And every woman who prays or prophesiesIn the early church, women participated in public worship, including praying and prophesying. This indicates that women had active roles in the spiritual life of the community. The mention of prophesying suggests a context where the gifts of the Spirit were in operation, as seen in
Acts 2:17-18, where both sons and daughters are said to prophesy. This participation aligns with the broader biblical narrative of women like Deborah (Judges 4-5) and Anna (
Luke 2:36-38) who were recognized for their spiritual contributions.
with her head uncovered
In the cultural context of Corinth, a head covering was a sign of modesty and respectability for women. It symbolized a woman's marital status and her respect for her husband. The absence of a head covering could be interpreted as a sign of rebellion against social norms or a rejection of authority. This practice is rooted in the customs of the time, where head coverings were common in both Jewish and Greco-Roman societies.
dishonors her head
The term "head" here can be understood both literally and metaphorically. Literally, it refers to the physical head of the woman. Metaphorically, it refers to her husband or the male authority in her life, as suggested by the broader context of1 Corinthians 11:3, which discusses the headship order of God, Christ, man, and woman. The dishonor comes from acting in a way that disrupts the established order and brings shame upon her head, both physically and relationally.
for it is just as if her head were shaved
In the ancient world, a shaved head was often a sign of disgrace or mourning. For a woman, it could signify punishment or shame, as seen inDeuteronomy 21:12, where a captive woman shaves her head as part of a purification process. In Corinthian society, a shaved head might also associate a woman with prostitution, as temple prostitutes in some pagan religions were known to shave their heads. Thus, praying or prophesying without a head covering was equated with bringing shame upon oneself, akin to the disgrace of having a shaved head.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Paul the ApostleThe author of 1 Corinthians, addressing issues within the Corinthian church.
2.
Corinthian ChurchThe recipients of the letter, a diverse and often troubled early Christian community.
3.
Women in the Early ChurchThe focus of this verse, particularly regarding their conduct in worship.
4.
Cultural Practices in CorinthThe societal norms and expectations regarding head coverings for women.
5.
Prayer and ProphecySpiritual activities mentioned in the verse, indicating active participation in worship.
Teaching Points
Understanding Cultural ContextRecognize the cultural significance of head coverings in Corinth and how it relates to honor and shame.
Role of Women in WorshipAcknowledge that women were active participants in prayer and prophecy, indicating their valued role in the church.
Symbolism of Head CoveringsExplore the symbolic meaning of head coverings as a sign of authority and respect within the church setting.
Respect for Established OrderEmphasize the importance of respecting established church practices and traditions as a form of honoring God.
Application in Modern ContextConsider how cultural expressions of respect and honor can be applied today, while maintaining the principle of honoring God and others.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 11:5?
2.How does 1 Corinthians 11:5 address the importance of head coverings in worship?
3.What cultural context might influence the interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:5 today?
4.How does 1 Corinthians 11:5 relate to Genesis 1:27 on gender roles?
5.How can women honor God in worship, considering 1 Corinthians 11:5?
6.What principles from 1 Corinthians 11:5 apply to modern church practices?
7.Why does 1 Corinthians 11:5 mention women covering their heads while praying or prophesying?
8.How does 1 Corinthians 11:5 reflect the cultural context of the early Christian church?
9.What theological significance does head covering have in 1 Corinthians 11:5?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Corinthians 11?
11.What does 'women should remain silent in churches' mean?
12.What does "women should remain silent in churches" mean?
13.Why do Muslim women wear hijabs?
14.Should women be silent in church?What Does 1 Corinthians 11:5 Mean
And every woman who prays or prophesiesPaul begins with an inclusive phrase—“every woman.” Whenever a woman engages in the public acts of prayer (speaking to God) or prophecy (speaking for God), she is in a visible, audible role before the congregation. Scripture shows that women did participate in these ministries: Philip’s four daughters “prophesied” (Acts 21:9), and the Spirit was poured out on “your sons and daughters” (Acts 2:17). So the issue here is not whether women may pray or prophesy, but how they do so in a way that honors God’s order (1 Corinthians 14:40).
Key truths
• Ministry gifts are distributed to both men and women (Galatians 3:28), yet exercised under God’s structure (1 Corinthians 12:4–11).
• The context is corporate worship, the same setting in which Paul later calls for orderly tongues and prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:26–33).
with her head uncoveredThe head covering is a real, physical symbol. Paul treats it as an outward sign of a spiritual reality: authority and submission (1 Corinthians 11:10). Throughout Scripture, outward symbols often accompany inward truths—think of circumcision (Genesis 17:11) or baptism (Romans 6:4). Here, the covering functions much like modest apparel does in1 Timothy 2:9, visibly displaying a heart of humility.
Why the covering matters
• It distinguishes a woman’s role from a man’s, reflecting the creation order (1 Corinthians 11:7–9).
• It testifies to angels, heavenly witnesses who observe worship gatherings (1 Corinthians 11:10;Ephesians 3:10).
