TRV
Translation
King James Version
But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
Complete Jewish Bible
But a woman who wears her hair long enhances her appearance, because her hair has been given to her as a covering.
Berean Standard Bible
but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.
American Standard Version
But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
World English Bible Messianic
But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering.
Geneva Bible (1599)
But if a woman haue long heare, it is a prayse vnto her: for her heare is giuen her for a couering.
Young's Literal Translation
and a woman, if she have long hair, a glory it is to her, because the hair instead of a covering hath been given to her;
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In the KJVVerse 28,616 of 31,102
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Commentary on 1 Corinthians 11 verses 1–16
1 ¶ Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5 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.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
Paul, having answered the cases put to him, proceeds in this chapter to the redress of grievances. The first verse of the chapter is put, by those who divided the epistle into chapters, as a preface to the rest of the epistle, but seems to have been a more proper close to the last, in which he had enforced the cautions he had given against the abuse of liberty, by his own example: Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ (Co1 11:1), fitly closes his argument; and the way of speaking in the next verse looks like a transition to another. But, whether it more properly belong to this or the last chapter, it is plain from it that Paul not only preached such doctrine as they ought to believe, but led such a life as they ought to imitate. "Be ye followers of me," that is, "Be imitators of me; live as you see me live." Note, Ministers are likely to preach most to the purpose when they can press their hearers to follow their example. Yet would not Paul be followed blindly neither. He encourages neither implicit faith nor obedience. He would be followed himself no further than he followed Christ. Christ's pattern is a copy without a blot; so is no man's else. Note, We should follow no leader further than he follows Christ. Apostles should be left by us when they deviate from the example of their Master. He passes next to reprehend and reform an indecency among them, of which the women were more especially guilty, concerning which observe,
I. How he prefaces it. He begins with a commendation of what was praiseworthy in them (Co1 11:2): I praise you, that you remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances as I delivered them to you. Many of them, it is probable, did this in the strictest sense of the expression: and he takes occasion thence to address the body of the church under this good character; and the body might, in the main, have continued to observe the ordinances and institutions of Christ, though in some things they deviated fRom. and corrupted, them. Note, When we reprove what is amiss in any, it is very prudent and fit to commend what is good in them; it will show that the reproof is not from ill-will, and a humour of censuring and finding fault; and it will therefore procure the more regard to it.
II. How he lays the foundation for his reprehension by asserting the superiority of the man over the woman: I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. Christ, in his mediatorial character and glorified humanity, is at the head of mankind. He is not only first of the kind, but Lord and Sovereign. He has a name above every name: though in this high office and authority he has a superior, God being his head. And as God is the head of Christ, and Christ the head of the whole human kind, so the man is the head of the tow sexes: not indeed with such dominion as Christ has over the kind or God has over the man Christ Jesus; but a superiority and headship he has, and the woman should be in subjection and not assume or usurp the man's place. This is the situation in which God has placed her; and for that reason she should have a mind suited to her rank, and not do any thing that looks like an affectation of changing places. Something like this the women of the church of Corinth seem to have been guilty of, who were under inspiration, and prayed and prophesied even in their assemblies, Co1 11:5. It is indeed an apostolical canon, that the women should keep silence in the churches (Co1 14:34; Ti1 2:12), which some understand without limitation, as if a woman under inspiration also must keep silence, which seems very well to agree with the connection of the apostle's discourse, ch. 14. Others with a limitation: though a woman might not from her own abilities pretend to teach, or so much as question and debate any thing in the church yet when under inspiration the case was altered, she had liberty to speak. Or, though she might not preach even by inspiration (because teaching is the business of a superior), yet she might pray or utter hymns by inspiration, even in the public assembly. She did not show any affectation of superiority over the man by such acts of public worship. It is plain the apostle does not in this place prohibit the thing, but reprehend the manner of doing it. And yet he might utterly disallow the thing and lay an unlimited restraint on the woman in another part of the epistle. These things are not contradictory. It is to his present purpose to reprehend the manner wherein the women prayed and prophesied in the church, without determining in this place whether they did well or ill in praying or prophesying. Note, The manner of doing a thing enters into the morality of it. We must not only be concerned to do good, but that the good we do be well done.
