1 Corinthians 11
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
1 Corinthians chapter 11 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
3 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint John Chrysostom.
1 Corinthians 11
1Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε, καθὼς κἀγὼ Χριστοῦ.
2Now I praise you, brothers, because you remember me in all things, and you hold fast the traditions just as I handed down to you.Ἐπαινῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι πάντα μου μέμνησθε, καὶ καθὼς παρέδωκα ὑμῖν τὰς παραδόσεις κατέχετε.
3But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.Θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι, ὅτι παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ἡ κεφαλὴ ὁ Χριστός ἐστι· κεφαλὴ δὲ γυναικός, ὁ ἀνήρ· κεφαλὴ δὲ Χριστοῦ, ὁ Θεός.
4Every man who prays or who prophesies with his head covered, dishonors his head.Πᾶς ἀνὴρ προσευχόμενος ἢ προφητεύων, κατὰ κεφαλῆς ἔχων, καταισχύνει τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ.
5But every woman who prays or who prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her own head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.Πᾶσα δὲ γυνὴ προσευχομένη ἢ προφητεύουσα ἀκατακαλύπτῳ τῇ κεφαλῇ, καταισχύνει τὴν κεφαλὴν ἑαυτῆς· ἓν γάρ ἐστι καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ τῇ ἐξυρημένῃ.
6For if a woman is not covered, let her also have her hair cut. But if it is a shameful thing for a woman to have her hair cut, or to be shaved, let her be covered.Εἰ γὰρ οὐ κατακαλύπτεται γυνή, καὶ κειράσθω· εἰ δὲ αἰσχρὸν γυναικὶ τὸ κείρασθαι ἢ ξυρᾶσθαι, κατακαλυπτέσθω.
7For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.Ἀνὴρ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ὀφείλει κατακαλύπτεσθαι τὴν κεφαλήν, εἰκὼν καὶ δόξα Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων· γυνὴ δὲ δόξα ἀνδρός ἐστιν.
8For man did not come from woman, but woman from man.Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀνὴρ ἐκ γυναικός, ἀλλὰ γυνὴ ἐξ ἀνδρός·
9Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἐκτίσθη ἀνὴρ διὰ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἀλλὰ γυνὴ διὰ τὸν ἄνδρα·
10Because of this, the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.διὰ τοῦτο ὀφείλει ἡ γυνὴ ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς διὰ τοὺς ἀγγέλους.
11Nevertheless, neither is the man apart from the woman, nor the woman apart from the man, in the Lord.Πλὴν οὔτε ἀνὴρ χωρὶς γυναικός, οὔτε γυνὴ χωρὶς ἀνδρός, ἐν Κυρίῳ.
12For as the woman is from the man, even so the man is by the woman; but all things are of God.Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ γυνὴ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρός, οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ διὰ τῆς γυναικός, τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
13Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God uncovered?Ἐν ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς κρίνατε· πρέπον ἐστὶ γυναῖκα ἀκατακάλυπτον τῷ Θεῷ προσεύχεσθαι;
14Does not nature itself teach you, that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?Ἢ οὐδὲ αὐτὴ ἡ φύσις διδάσκει ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ἀνὴρ μὲν ἐὰν κομᾷ, ἀτιμία αὐτῷ ἐστι;
15But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory for her; because her long hair has been given to her in place of a covering.Γυνὴ δὲ ἐὰν κομᾷ, δόξα αὐτῇ ἐστιν. Ὅτι ἡ κόμη ἀντὶ περιβολαίου δέδοται.
16But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.Εἰ δέ τις δοκεῖ φιλόνεικος εἶναι, ἡμεῖς τοιαύτην συνήθειαν οὐκ ἔχομεν, οὐδὲ αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τοῦ Θεοῦ.
17Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, because you are not coming together for the better, but for the worse.Τοῦτο δὲ παραγγέλλων οὐκ ἐπαινῶ, ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸ ἧττον συνέρχεσθε.
