἀνὴρ χωρὶς γυναικὸς οὔτε γυνὴ χωρὶς ἀνδρὸς ἐν Κυρίῳ·
12 For as the woman is from the man, so the man is through the woman; but all things are from God.
12 For as woman came from man, so a man also comes through a woman; but all things are from God.
12 ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ γυνὴ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρός, οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ διὰ τῆς γυναικός, τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
13 Be judges yourselves of the question: does it seem right for a woman to take part in prayer unveiled?
13 Judge for yourselves. Is it appropriate that a woman pray to God unveiled?
13 ἐν ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς κρίνατε· πρέπον ἐστὶ γυναῖκα ἀκατακάλυπτον τῷ Θεῷ προσεύχεσθαι;
14 Does it not seem natural to you that if a man has long hair, it is a cause of shame to him?
14 Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
14 ἢ οὐδὲ αὐτὴ ἡ φύσις διδάσκει ὑμᾶς ὅτι ἀνὴρ μὲν ἐὰν κομᾷ, ἀτιμία αὐτῷ ἐστι,
15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given to her for a covering.
15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering.
15 γυνὴ δὲ ἐὰν κομᾷ, δόξα αὐτῇ ἐστιν; ὅτι ἡ κόμη ἀντὶ περιβολαίου δέδοται αὐτῇ.
16 But if any man will not be ruled in this question, this is not our way of doing things, and it is not done in the churches of God.
16 But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.
16 Εἰ δέ τις δοκεῖ φιλόνεικος εἶναι, ἡμεῖς τοιαύτην συνήθειαν οὐκ ἔχομεν, οὐδὲ αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τοῦ Θεοῦ.
17 But in giving you this order, there is one thing about which I am not pleased: it is that when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.
17 But in giving you this command I don’t praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.
17 Τοῦτο δὲ παραγγέλλων οὐκ ἐπαινῶ ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸ ἧττον συνέρχεσθε.
18 For first of all, it has come to my ears that when you come together in the church, there are divisions among you, and I take the statement to be true in part.
18 For first of all, when you come together in the assembly, I hear that divisions exist among you, and I partly believe it.
18 πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ συνερχομένων ὑμῶν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀκούω σχίσματα ἐν ὑμῖν ὑπάρχειν, καὶ μέρος τι πιστεύω·
19 For divisions are necessary among you, in order that those who have God's approval may be clearly seen among you.
19 For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you.
19 δεῖ γὰρ καὶ αἱρέσεις ἐν ὑμῖν εἶναι, ἵνα οἱ δόκιμοι φανεροὶ γένωνται ἐν ὑμῖν.
20 But now, when you come together, it is not possible to take the holy meal of the Lord:
20 When therefore you assemble yourselves together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.
20 συνερχομένων οὖν ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ οὐκ ἔστι κυριακὸν δεῖπνον φαγεῖν·
21 For when you take your food, everyone takes his meal before the other; and one has not enough food, and another is the worse for drink.
21 For in your eating each one takes his own supper first. One is hungry, and another is drunken.
21 ἕκαστος γὰρ τὸ ἴδιον δεῖπνον προλαμβάνει ἐν τῷ φαγεῖν, καὶ ὃς μὲν πεινᾷ, ὃς δὲ μεθύει.
22 What? have you not houses to take your meals in? or have you no respect for the church of God, putting the poor to shame? What am I to say to you? am I to give you praise? certainly not.
22 What, don’t you have houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise God’s assembly and put them to shame who don’t have enough? What shall I tell you? Shall I praise you? In this I don’t praise you.
22 μὴ γὰρ οἰκίας οὐκ ἔχετε εἰς τὸ ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν; ἢ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Θεοῦ καταφρονεῖτε, καὶ καταισχύνετε τοὺς μὴ ἔχοντας; τί ὑμῖν εἴπω; ἐπαινέσω ὑμᾶς ἐν τούτῳ; οὐκ ἐπαινῶ.
23 For it was handed down to me from the Lord, as I gave it to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when Judas was false to him, took bread,
23 For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread.
23 ἐγὼ γὰρ παρέλαβον ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου ὃ καὶ παρέδωκα ὑμῖν, ὅτι ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ᾗ παρεδίδοτο ἔλαβεν ἄρτον καὶ εὐχαριστήσας ἔκλασε καὶ εἶπε·
24 And when it had been broken with an act of praise, he said, This is my body which is for you: do this in memory of me.
24 When he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.”
24 λάβετε φάγετε· τοῦτό μού ἐστι τὸ σῶμα τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κλώμενον· τοῦτο ποιεῖτε εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν.
25 In the same way, with the cup, after the meal, he said, This cup is the new testament in my blood: do this, whenever you take it, in memory of me.
25 In the same way he also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.”
25 ὡσαύτως καὶ τὸ ποτήριον μετὰ τὸ δειπνῆσαι λέγων· τοῦτο τὸ ποτήριον ἡ καινὴ διαθήκη ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ αἵματι· τοῦτο ποιεῖτε, ὁσάκις ἂν πίνητε, εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν.
26 For whenever you take the bread and the cup you give witness to the Lord's death till he comes.
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
26 ὁσάκις γὰρ ἂν ἐσθίητε τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον καὶ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο πίνητε, τὸν θάνατον τοῦ Κυρίου καταγγέλλετε, ἄχρις οὗ ἂν ἔλθῃ.