III. The thing he reprehends is the woman's praying or prophesying uncovered, or the man's doing either covered, Co1 11:4, Co1 11:5. To understand this, it must be observed that it was a signification either of shame or subjection for persons to be veiled, or covered, in the eastern countries, contrary to the custom of ours, where the being bare-headed betokens subjection, and being covered superiority and dominion. And this will help us the better to understand,
IV. The reasons on which he grounds his reprehension. 1. The man that prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonoureth his head, namely, Christ, the head of every man (Co1 11:3), by appearing in a habit unsuitable to the rank in which God has placed him. Note, We should, even in our dress and habits, avoid every thing that may dishonour Christ. The woman, on the other hand, who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head, namely, the man, Co1 11:3. She appears in the dress of her superior, and throws off the token of her subjection. She might, with equal decency, cut her hair short, or cut it close, which was the custom of the man in that age. This would be in a manner to declare that she was desirous of changing sexes, a manifest affectation of that superiority which God had conferred on the other sex. And this was probably the fault of these prophetesses in the church of Corinth. It was doing a thing which, in that age of the world, betokened superiority, and therefore a tacit claim of what did not belong to them but the other sex. Note, The sexes should not affect to change places. The order in which divine wisdom has placed persons and things is best and fittest: to endeavour to amend it is to destroy all order, and introduce confusion. The woman should keep to the rank God has chosen for her, and not dishonour her head; for this, in the result, is to dishonour God. If she was made out of the man, and for the man, and made to be the glory of the man, she should do nothing, especially in public, that looks like a wish of having this order inverted. 2. Another reason against this conduct is that the man is the image and glory of God, the representative of that glorious dominion and headship which God has over the world. It is the man who is set at the head of this lower creation, and therein he bears the resemblance of God. The woman, on the other hand, is the glory of the man (Co1 11:7): she is his representative. Not but she has dominion over the inferior creatures, as she is a partaker of human nature, and so far is God's representative too, but it is at second-hand. She is the image of God, inasmuch as she is the image of the man: For the man was not made out of the woman, but the woman out of the man, Co1 11:8. The man was first made, and made head of the creation here below, and therein the image of the divine dominion; and the woman was made out of the man, and shone with a reflection of his glory, being made superior to the other creatures here below, but in subjection to her husband, and deriving that honour from him out of whom she was made. 3. The woman was made for the man, to be his help-meet, and not the man for the woman. She was naturally, therefore, made subject to him, because made for him, for his use, and help, and comfort. And she who was intended to be always in subjection to the man should do nothing, in Christian assemblies, that looks like an affectation of equality. 4. She ought to have power on her head, because of the angels. Power, that is, a veil, the token, not of her having the power or superiority, but being under the power of her husband, subjected to him, and inferior to the other sex. Rebekah, when she met Isaac, and was delivering herself into his possession, put on her veil, in token of her subjection, Gen 24:65. Thus would the apostle have the women appear In Christian assemblies, even though they spoke there by inspiration, because of the angels, that is, say some, because of the evil angels. The woman was first in the transgression, being deceived by the devil (Ti1 2:14), which increased her subjection to man, Gen 3:16. Now, believe evil angels will be sure to mix in all Christian assemblies, therefore should women wear the token of their shamefacedness and subjection, which in that age and country, was a veil. Others say because of the good angels. Jews and Christians have had an opinion that these ministering spirits are many of them present in their assemblies. Their presence should restrain Christians from all indecencies in the worship of God. Note, We should learn from all to behave in the public assemblies of divine worship so as to express a reverence for God, and a content and satisfaction with that rank in which he has placed us.
V. He thinks fit to guard his argument with a caution lest the inference be carried too far (Co1 11:11, Co1 11:12): Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man in the Lord. They were made for one another. It is not good for him to be alone (Gen 2:18), and therefore was a woman made, and made for the man; and the man was intended to be a comfort, and help, and defence, to the woman, though not so directly and immediately made for her. They were made to be a mutual comfort and blessing, not one a slave and the other a tyrant. Both were to be one flesh (Gen 2:24), and this for the propagation of a race of mankind. They are reciprocal instruments of each other's production. As the woman was first formed out of the man, the man is ever since propagated by the woman (Co1 11:12), all by the divine wisdom and power of the First Cause so ordaining it. The authority and subjection should be no greater than are suitable to two in such near relation and close union to each other. Note, As it is the will of God that the woman know her place, so it is his will also that the man abuse not his power.
