1 Corinthians 11:4 BSB

1 Corinthians 11:4

Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head.

KJV

Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.

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Commentary

3 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

Praying, or prophesying - Any person who engages in public acts in the worship of God, whether prayer, singing, or exhortation: for we learn, from the apostle himself, that προφητευειν, to prophesy, signifies to speak unto men to edification, exhortation, and comfort, 1Co 14:3. And this comprehends all that we understand by exhortation, or even preaching.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

With his head - And face. Covered - Either with a veil or with long hair. Dishonoureth his head - St. Paul seems to mean, As in these eastern nations veiling the head is a badge of subjection, so a man who prays or prophesies with a veil on his head, reflects a dishonour on Christ, whose representative he is.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Why, then, ought not man to wear the covering in token of his subjection to Christ, as the woman wears it in token of her subjection to man? "Because Christ is not seen: the man is seen; so the covering of him who is under Christ is not seen; of her who is under the man, is seen" [BENGEL].

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

12 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
Πᾶς	Pas	Every	G3956 →
ἀνὴρ	anēr	man	G435 →
προσευχόμενος	proseuchomenos	praying	G4336 →
ἢ	ē	or	G2228 →
προφητεύων	prophēteuōn	prophesying	G4395 →
κατὰ	kata	[anything] on	G2596 →
κεφαλῆς	kephalēs	[his] head	G2776 →
ἔχων	echōn	having	G2192 →
καταισχύνει	kataischunei	he dishonors	G2617 →
τὴν	tēn	the	G3588 →
κεφαλὴν	kephalēn	head	G2776 →
αὐτοῦ.	autou	of him.	G846 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
1 Corinthians 12:28
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.
leads to
- Ephesians 4:11–13
  And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
- Romans 12:6–8
  We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;
- 1 Corinthians 12:18
  But in fact, God has arranged the members of the body, every one of them, according to His design.
- 1 Corinthians 12:7–11
  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
Through
1 Corinthians 12:10
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
leads to
- 1 Corinthians 14:39
  So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
- 1 John 4:1
  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- Mark 16:17
  And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
- 1 Corinthians 12:28–30
  And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.

Featured studies on this passage

On 1 Corinthians 11:4

Head Coverings, MannaFest

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The Gifts of the Spirit — 1 Corinthians 12–14

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The Lord's Supper

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About 1 Corinthians

The Crucifixion — 'Christ crucified' (1 Cor 2:2) — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

1 Corinthians: the study guide →Read chapter 11 →The featured study →

Continue: 1 Corinthians 11 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About 1 Corinthians

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About 1 Corinthians