1 Corinthians 11:13
in 1 Corinthians 11Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Judge ye in yourselves: is it seemly that a woman pray unto God unveiled?
KJV
Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 11
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Judge in yourselves - Or, “Judge among yourselves.” I appeal to you. I appeal to your natural sense of what is proper and right. Paul had used various arguments to show them the impropriety of their females speaking unveiled in public. He now appeals to their natural sense of what was decent and right, according to established and acknowledged customs and habits. Is it comely ... - Is it decent, or becoming? The Grecian women, except their priestesses, were accustomed to appear in public with a veil - Doddridge.
This site's exposition
Judge for yourselves: Is it
on 1 Corinthians 11:13-15
Judge for yourselves appeals to the Corinthians' own sense of what is proper, as at 10:15. Nature, physis, is the settled custom of nearly every culture Paul knew.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
This was the church's tradition, but since the Corinthians were ignoring it, Paul made his appeal to nature.
Here then we see the just judgment of God's providence, that diversity of conduct is taken into account and that each is treated according to the deserts of his departure and defection from goodness.
"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?"
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says, Judge for yourselves, he submits to his bearers' judgment the things he had said. In regard to this he does two things: first, he submits the judgment to his rational hearers; secondly, he subdues the impudent ones. In regard to the …
Again he sets them themselves as judges, so that he may fully confirm what he desires. Here he hints at something Terrible, namely that the dishonor ascends all the way to God. …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Judge of yourselves - For what need of more arguments if so plain a case? Is it decent for a woman to pray to God - The Most High, with that bold and undaunted air which she must have, when, contrary to universal custom, she appears in public with her head uncovered?
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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Judge in yourselves,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Judge in yourselves - Consider the subject in your own common sense, and then say whether it be decent for a woman to pray in public without a veil on her head? The heathen priestesses prayed or delivered their oracles bare-headed or with dishevelled hair, non comptae mansere comae, as in the case of the Cumaean Sibyl, Aen. vi., ver. 48, and otherwise in great disorder: to be conformed to them would be very disgraceful to Christian women. And in reference to such things as these, the apostle appeals to their sense of honor and decency.
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐν | en | In | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | yourselves | G846 → | 5565 times |
| κρίνατε· | krinate | do judge: | G2919 → | 114 times |
| πρέπον | prepon | Becoming | G4241 → | |
| ἐστὶν | estin | is it | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| γυναῖκα | gunaika | for a woman | G1135 → | 211 times |
| ἀκατακάλυπτον | akatakalupton | revealed | G177 → | |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεῷ | theo | to God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| προσεύχεσθαι; | proseuchesthai | to pray? | G4336 → | 85 times |
ἐνIn
enG1722 →2738 times
ὑμῖνyou
huminG4771 →2973 times
αὐτοῖςyourselves
autoisG846 →5565 times
κρίνατε·do judge:
krinateG2919 →114 times
πρέπονBecoming
preponG4241 →
ἐστὶνis it
estinG1510 →2333 times
γυναῖκαfor a woman
gunaikaG1135 →211 times
ἀκατακάλυπτονrevealed
akatakaluptonG177 →
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
θεῷto God
theoG2316 →1312 times
προσεύχεσθαι;to pray?
proseuchesthaiG4336 →85 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 7:24Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 11:3–4
And He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear,
- James 2:9
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
- John 8:15
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
- Proverbs 17:15
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.
- Proverbs 24:23
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
- Isaiah 11:3–4
Through
Luke 12:57And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
it leads to
- John 7:24
Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”
- Deuteronomy 32:29
If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.
- John 7:24
Through
1 Corinthians 10:15I speak to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 26; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 1.7; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.