Play This Verse Study
Scripture • World English Bible
1 Corinthians 11:1–16
1Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even 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 man, and the head of Christ is God.
4Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.
5But 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.
6For 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.
7For 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.
8For man is not from woman, but woman from man;
9for man wasn’t created for the woman, but woman for the man.
10For this cause the woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.
11Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord.
12For as woman came from man, so a man also comes through a woman; but all things are from God.
13Judge for yourselves. Is it appropriate that a woman pray to God unveiled?
14Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
15But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering.
16But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.
World English Bible (WEB) • Public Domain
Reflection
Paul opens this section by calling the Corinthians to imitate him as he imitates Christ. That brief command frames everything that follows: practices in worship are not mere customs to be defended for their own sake. They are to reflect Christ's lordship and the humility of those who follow him. Paul is concerned that how we present ourselves before God and one another in worship should honor the Father, acknowledge Christ as head, and build up the body.
The specific issues Paul addresses—coverings, hair, and signs of honor—were cultural ways the Corinthians signaled respect in public worship. Paul grounds his appeal not in arbitrary rules but in a theological pattern: Christ is the head of every man, man and woman bear mutual responsibilities, and God is the head of Christ. This ordering points us away from self-exaltation and toward worship that recognizes God’s authority and the dignity of others. At the same time, Paul insists that men and women are interdependent in the Lord. He refuses either/or thinking that elevates one to independence and diminishes the other. The point is not hierarchy for hierarchy's sake but a posture of honor and mutual care.
Paul also warns against contentiousness. If a practice is enforced as a test of faith rather than a way to honor God and love others, it fractures unity. The brief appeal about angels suggests that worship carries a heavenly dimension—the way we gather matters beyond this room. Our actions in worship should therefore reflect reverence, not rebellion or careless disregard.
How do we apply this in churches today? First, remember the principle more than the cultural detail: practices should point people to Christ, express humility, and promote unity. Whether a congregation uses particular symbols, dress norms, or order, the guiding question is: does this honor Christ and build others up? Second, teach and correct with patience and charity, giving context and reason rather than insisting on cultural forms as marks of true faith. Third, maintain mutual dependence: men and women serve the body together, recognizing distinct roles without asserting independence or superiority.
In all of this, imitate Christ. Paul’s example is not a call to adopt his personal habits but to embrace his Christlike heart—humble, reverent, and other-directed. When worship centers on Christ's headship and Christians seek the good of one another, honor becomes less about externals and more about a life and assembly that reflect the glory of God.
Putting Faith Into Action
- Before you lead or enter corporate worship, ask: Will my appearance, words, and attitude point people to Christ and show respect to fellow believers? Adjust practical details to serve that end.
- If you lead or teach, explain the theological reasons behind worship practices and offer room for culturally respectful expressions, avoiding compulsory tests on secondary matters.
- When disagreements arise over worship customs, choose humility: listen, learn the reasons behind others' convictions, and prioritize unity and love over proving you are right.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to honor you in how I worship and how I treat others in the assembly. Give me a humble heart that imitates you, wisdom to discern what builds others up, and patience to pursue unity without being contentious. Teach us to worship in ways that reflect your headship and your love. Amen.
Memory Verse
1 Corinthians 11:1 — Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. (WEB)
“Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
Bible Context
Read all of 1 Corinthians 11
+
Bible Context
Read all of 1 Corinthians 11
1 Corinthians 11
World English Bible • WEB
1Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even 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 man, and the head of Christ is God.
4Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.
5But 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.
6For 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.
7For 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.
8For man is not from woman, but woman from man;
9for man wasn’t created for the woman, but woman for the man.
10For this cause the woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.
11Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord.
12For as woman came from man, so a man also comes through a woman; but all things are from God.
13Judge for yourselves. Is it appropriate that a woman pray to God unveiled?
14Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
15But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering.
16But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.
17But in giving you this command I don’t praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.
18For first of all, when you come together in the assembly, I hear that divisions exist among you, and I partly believe it.
19For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you.
20When therefore you assemble yourselves together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.
21For in your eating each one takes his own supper first. One is hungry, and another is drunken.
22What, 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.
23For 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.
24When 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.”
25In 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.”
26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27Therefore 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.
28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.
30For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.
31For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged.
32But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
33Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
34But 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.
World English Bible (WEB) • Public Domain
Share Frontline Faith
Share this devotional
Copy the public link to share this devotional.