1 Corinthians 11:5

1 Corinthians 11:5 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved.
• English Standard Version (ESV)but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of 1 Corinthians 11:5

3This is something that I want you to know: Christ has authority over every man, as his head. Also, the head of a woman is her husband. And the head of Christ is God. 4So, when you meet together to worship God, remember this. When a man prays to God, or he speaks a message from God, he should not cover his head. If he does that, he does not respect the one who is his head. But when a woman prays or she speaks a message from God, she should cover her head. If she does not cover her head, she does not respect the one who is her head. It would be as bad as if she cut off all her hair. 6If a woman refuses to cover her head, she should cut off her hair. But, if a woman has no hair, or she has very short hair, she becomes very ashamed. So it is better that she should cover her head in your meetings. 7Men show what God is like and they show how great God is. So a man should not cover his head in your meetings. But a woman shows how great men are.

1 Corinthians 11:5 word by word

πᾶσα δὲ γυνὴ προσευχομένη ἢ προφητεύουσα ἀκατακαλύπτῳ τῇ κεφαλῇ καταισχύνει τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτῆς· ἓν γάρ ἐστιν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ τῇ ἐξυρημένῃ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• womanγυνήgunē · woman: wifeG1135
• that prayethπροσεύχομαιproseuchomai · to prayG4336
• orἤē · orG2228
• prophesiethπροφητεύωprophēteuō · to prophesyG4395
• withκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
• uncoveredἀκατακάλυπτοςakatakaluptos · uncoveredG177
• dishonourethκαταισχύνωkataischunō · to dishonorG2617
• herἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• that isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• even allκαίkai · andG2532
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• as ifξυράωxuraō · to shaveG3587
• sheαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 11:5

• Luke 2:36A very old woman called Anna was also there in the temple. She spoke messages that the Holy Spirit gave to her. She was the daughter of Phanuel, who belonged to the tribe of Asher. She had lived with her husband for seven years and then he had died.
• Acts 2:17God says “This is what I will do in the last days. I will give my Spirit to all people. Your sons and daughters will speak my message to people. Your young men will see visions in their minds. And your old men will see things in their dreams.
• Acts 21:9He had four daughters who were not married. They spoke messages from God.
• Deuteronomy 21:12Then you must bring her into your home. She must cut the hair off her head. She must cut her fingernails.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 11:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5But every woman that prayeth, etc. - Whatever may be the meaning of praying and prophesying, in respect to the man, they have precisely the same meaning in respect to the woman. So that some women at least, as well as some men, might speak to others to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. And this kind of prophesying or teaching was predicted by Joel, Joel 2:28, and referred to by Peter, Acts 2:17. And had there not been such gifts bestowed on…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth - In the Old Testament prophetesses are not unfrequently mentioned. Thus, Miriam is mentioned Exodus 15:20; Deborah Judges 4:4; Huldah 2 Kings 22:14; Noadiah Nehemiah 6:14. So also in the New Testament Anna is mentioned as a prophetess; Luke 2:36. That there were females in the early Christian church who corresponded to those known among the Jews in some measure as endowed with the inspiration of the Holy…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 2-16Verses 2-16 Here begin particulars respecting the public assemblies, ch. 1Co 14. In the abundance of spiritual gifts bestowed on the Corinthians, some abuses had crept in; but as Christ did the will, and sought the honour of God, so the Christian should avow his subjection to Christ, doing his will and seeking his glory. We should, even in our dress and habit, avoid every thing that may dishonour Christ. The woman was made subject to man, because made for…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6In this passage, head is used both literally and figuratively. A man who covers his physical head while praying dishonors his spiritual head, Christ. A woman who prays or prophesies without covering her physical head dishonors her spiritual head, her husband. The spiritual gift of prophesying is the God-given ability to speak a specific message from God, not just to predict the future (see 12:10; 14:1–5; 1 Thessalonians 5:20). every woman who prays or…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. woman ... prayeth ... prophesieth--This instance of women speaking in public worship is an extraordinary case, and justified only by the miraculous gifts which such women possessed as their credentials; for instance, Anna the prophetess and Priscilla (so Ac 2:18). The ordinary rule to them is: silence in public (1Co 14:34, 35; 1Ti 2:11, 12). Mental receptivity and activity in family life are recognized in Christianity, as most accordant with the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 11:5

• Wife
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Comely
• Cover
• Cup
• Custom
• Guilty
• Hear
• Judge
• Set
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Hair

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings