1 Corinthians 11

1 Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.

[Follow my example], just like I [try to] follow Christ’s example.

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.

I praise you because you remember all the things [that I taught you] and because you follow the instructions that I gave you. You have done just like I told you to do.

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.

[Now], I want you to know that the one who has authority over [MTY] every man is Christ, and the ones who have authority over women are men (OR, their husbands), and the one who has authority over Christ is God.

4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.

[So] if any man [wears a covering over] his head when he prays or speaks a message God gave him, he disgraces himself [SYN].

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.

Also, if any woman does not wear a covering over her head when she prays or speaks a message that God gave her, she disgraces herself (OR, she dishonors her husband). That would be acting like [SIM] [women who are ashamed because] their heads have been shaved.

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.

So, if women do not wear coverings over their heads [when they pray or speak messages that God gave them], they should let someone shave their heads [so that they will be ashamed]. But since women are ashamed if someone cuts their hair [short] or shaves off their hair, they should wear coverings over their heads [when they pray or speak messages that God gave them].

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.

Men should not wear coverings over their heads [when they pray or speak messages that God gave them], because they represent what God is like [MET] and they show how great God is. But women show how great men (OR, their husbands) are.

8 For man is not from woman, but woman from man;

[Remember that God intends that men have authority over women. We know that] because [God] did not make [the first] man, [Adam], from the [first] woman, [Eve]. Instead, he made that woman [from a bone that he took] from the man.

9 for man was not created for the woman, but woman for the man.

Also, [God] did not create [the first] man [to help] the woman. Instead, [he] created the woman [to help] the man.

10 For this cause the woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.

For that reason, women should wear something [to cover] their heads [as a symbol of their being under their husbands’] [MTY] authority. They should also [cover their heads] so that the angels [will see that and rejoice].

11 Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord.

However, remember that [even though God created the first] woman from [the first] man, all other men [have been born] from women. So men cannot be independent of women, nor can women be independent of men. But all things, [including men and women], come from God.

12 For as woman came from man, so a man also comes through a woman; but all things are from God.

13 Judge for yourselves. Is it appropriate that a woman pray to God unveiled?

Consider this for yourselves: Is it proper for [RHQ] women to pray to God while they do not have coverings over their heads?

14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?

(Everyone senses that it is disgraceful for men to have long hair./Doesn’t everyone sense that it is disgraceful for men to have long hair?) [RHQ]

15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering.

But it is very delightful if women have long hair, because [God] gave them long hair to be like a [beautiful] covering [for their heads].

16 But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.

But whoever wants to argue [with me about my saying that women should have a covering over their heads when they pray or speak a message from God should consider the fact that] we [apostles] do not [permit] any other custom, and the [other] congregations of God do not have any other custom.

17 But in giving you this command I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse.

Now I want to tell you [about some other things]. I do not praise you about them, because whenever you believers meet together, good [things do not happen]. Instead, bad things [happen].

18 For first of all, when you come together in the assembly, I hear that divisions exist among you, and I partly believe it.

First of all, people have told me that when you gather together as a group [to worship God], you divide into groups [that are hostile to each other]. To some extent I believe that is true.

19 For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you.

It seems that you must divide into [groups that despise each other] in order that it might be clear/evident which people among you [God] approves of!

20 When therefore you assemble yourselves together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.

When you gather together, you [IRO] eat the meal [that you say is to remember the death of] the Lord [Jesus for us].

21 For in your eating each one takes his own supper first. One is hungry, and another is drunken.

But [what happens when] you eat is that each person eats his own meal before [he thinks about sharing his food with anyone else]. As a result, [when the meal is over], some people are [still] hungry and others are drunk! [So it is not a meal that honors the Lord].

22 What, do not you have houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise God’s assembly and put them to shame who do not have enough? What shall I tell you? Shall I praise you? In this I do not praise you.

([You act as though] you do not have your own houses in which you can eat and drink [whatever you want to]!/Do you not have your own houses in which you can eat and drink [whatever you want to]?) [RHQ] Do you not realize [RHQ] [that by acting selfishly in this way], it is God’s people whom you are despising, and it is the poor people [in your group] whom you are treating as though they were not important? What shall I say to you about that [RHQ]? Do [you expect] me to praise you [about what you do] [RHQ]? I certainly will not praise you!

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.

The Lord taught me these things that I also taught you: During the night that Jesus was betrayed {[Judas] enabled [the enemies of] the Lord Jesus to seize him}, he took some bread.

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.”

After he thanked God for it, he broke it into pieces. [Then he gave it to his disciples] and said, “This bread [represents] [MET] (OR, is) my body, that [I am about to sacrifice] for you. Eat bread in this [way again and again] to remember my [offering myself as a sacrifice for you].”

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.”

Similarly, after they ate their meal, he took a cup [MTY] [of wine]. He [thanked God for it. Then he gave it to his disciples], saying, “[The wine in] [MTY] this cup [represents] [MET] (OR, is) my blood [that will flow from my body] ([to put into effect/to establish]) the new agreement [that God is making with people]. Whenever you drink wine in this way, do it to remember that [my blood flowed for you].”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

[Remember that] until the Lord [Jesus] returns [to the earth], whenever you eat the [bread that represents his body] and drink the wine [MTY] [that represents his blood], you are telling other people that he died [for you].

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.

So, those who eat that bread and drink that wine [MTY] in a way that is not proper [for those who belong to the Lord] are guilty of [acting in a way that is contrary to what] our [Lord intended when he offered] his body [as a sacrifice] and his blood [flowed when he died].

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Before any believer eats that bread and drinks that wine [MTY], he should think carefully about [what he is doing],

29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not discern the Lord’s body.

because if anyone eats [the bread that represents Christ’s body] and drinks [the wine that represents his blood] without recognizing that all God’s [people should be united, God will] punish him [for doing that].

30 For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep.

Many people in your group are weak and sick, and several have died [EUP] because of [the way they acted when they ate that bread and drank that wine].

31 For if we discerned ourselves, we would not be judged.

If we would think carefully about what we [are doing], [God] would not judge [and punish] us [like that].

32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

But when the Lord judges [and punishes] us [for acting wrongly], he disciplines us [to correct us], in order that he will not [need to] punish us when he punishes [the people who do not trust in Christ] [MTY].

33 Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

So, my fellow believers, when you gather together to eat [food to remember the Lord’s dying for you], wait until everyone [has arrived so that you can find out who does not have enough food].

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.

Those who are so hungry [that they cannot wait to eat until everyone else has arrived] should eat in their own homes [first], in order that when you gather together God will not judge [and punish them for] ([being inconsiderate of/not being concerned about]) [others]. And when I come [to Corinth] I will give you instructions about other matters [concerning the Lord’s Supper].