VI. He enforces his argument from the natural covering provided for the woman (Co1 11:13-15): "Judge in yourselves - consult your own reason, hearken to what nature suggests - is it comely for a woman to pray to God uncovered? Should there not be a distinction kept up between the sexes in wearing their hair, since nature has made one? Is it not a distinction which nature has kept up among all civilized nations? The woman's hair is a natural covering; to wear it long is a glory to her; but for a man to have long hair, or cherish it, is a token of softness and effeminacy." Note, It should be our concern, especially in Christian and religious assemblies, to make no breach upon the rules of natural decency.
VII. He sums up all by referring those who were contentious to the usages and customs of the churches, Co1 11:16. Custom is in a great measure the rule of decency. And the common practice of the churches is what would have them govern themselves by. He does not silence the contentious by mere authority, but lets them know that they would appear to the world as very odd and singular in their humour if they would quarrel for a custom to which all the churches of Christ were at that time utter strangers, or against a custom in which they all concurred, and that upon the ground of natural decency. It was the common usage of the churches for women to appear in public assemblies, and join in public worship, veiled; and it was manifestly decent that they should do so. Those must be very contentious indeed who would quarrel with this, or lay it aside.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–16. Public domain.
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Clement of AlexandriaAD 215
The Instructor Book 3
But additions of other people's hair are entirely to be rejected, and it is a most sacrilegious thing for spurious hair to shade the head, covering the skull with dead locks. For on whom does the presbyter lay his hand? Whom does he bless? Not the woman decked out, but another's hair, and through them another head. And if "the man is head of the woman, and God of the man," how is it not impious that they should fall into double sins? For they deceive the men by the excessive quantity of their hair; and shame the Lord as far as in them lies, by adorning themselves meretriciously, in order to dissemble the truth. And they defame the head, which is truly beautiful.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on 1 Corinthians 26
"Judge ye in yourselves: is it seemly that a woman pray unto God veiled?" Again he places them as judges of the things said, which also he did respecting the idol-sacrifices. For as there he saith, "judge ye what I say:" so here, "judge in yourselves:" and he hints something more awful here. For he says that the affront here passes on unto God: although thus indeed he doth not express himself, but in something of a milder and more enigmatical form of speech: "is it seemly that a woman pray unto God unveiled?"
"Doth not even nature itself teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a dishonor unto him?"
"But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given her for a covering." His constant practice of stating commonly received reasons he adopts also in this place, betaking himself to the common custom, and greatly abashing those who waited to be taught these things from him, which even from men's ordinary practice they might have learned. For such things are not unknown even to Barbarians: and see how he every where deals in piercing expressions: "every man praying having his head covered dishonoreth his head;" and again, "but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be veiled:" and here again, "if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him; but if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given her for a covering."
"And if it be given her for a covering," say you, "wherefore need she add another covering?" That not nature only, but also her own will may have part in her acknowledgment of subjection. For that thou oughtest to be covered nature herself by anticipation enacted a law. Add now, I pray, thine own part also, that thou mayest not seem to subvert the very laws of nature; a proof of most insolent rashness, to buffet not only with us, but with nature also. This is why God accusing the Jews said, "Thou hast slain thy sons and thy daughters: this is beyond all thy abominations."
