Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, November 26th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Read the Bible

King James Version

1 Corinthians 11:3

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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Family;   Husband;   Jesus Continued;   Wife;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Woman;   Women;   The Topic Concordance - God;   Jesus Christ;   Man;   Men;   Women;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Christ, the Head of the Church;   Head;   Husbands;   Man;   Vail or Veil;   Woman;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Garments;   Woman;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Head;   Husband;   Marriage;   Men;   Wife;   Women;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Corinthians, First and Second, Theology of;   Family Life and Relations;   Marriage;   Overseer;   Sexuality, Human;   Woman;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Death;   Lord's Supper;   Worship of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Woman;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Dress;   Marriage;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Christ, Christology;   Covering the Head;   Head;   Woman;   1 Corinthians;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Church;   Paul the Apostle;   Person of Christ;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Attributes of Christ;   Head;   Headship;   Pre-Eminence ;   Saint;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Head;   Man;   Woman;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Generation;   Gold;   Head;   Veil;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Adam;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Father;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Head;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Veil;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Anthropology;   Head;   Pauline Theology;   Veil (1);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bareheadedness;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
But I want you to understand this: The head of every man is Christ. And the head of a woman is the man. And the head of Christ is God.
Revised Standard Version
But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I wolde ye knew that Christ is the heed of every man. And the man is the womans heed. And God is Christes heed.
Hebrew Names Version
But I would have you know that the head of every man is Messiah, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Messiah is God.
International Standard Version
Now I want you to realize that Christ is the head of every man, and man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.Genesis 3:16; John 14:28; 1 Corinthians 3:23; 15:27-28; Ephesians 5:23; Philippians 2:7-9; 1 Timothy 2:11-12; 1 Peter 3:1,5-6;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
New Century Version
But I want you to understand this: The head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.
Update Bible Version
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.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
English Standard Version
But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
World English Bible
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.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But I would have you know, that the head of the woman is the man, and the head of every man is Christ, and the head of Christ is God.
Weymouth's New Testament
I would have you know, however, that of every man, Christ is the Head, that of a woman her husband is the Head, and that God is Christ's Head.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But Y wole that ye wite, that Crist is heed of ech man; but the heed of the womman is the man; and the heed of Crist is God.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
Contemporary English Version
Now I want you to know that Christ is the head over all men, and a man is the head over a woman. But God is the head over Christ.
Amplified Bible
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head (authority over) of every man, and man is the head of woman, and God is the head of Christ.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
But it is important for you to keep this fact in mind, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.
Complete Jewish Bible
But I want you to understand that the head of every man is the Messiah, and the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of the Messiah is God.
Darby Translation
But I wish you to know that the Christ is the head of every man, but woman's head [is] the man, and the Christ's head God.
Etheridge Translation
But I would that you know that the Meshiha is the head of every man; and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of the Meshiha is Aloha.
Murdock Translation
And I would have you know, that the head of every man is the Messiah, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of the Messiah is God.
King James Version (1611)
But I would haue you knowe, that the head of euery man is Christ: and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.
New Living Translation
But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
New Life Bible
I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man. The husband is the head of his wife. God is the head of Christ.
New Revised Standard
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the husband is the head of his wife, and God is the head of Christ.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But I wil that ye know, that Christ is the head of euery man: and the man is the womans head: and God is Christs head.
George Lamsa Translation
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the wife is her husband; and the head of Christ is God.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But I wish you to know - that, the head of every man, is, the Christ, and, the head of a woman, is, the man; and, the head of the Christ, is, God.
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But I wyl that ye knowe, that Christ is the head of euery man. And the man is the womans head: And God is Christes head.
Good News Translation
But I want you to understand that Christ is supreme over every man, the husband is supreme over his wife, and God is supreme over Christ.
Christian Standard Bible®
But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.
Lexham English Bible
But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and the head of Christ is God.
Literal Translation
But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
Young's Literal Translation
and I wish you to know that of every man the head is the Christ, and the head of a woman is the husband, and the head of Christ is God.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But I certifye you, that Christ is the heade of euery man. As for ye man, he is the heade of ye woman, but God is Christes heade.
Mace New Testament (1729)
but I would have you take notice, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the wife, is the man; and the head of Christ, is God.
THE MESSAGE
In a marriage relationship, there is authority from Christ to husband, and from husband to wife. The authority of Christ is the authority of God. Any man who speaks with God or about God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of Christ, dishonors Christ. In the same way, a wife who speaks with God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of her husband, dishonors her husband. Worse, she dishonors herself—an ugly sight, like a woman with her head shaved. This is basically the origin of these customs we have of women wearing head coverings in worship, while men take their hats off. By these symbolic acts, men and women, who far too often butt heads with each other, submit their "heads" to the Head: God.
New English Translation
But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
New King James Version
But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
Simplified Cowboy Version
But listen to this so there's no confusion—when you ride out in your pasture, God is the Boss, Jesus follows him, man follows Jesus, and woman follows man.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
Legacy Standard Bible
But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

