But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- KJV But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
- BSB And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is just as if her head were shaved.
- NASB But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for it is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved.
- NLT But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonors her head, as if shamefully shorn. Paul also assumes women did pray and prophesy in the assembly.
Overview
Paul addresses appropriate appearance for women participating audibly in worship, noting that an uncovered head carried shameful connotations in that culture. The verse incidentally shows that women prayed and prophesied in the gathered church. Christians differ on how the head-covering applies today, but agree the underlying concern is honoring God's design with propriety and not bringing shame on oneself or one's head.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Deut 21:12then you shall bring her home to your house. She shall shave her head and trim her nails.
- Luke 2:36There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,
- Acts 2:17‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams.
- Acts 21:9Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
- 1 Cor 14:34Let the women be quiet in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to be talking except in submission, as the law also says,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 11:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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