1 Corinthians 11:4

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

1 Corinthians 11:4, King James Version

1 Corinthians 11:4 in other translations

BSB	Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
WEB	Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head.
ASV	Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head.
YLT	Every man praying or prophesying, having the head covered, doth dishonour his head,
DARBY	Every man praying or prophesying, having anything on his head, puts his head to shame.
BBE	Every man who takes part in prayer, or gives teaching as a prophet, with his head covered, puts shame on his head.
Webster	Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoreth his head.

What does 1 Corinthians 11:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

4. praying--in public (1Co 11:17). prophesying--preaching in the Spirit (1Co 12:10). having--that is, if he were to have: a supposed case to illustrate the impropriety in the woman's case. It was the Greek custom (and so that at Corinth) for men in worship to be uncovered; whereas the Jews wore the Talith, or veil, to show reverence before God, and their unworthiness to look on Him (Is 6:2); however, Maimonides [Mishna] excepts cases where (as in Greece) the custom of the place was different. dishonoureth his head--not as Alford, "Christ" (1Co 11:3); but literally, as "his head" is used in the beginning of the verse. He dishonoreth his head (the principal part of the body) by wearing a covering or veil, which is a mark of subjection, and which makes him look downwards instead of upwards to his Spiritual Head, Christ, to whom alone he owes subjection. 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]. (Compare 1Co 11:7).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 4. Every man praying or prophesying. The word prophesying here means, evidently, teaching; or publicly speaking to the people on the subject of religion. Acts 2:17. See also the subject considered more at length in the Notes on chapter 14. Whether these persons who are here said to prophesy were all inspired, or claimed to be inspired, may admit of a question. The simple idea here is, that they spoke in the public assemblies, and professed to be the expounders of the Divine will.

Having his head covered. With a veil, or turban, or cap, or whatever else is worn on the head. To remove the hat, the turban, or the covering of the head, is a mark of respect for a superior when in his presence.

Dishonoureth his head. Does dishonour to Christ as his head, (1Cor 11:2;) that is, he does not, in his presence and in his service, observe the usual and proper custom by which a subordinate station is recognised, and which indicates respect for a superior. In the presence of a prince or a nobleman, it would be considered as a mark of disrespect should the head be covered. So in the presence of Christ, in whose name he ministers, it is a mark of disrespect if the head is covered. This illustration is drawn from the customs of all times and countries, by which respect for a superior is indicated by removing the covering from the head. This is one reason why a man should not cover his head in public worship. Another is given in 1Cor 11:7. Other interpretations of the passage may be seen in Bloomfield's Critical Digest.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 4 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, 1Cor 14:3. And this comprehends all that we understand by exhortation, or even preaching. Having his head covered - With his cap or turban on, dishonoreth his head; because the head being covered was a sign of subjection; and while he was employed in the public ministration of the word, he was to be considered as a representative of Christ, and on this account his being veiled or covered would be improper. This decision of the apostle was in point blank hostility to the canons of the Jews; for they would not suffer a man to pray unless he was veiled, for which they gave this reason. "He should veil himself to show that he is ashamed before God, and unworthy with open face to behold him." See much in Lightfoot on this point.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Here begin particulars respecting the public assemblies, ch. 1Co 14. In the abundance of spiritual gifts bestowed on the Corinthians, some abuses had crept in; but as Christ did the will, and sought the honour of God, so the Christian should avow his subjection to Christ, doing his will and seeking his glory. We should, even in our dress and habit, avoid every thing that may dishonour Christ. The woman was made…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 →

1 Corinthians 11:4 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΠᾶςPasEveryG3956

ἀνὴρanērmanG435

προσευχόμενοςproseuchomenosprayingG4336

ἢēorG2228

προφητεύωνprophēteuōnprophesyingG4395

κατὰkata[anything] onG2596

κεφαλῆςkephalēs[his] headG2776

ἔχωνechōnhavingG2192

καταισχύνειkataischuneihe dishonorsG2617

τὴνtēntheG3588

κεφαλὴνkephalēnheadG2776

αὐτοῦ.autouof him.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 11:4

2 Samuel 15:30
And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
2 Samuel 19:4
But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
1 Corinthians 12:28
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:10
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
1 Corinthians 11:14
Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

or.
12:10,28; 14:1-25
having.
14; 2Sa 15:30; 19:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

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.
1 Corinthians 11:4
Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
1 Corinthians 11:5
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.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 11

1 Corinthians 11:4 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Todo varón que ora ó profetiza cubierta la cabeza, afrenta su cabeza.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Tout homme qui prie ou qui prophétise en ayant quelque chose sur la tête, déshonore sa tête;
German Elberfelder 1871	Jeder Mann, der betet oder weissagt, indem er etwas auf dem Haupte hat, entehrt sein Haupt.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Omnis vir orans, aut prophetans velato capite, deturpat caput suum.