The big picture
1 Corinthians 11 opens in verse 1 with “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 17 with “Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the…”, and closes in verse 34 with “And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation…” Repeated or prominent terms include woman, head, Lord, drink, bread. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Corinthians · King James Version · 341 Corinthians 11:1-7
1–7: Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:1–7 opens with “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” and reaches “For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Men and women praying and prophesying in gathered worship within the honor conventions Paul addresses; Wealthier believers eating early while poorer members arrive hungry, followed by the church receiving the Lord’s Supper with discernment, with particular weight carried by head, woman, Christ.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” Naming Christ keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.” The line’s distinctive content terms include brethren, delivered, keep. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.
1 Corinthians 11:1-7
King James Version1Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
3But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
4Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
1 Corinthians 11:8-14
8–14: For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
1 Corinthians 11:8–14 opens with “For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.” and reaches “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Men and women praying and prophesying in gathered worship within the honor conventions Paul addresses; Wealthier believers eating early while poorer members arrive hungry, followed by the church receiving the Lord’s Supper with discernment, with particular weight carried by woman, angels, cause.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
1 Corinthians 11:8-14
King James Version8For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
9Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
10For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
11Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
12For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
13Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
1 Corinthians 11:15-21
15–21: If a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given…
1 Corinthians 11:15–21 opens with “But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.” and reaches “For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Men and women praying and prophesying in gathered worship within the honor conventions Paul addresses; Wealthier believers eating early while poorer members arrive hungry, followed by the church receiving the Lord’s Supper with discernment, with particular weight carried by hair, supper, approved.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.” The line’s distinctive content terms include hair, covering, glory. Its relationship to verses 16 shows what work it does in this passage.
1 Corinthians 11:15-21
King James Version15But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
16But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
17Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
18For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
19For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
20When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper.
21For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
1 Corinthians 11:22-28
22–28: What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the…
1 Corinthians 11:22–28 opens with “What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them…” and reaches “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Men and women praying and prophesying in gathered worship within the honor conventions Paul addresses; Wealthier believers eating early while poorer members arrive hungry, followed by the church receiving the Lord’s Supper with discernment, with particular weight carried by drink, bread, Lord.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
1 Corinthians 11:22-28
King James Version22What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
23For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
27Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
1 Corinthians 11:29-34
29–34: For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh…
1 Corinthians 11:29–34 opens with “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not…” and reaches “And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Men and women praying and prophesying in gathered worship within the honor conventions Paul addresses; Wealthier believers eating early while poorer members arrive hungry, followed by the church receiving the Lord’s Supper with discernment, with particular weight carried by drinketh, eateth, judged.
1 Corinthians 11:29-34
King James Version29For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
31For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
33Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
34And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
1 Corinthians 11:1 begins with “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
Where the chapter turns
1 Corinthians 11:17 forms a natural hinge: “Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.”
The final note
1 Corinthians 11:34 leaves the reader with “And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words woman, head, Lord, drink, bread, praise help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How will Abram's story answer Babel?
The builders seek to make their own name; God promises to make Abram's name great and to bless other families through him.
What obstacles frame the coming promise?
The family has not reached Canaan, and Sarai has no child.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- doth
- does
- wherefore
- for that reason
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.