27 If, then, anyone takes the bread or the cup of the Lord in the wrong spirit, he will be responsible for the body and blood of the Lord.
27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
27 ὥστε ὃς ἂν ἐσθίῃ τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον ἢ πίνῃ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ Κυρίου ἀναξίως, ἔνοχος ἔσται τοῦ σώματος καὶ αἵματος τοῦ Κυρίου.
28 But let no man take of the bread and the cup without testing himself.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
28 δοκιμαζέτω δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἑαυτόν, καὶ οὕτως ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου ἐσθιέτω καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου πινέτω·
29 For a man puts himself in danger, if he takes part in the holy meal without being conscious that it is the Lord's body.
29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.
29 ὁ γὰρ ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων ἀναξίως κρῖμα ἑαυτῷ ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει, μὴ διακρίνων τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Κυρίου.
30 For this cause a number of you are feeble and ill, and a number are dead.
30 For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.
30 διὰ τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῖν πολλοὶ ἀσθενεῖς καὶ ἄρρωστοι καὶ κοιμῶνται ἱκανοί.
31 But if we were true judges of ourselves, punishment would not come on us.
31 For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged.
31 εἰ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς διεκρίνομεν, οὐκ ἂν ἐκρινόμεθα·
32 But if punishment does come, it is sent by the Lord, so that we may be safe when the world is judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
32 κρινόμενοι δὲ ὑπὸ [τοῦ] Κυρίου παιδευόμεθα, ἵνα μὴ σὺν τῷ κόσμῳ κατακριθῶμεν.
33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to the holy meal of the Lord, let there be waiting for one another.
33 Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
33 Ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου, συνερχόμενοι εἰς τὸ φαγεῖν ἀλλήλους ἐκδέχεσθε·
34 If any man is in need of food, let him take his meal in his house; so that you may not come together to your damage. And the rest I will put in order when I come.
34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest your coming together be for judgment. The rest I will set in order whenever I come.
34 εἰ δέ τις πεινᾷ, ἐν οἴκῳ ἐσθιέτω, ἵνα μὴ εἰς κρῖμα συνέρχησθε. Τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ ὡς ἂν ἔλθω διατάξομαι.
Cross references (30)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 Philippians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Ephesians 5:1–2; 1 Corinthians 4:16; Hebrews 6:12
  2. 2 2 Thessalonians 2:15; 1 Corinthians 4:17; Proverbs 31:28–31; 1 Corinthians 11:22; 2 Thessalonians 3:6
  3. 3 Genesis 3:16; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 3:23; Colossians 3:18; Ephesians 4:15
  4. 4 2 Samuel 15:30; 2 Samuel 19:4; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 11:14
  5. 5 Deuteronomy 21:12; Luke 2:36; Acts 2:17; 1 Corinthians 14:34; Acts 21:9
  6. 6 Deuteronomy 22:5
  7. 7 1 Corinthians 11:3; Genesis 9:6; Genesis 1:26–27; Genesis 5:1; Psalm 8:6
  8. 8 1 Timothy 2:13; Genesis 2:21–23
  9. 9 Genesis 2:18; Genesis 2:23–24
  10. 10 Genesis 24:64–65; Hebrews 1:14; Matthew 18:10
  11. 11 Galatians 3:28; 1 Corinthians 7:10–14; 1 Corinthians 12:12–22
  12. 12 Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Proverbs 16:4; Hebrews 1:2–3
  13. 13 Luke 12:57; 1 Corinthians 10:15; John 7:24
  14. 16 1 Corinthians 7:17; 1 Timothy 6:3–4; 1 Thessalonians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 14:33–34; Acts 21:24
  15. 17 Hebrews 10:25; Isaiah 58:1–4; 1 Peter 2:14; 1 Corinthians 11:22; 1 Corinthians 14:23
  16. 18 1 Corinthians 3:3; 1 Corinthians 1:10–12; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Corinthians 6:1
  17. 19 1 John 2:19; Titus 3:10; Acts 20:30; Luke 17:1; Deuteronomy 13:3
  18. 21 Jude 12; 2 Peter 2:13; 1 Corinthians 10:16–18; 1 Corinthians 11:23–25
  19. 22 Proverbs 17:5; James 2:5–6; Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 10:32; 1 Timothy 3:15
  20. 23 Luke 22:19–20; Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; 1 Corinthians 11:23–25; 1 Corinthians 15:3
  21. 24 John 6:53–58; 1 Corinthians 11:27–28; 1 Corinthians 10:3–4; Exodus 12:14; Isaiah 26:8
  22. 25 Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:15–20; Hebrews 13:20; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 2 Corinthians 3:14
  23. 26 Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 1:7; John 14:3; 1 John 2:28; Acts 1:11
  24. 27 John 6:51; 1 Corinthians 10:21; Hebrews 10:29; Numbers 9:13; Numbers 9:10
  25. 28 Galatians 6:4; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Lamentations 3:40; Matthew 5:23–24; 1 Corinthians 11:31
  26. 29 1 Corinthians 11:27; 1 Corinthians 11:32–34; 1 Corinthians 11:30; Hebrews 5:14; 1 Corinthians 11:24
  27. 30 Revelation 3:19; Exodus 15:26; Amos 3:2; Psalm 38:1–8; Numbers 20:12
  28. 31 1 John 1:9; Psalm 32:3–5; Revelation 2:5; 1 Corinthians 11:28; Revelation 3:2–3
  29. 32 Proverbs 3:11–12; Hebrews 12:5–11; Revelation 3:19; Psalm 118:18; Deuteronomy 8:5
  30. 34 1 Corinthians 11:21–22; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 1 Corinthians 4:19; Titus 1:5; 1 Corinthians 16:2