• It prevents confusion in the assembly, guarding purity of worship (1 Corinthians 14:33).
dishonors her head“Her head” points back to verse 3: “the head of the woman is man.” To appear uncovered is to disregard the God-given authority relationship between husband and wife (Ephesians 5:23) and, by extension, Christ’s authority over the church (Colossians 1:18).
• Dishonor is not merely personal embarrassment; it offends the order God established (Proverbs 14:12).
• A public act of worship that disregards God’s pattern nullifies the good that prayer or prophecy might otherwise accomplish (Matthew 15:8–9).
for it is just as if her head were shavedIn Paul’s world, a shaved head signified shame or disciplinary disgrace (Isaiah 3:24;2 Samuel 10:4). By equating uncovering with shaving, Paul underscores the seriousness of the matter.
• The comparison shows that casting off the covering is an act of rebellion, not harmless preference (Numbers 5:18).
• The shaved-head image warns that disregarding God’s symbols invites reproach from both church and society (1 Peter 2:12).
summary1 Corinthians 11:5 teaches that when women participate vocally in gathered worship, they are to do so with a visible sign of submission—a head covering—so that their ministry honors God’s created order. Removing the covering rejects that order and brings shame on the woman, her earthly head, and ultimately Christ. The principle endures: God calls His people to worship in ways that display humility, recognize authority, and uphold the beauty of His design.
(5)
But every woman that prayeth . . . From the hypothetical case of the man praying or preaching with covered head (which was mentioned first for the sake of introducing the antithesis), the Apostle comes now to the actual case of which he has to treat, viz., the woman uncovering her head. At first sight the permission here implied for a woman to pray and teach in public may seem at variance with the teaching in
1Corinthians 14:34, where she is commanded to observe silence, and the injunction in
1Timothy 2:12, that women should not "teach." In these passages, however, it is the public meeting of the whole Church that is spoken of, and in such the women were to be silent--but the meetings spoken of here, though public as distinguished from the private devotions of individuals, were probably only smaller gatherings such as are indicated in
Romans 14:5;
Colossians 4:5;
Philemon 1:2. It has been suggested by some writers that the command in
1Corinthians 14:34, does forbid the practice which is here assumed to be allowable only for the sake of argument; but surely St. Paul would not have occupied himself and his readers here with the elaborate, and merely forensic discussion of the conditions under which certain functions were to be performed which he was about subsequently to condemn, as not allowable under any restriction whatever? . . .
Verse 5. -
Or prophesieth. Although St. Paul "thinks of one thing at a time," and is not here touching on the question whether women ought to teach in public, it appears from this expression that the rule which he lays down in
1 Corinthians 14:34, 35, and
1 Timothy 2:12 was not meant to be absolute. See the case of Philip's daughters (
Acts 21:9 and Acts 2:17).
With her head uncovered. For a woman to do this in a public assembly was against the national custom of all ancient communities, and might lead to the gravest misconceptions. As a rule, modest women covered their heads with the
peplum or with a veil when they worshipped or were in public. Christian women at Corinth must have caught something of the "inflation" which was characteristic of their Church before they could have acted with such reprehensible boldness as to adopt a custom identified with the character of immodest women.
Dishonoureth her head. Calvin, with terse good sense, observes, "As the man honours his head by proclaiming his liberty, so the woman by acknowledging her subjection."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
Andδὲ(de)Conjunction
Strong's 1161:A primary particle; but, and, etc.everyπᾶσα(pasa)Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3956:All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.womanγυνὴ(gynē)Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1135:A woman, wife, my lady. Probably from the base of ginomai; a woman; specially, a wife.[who] praysπροσευχομένη(proseuchomenē)Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4336:To pray, pray for, offer prayer. From pros and euchomai; to pray to God, i.e. Supplicate, worship.orἢ(ē)Conjunction
Strong's 2228:Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.prophesiesπροφητεύουσα(prophēteuousa)Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4395:From prophetes; to foretell events, divine, speak under inspiration, exercise the prophetic office.with [her]τῇ(tē)Article - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.headκεφαλῇ(kephalē)Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2776:From the primary kapto; the head, literally or figuratively.uncoveredἀκατακαλύπτῳ(akatakalyptō)Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 177:Unveiled, uncovered. Unveiled.dishonorsκαταισχύνει(kataischynei)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2617:From kata and aischunomai; to shame down, i.e. Disgrace or put to the blush.herαὐτῆς(autēs)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.head,κεφαλὴν(kephalēn)Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2776:From the primary kapto; the head, literally or figuratively.forγάρ(gar)Conjunction
Strong's 1063:For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.it isἐστιν(estin)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510:I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.just [as if]αὐτὸ(auto)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.her head were shaved.ἐξυρημένῃ(exyrēmenē)Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3587:To shave, shear, cut off the hair. From a derivative of the same as xulon; to shave or 'shear' the hair.
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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 11:5 But every woman praying or prophesying (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor) 