And again, Paul rebuking the unclean among the Romans thus aggravates the accusation, saying, that their usage was not only against the law of God, but even against nature. "For they changed the natural use into that which is against nature." For this cause then here also he employs this argument signifying this very thing, both that he is not enacting any strange law and that among Gentiles their inventions would all be reckoned as a kind of novelty against nature. So also Christ, implying the same, said, "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye also so them;" showing that He is not introducing any thing new.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
In 1 Corinthians 11:15, Paul concludes his discussion on head coverings by appealing to nature, asserting that a woman's long hair is inherently a source of glory to her, serving as a natural covering. This verse underscores the principle of divine order and distinction between genders, suggesting that even creation itself provides cues for appropriate decorum and honor, aligning with the broader call for all things to be done decently and in order within the Christian assembly.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Paul employs Argument from Nature in this verse, appealing to what is naturally evident and understood by common sense. By stating that nature itself teaches that long hair is a glory and a covering for a woman, he grounds his theological and practical instruction in a universal, created reality. This is a form of Rhetorical Question in the broader context of 1 Corinthians 11:13-14, where he asks the Corinthians to judge for themselves, implying an obvious answer. The use of Analogy is also present, as long hair is presented as a "covering" (peribólaion), drawing a parallel between a natural attribute and the symbolic function of a literal head covering, without equating the two. This analogy reinforces the principle of modesty and distinction.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
1 Corinthians 11:15 profoundly connects to the broader biblical themes of creation order, gender distinction, and the manifestation of God's glory in humanity. Paul argues that God's design is evident not only in explicit commands but also in the natural world. A woman's long hair is presented as a God-given attribute that brings her glory and serves as a natural covering, reflecting an inherent modesty and distinction that aligns with the divine order. This resonates with the idea that our physical bodies and natural attributes are not arbitrary but are part of God's purposeful creation, designed to reflect His wisdom and order. It underscores the principle that even in matters of appearance, believers are called to honor God's design and maintain a decorum that reflects His glory and the order of His church.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
1 Corinthians 11:15 invites believers to consider how God's design is woven into the very fabric of creation, including our physical bodies and natural attributes. For women, long hair is presented as a natural source of glory and a covering, signifying a God-given beauty and distinction. This doesn't impose a rigid legalistic requirement for hair length today, but rather calls us to a deeper appreciation for the wisdom of God's design in gender and to consider how our outward appearance can reflect an inner reverence for Him. It challenges us to think critically about cultural norms versus timeless biblical principles of modesty, honor, and distinction. Ultimately, our aim should be to conduct ourselves in a manner that brings glory to God, whether through our physical presentation or our spiritual disposition, ensuring that all we do contributes to the edification and order of the church.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does 1 Corinthians 11:15 command women to have long hair today, or is it merely a cultural observation?
Answer: 1 Corinthians 11:15 states that if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, and her hair is given for a covering. This verse is part of Paul's broader discussion in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 about order and decorum in public worship. While the immediate context involves cultural practices like head coverings, Paul appeals to "nature" in verses 14-15. The phrase "nature itself" (φύσις, physis) suggests an appeal to what is generally understood or inherent in creation, indicating that long hair is a natural attribute that brings honor and serves a symbolic purpose for women. Most scholars interpret this not as a universal command for women to maintain a specific hair length, but as an argument from natural design that reinforces the principle of gender distinction and modesty. The "covering" (περιβόλαιον, peribólaion) here is distinct from the literal head covering (κατακάλυψις, katakalypsis) mentioned earlier in the chapter, suggesting a natural, inherent "wrap" rather than a fabricated one. Therefore, the verse highlights a timeless principle of honoring God's design in gender and appearance, rather than a strict legalistic rule on hair length for all cultures and times.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While 1 Corinthians 11:15 speaks to creation order and natural glory, its ultimate fulfillment and profound significance are found in Christ. The "glory" (δόξα, dóxa) that a woman's long hair represents points to the greater glory of God, perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ. Christ Himself is the ultimate embodiment of divine order and the head of all creation (Colossians 1:15-17). The principles of distinction and decorum, which this verse touches upon, are ultimately upheld and transcended in the new creation inaugurated by Christ. In Him, the distinctions of male and female, though still present, are unified under His headship, where all believers are equally valued and have access to God (Galatians 3:28). Furthermore, the concept of "covering" for glory foreshadows Christ as our ultimate covering, whose righteousness covers our sin and grants us true glory before God (Romans 3:22). Thus, while the verse addresses practical matters of appearance, it subtly directs our gaze to the One who is the source of all true glory and the perfect fulfillment of God's design for humanity.