Contextual Overview

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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the head of every: Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 1:23, Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 5:23, Philippians 2:10, Philippians 2:11, Colossians 1:18, Colossians 2:10, Colossians 2:19

and the head of the: Genesis 3:16, Ephesians 5:22, Ephesians 5:24, Colossians 3:18, 1 Timothy 2:11, 1 Timothy 2:12, 1 Peter 3:1, 1 Peter 3:5, 1 Peter 3:6

and the head of Christ: 1 Corinthians 3:23, 1 Corinthians 15:27, 1 Corinthians 15:28, Isaiah 49:3-6, Isaiah 52:13, Isaiah 55:4, Isaiah 61:1-4, Matthew 28:18, John 3:34-36, John 5:20-30, John 14:28, John 17:2-5, Ephesians 1:20-22, Philippians 2:7-11

Reciprocal: Numbers 30:12 - her husband hath made Numbers 30:13 - and every 1 Corinthians 6:15 - your 1 Corinthians 11:7 - but 1 Corinthians 14:34 - they are Ephesians 1:10 - he Titus 2:5 - obedient

Cross-References

Genesis 11:4
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
Genesis 11:6
And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
Genesis 11:7
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
Genesis 11:18
And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu:
Genesis 14:10
And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.
Exodus 1:14
And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
Exodus 2:3
And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.
2 Samuel 12:31
And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.
Psalms 64:5
They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
Proverbs 1:11
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But I would have you to know,.... Though they were mindful of him, and retained in memory many things he had declared among them, and kept the ordinances as delivered to them; yet there were some things in which they were either ignorant, or at least did not so well advert to, and needed to be put in mind of, and better informed about: and as the apostle was very communicative of his knowledge in every point, he fails not to acquaint them with whatsoever might be instructive to their faith, and a direction to their practice:

that the head of every man is Christ; Christ is the head of every individual human nature, as he is the Creator and Preserver of all men, and the donor of all the gifts of nature to them; of the light of nature, of reason, and of all the rational powers and faculties; he is the head of nature to all men, as he is of grace to his own people: and so he is as the Governor of all the nations of the earth, who whether they will or no are subject to him; and one day every knee shall bow to him, and every tongue confess that he is the Lord of all. Moreover, Christ is the head of every believing man; he is generally said to be the head of the church, and so of every man that is a member of it: he is a common public head, a representative one to all his elect; so he was in election, and in the covenant of grace; so he was in time, in his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to, and entrance into heaven; and so he is now as an advocate and intercessor there: he is the political head of his people, or an head in such sense, as a king is the head of his nation: he is also an economical head, or in such sense an head as an husband is the head of his wife, and as a parent is the head of his family, and as a master is the head of his servants; for all these relations Christ sustains: yea, he is a natural head, or is that to his church, as an human head is to an human body: he is a true and proper head, is of the same nature with his body, is in union to it, communicates life to it, is superior to it, and more excellent than it. He is a perfect head, nothing is wanting in him; he knows all his people, and is sensible of their wants, and does supply them; his eye of love is always on them; his ears are open to their cries; he has a tongue to speak to them, and for them, which he uses; and he smells a sweet savour in them, in their graces and garments, though they are all his own, and perfumed by himself: there are no vicious humours in this head, flowing from thence to the body to its detriment, as from Adam to his posterity, whose head he was; but in Christ is no sin, nothing but grace, righteousness, and holiness, spring from him. There's no deformity nor deficiency in him; all fulness of grace dwells in him to supply the members of his body; he is an one, and only head, and an ever living and everlasting one.

And the head of the woman is the man, The man is first in order in being, was first formed, and the woman out of him, who was made for him, and not he for the woman, and therefore must be head and chief; as he is also with respect to his superior gifts and excellencies, as strength of body, and endowments of mind, whence the woman is called the weaker vessel; likewise with regard to pre-eminence or government, the man is the head; and as Christ is the head of the church, and the church is subject to him, so the husband is the head of the wife, and she is to be subject to him in everything natural, civil, and religious. Moreover, the man is the head of the woman to provide and care for her, to nourish and cherish her, and to protect and defend her against all insults and injuries.

And the head of Christ is God; that is, the Father, not as to his divine nature, for in respect to that they are one: Christ, as God, is equal to his Father, and is possessed of the same divine perfections with him; nor is his Father the head of him, in that sense; but as to his human nature, which he formed, prepared, anointed, upheld, and glorified; and in which nature Christ exercised grace on him, he hoped in him, he believed and trusted in him, and loved him, and yielded obedience to him; he always did the things that pleased him in life; he prayed to him; he was obedient to him, even unto death, and committed his soul or spirit into his hands: and all this he did as to his superior, considered in the human nature, and also in his office capacity as Mediator, who as such was his servant; and whose service he diligently and faithfully performed, and had the character from him of a righteous one; so that God is the head of Christ, as he is man and Mediator, and as such only.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But I would have you know - “I invite your attention particularly to the following considerations, in order to form a correct opinion on this subject.” Paul does not at once answer the inquiry, and determine what ought to be done; but he invites their attention to a series of remarks on the subject, which led them to draw the conclusion which he wished to establish. The phrase here is designed to call the attention to the subject, like that used so often in the New Testament, “he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

That the head ... - The word “head,” in the Scriptures, is designed often to denote “master, ruler, chief.” The word ראשׁ ro'sh is often thus used in the Old Testament; see Numbers 17:3; Numbers 25:15; Deuteronomy 28:13, Deuteronomy 28:44; Judges 10:18; Judges 11:8, Judges 11:11; 1 Samuel 15:17; 2 Samuel 22:44. In the New Testament the word is used in the sense of Lord, ruler, chief, in Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 2:10. Here it means that Christ is the ruler, director, or Lord of the Christian man. This truth was to be regarded in all their feelings and arrangements, and was never to be forgotten. Every Christian should recollect the relation in which he stands to him, as one that is suited to produce the strictest decorum, and a steady sense of subordination.

Of every man - Every Christian. All acknowledge Christ as their Ruler and Master. They are subject to him; and in all proper ways recognize their subordination to him.

And the head of the woman is the man - The sense is, she is subordinate to him, and in all circumstances - in her demeanor, her dress, her conversation, in public and in the family circle - should recognize her subordination to him. The particular thing here referred to is, that if the woman is inspired, and speaks or prays in public, she should by no means lay aside the usual and proper symbols of her subordination. The danger was, that those who were under the influence of inspiration would regard themselves as freed from the necessity of recognising that, and would lay aside the “veil,” the usual and appropriate symbol of their occupying a rank inferior to the man. This was often done in the temples of the pagan deities by the priestesses, and it would appear also that it had been done by Christian females in the churches.

And the head of Christ is God - Christ, as Mediator, has consented to assume a subordinate rank, and to recognize God the Father as superior in office. Hence, he was obedient in all things as a Son; he submitted to the arrangement required in redemption; he always recognized his subordinate rank as Mediator, and always regarded God as the supreme Ruler, even in the matter of redemption. The sense is, that Christ, throughout his entire work, regarded himself as occupying a subordinate station to the Father; and that it was proper from his example to recognize the propriety of rank and station everywhere.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 11:3. The head of every man is Christ — The apostle is speaking particularly of Christianity and its ordinances: Christ is the Head or Author of this religion; and is the creator, preserver, and Lord of every man. The man also is the lord or head of the woman; and the Head or Lord of Christ, as Mediator between God and man, is God the Father. Here is the order-God sends his Son Jesus Christ to redeem man; Christ comes and lays down his life for the world; every man who receives Christianity confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father; and every believing woman will acknowledge, according to Genesis 3:16, that God has placed her in a dependence on and subjection to the man. So far there is no difficulty in this passage.


 
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