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Commentary 11:2 John Chrysostom, Homilies on First Corinthians (Homily XXVI)

    Having completed the discourse concerning the idol-sacrifices as became him, and having rendered it most perfect in all respects, he proceeds to another thing, which also itself was a complaint, but not so great a one.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)

  2. Quotes verse 11:10 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies (Book I, Chapter VIII)

    … one born out of due time." Again, the coming of the Saviour with His attendants to Achamoth is declared in like manner by him in the same Epistle, when he says, "A woman ought to have a veil upon her head, because of the angels." Now, that Achamoth, when the Saviour came to her, drew a veil over herself through …

    Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)

  3. Quotes verse 11:19 Augustine of Hippo, Confessions (Book VII, Chapters XVI–XIX)

    For there must be also heresies, that the approved may be made manifest among the weak.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)

  4. Quotes verse 11:27 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily VII)

    For him do they resemble, who partake of the mysteries unworthily: it being said, that such a one "shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord." Yes; for they have in themselves the tyrant who is grieved at Christ's kingdom, him that is more wicked than Herod of old, even Mammon.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)

  5. Quotes verse 11:3 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture XIII)

    As the Apostle says, Who is the Image of the Invisible God; and a little after, and He is the Head of the body, the Church. And again, The Head of every man is Christ; and again, Who is the Head of all principality and power.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)