18For first of all, when you come together in church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ συνερχομένων ὑμῶν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἀκούω σχίσματα ἐν ὑμῖν ὑπάρχειν, καὶ μέρος τι πιστεύω.
19For there must also be sects among you, in order that those who are approved may become recognized among you.Δεῖ γὰρ καὶ αἱρέσεις ἐν ὑμῖν εἶναι, ἵνα οἱ δόκιμοι φανεροὶ γένωνται ἐν ὑμῖν.
20Therefore when you assemble in the same place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.Συνερχομένων οὖν ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό, οὐκ ἔστι κυριακὸν δεῖπνον φαγεῖν.
21For when you eat, each one takes first his own supper, and one goes hungry and another is drunk!Ἕκαστος γὰρ τὸ ἴδιον δεῖπνον προλαμβάνει ἐν τῷ φαγεῖν, καὶ ὃς μὲν πεινᾷ, ὃς δὲ μεθύει.
22What? Have you not houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God, and disgrace those who do not have? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.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.
23For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered unto you: that the Lord Jesus, during the night in which He was betrayed, took bread;Ἐγὼ γὰρ παρέλαβον ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου ὃ καὶ παρέδωκα ὑμῖν, ὅτι ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ᾗ παρεδίδοτο ἔλαβεν ἄρτον,
24and having given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which has been broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”καὶ εὐχαριστήσας ἔκλασε καὶ εἶπε, Λάβετε, φάγετε· τοῦτό μού ἐστι τὸ σῶμα τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κλώμενον· τοῦτο ποιεῖτε εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν.
25Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”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.
26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.Ὁσάκις γὰρ ἂν ἐσθίητε τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον, καὶ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο πίνητε, τὸν θάνατον τοῦ Κυρίου καταγγέλλετε ἄχρις οὗ ἂν ἔλθῃ.
27Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord irreverently will be guilty of the body of the Lord and of the blood of the Lord.Ὥστε ὃς ἂν ἐσθίῃ τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον ἢ πίνῃ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ Κυρίου ἀναξίως, ἔνοχος ἔσται τοῦ σώματος καὶ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ Κυρίου.
28But let a man examine himself, and in this way let him eat from the bread and drink from the cup.Δοκιμαζέτω δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἑαυτόν, καὶ οὕτως ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου ἐσθιέτω, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου πινέτω.
29For he that eats and drinks irreverently eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.Ὁ γὰρ ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων ἀναξίως, κρίμα ἑαυτῷ ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει, μὴ διακρίνων τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Κυρίου.
30Because of this many among you are weak and sick, and many have died.Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῖν πολλοὶ ἀσθενεῖς καὶ ἄρρωστοι, καὶ κοιμῶνται ἱκανοί.
31For if we judge ourselves correctly, we would not be judged.Εἰ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς διεκρίνομεν, οὐκ ἂν ἐκρινόμεθα.
32But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, in order that we may not be condemned along with the world.Κρινόμενοι δέ, ὑπὸ Κυρίου παιδευόμεθα, ἵνα μὴ σὺν τῷ κόσμῳ κατακριθῶμεν.
33Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.Ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου, συνερχόμενοι εἰς τὸ φαγεῖν, ἀλλήλους ἐκδέχεσθε.
34But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will put in order when I come.Εἰ δέ τις πεινᾷ, ἐν οἴκῳ ἐσθιέτω· ἵνα μὴ εἰς κρίμα συνέρχησθε. Τὰ δὲ λοιπά, ὡς ἂν ἔλθω, διατάξομαι.
The Fathers on 1 Corinthians 11
Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On 1 Corinthians 11:2Saint John ChrysostomHaving 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. For that which I said before, this do I also now say, that he doth not set down all the heavy accu...
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians →
On 1 Corinthians 11:17Saint John ChrysostomBut in giving you this charge, I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians →
On 1 Corinthians 11:28Open 1 Corinthians 11 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint John ChrysostomBut let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians →