1 Corinthians 11:2-16 - Instructions About Head Coverings

² I praise you, indeed, because you never forget me, and are keeping my injunctions in mind, exactly as I laid them upon you. ³ But I am anxious that you should understand that the Christ is the Head of every man, that man is the Head of woman, and that God is the Head of the Christ. ⁴ Any man who keeps his head covered, when praying or preaching in public, dishonors him who is his Head; ⁵ While any woman, who prays or preaches in public bare-headed, dishonors him who is her Head; for that is to make herself like one of the shameless women who shave their heads. ⁶ Indeed, if a woman does not keep her head covered, she may as well cut her hair short. But, since to cut her hair short, or shave it off, marks her as one of the shameless women, let her keep her head covered.

⁷ A man ought not to have his head covered, for he has been from the beginning 'the likeness of God' and the reflection of his glory, but woman is the reflection of man's glory. ⁸ For it was not man who was taken from woman, but woman who was taken from man. ⁹ Besides, man was not created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man. ¹⁰ And, therefore, a woman ought to wear on her head a symbol of her subjection, because of the presence of the angels. ¹¹ Still, when in union with the Lord, woman is not independent of man, or man of woman; ¹² For just as woman came from man, so man comes by means of woman; and all things come from God.

¹³ Judge for yourselves. Is it fitting that a woman should pray to God in public with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not nature herself teach us that, while for a man to wear his hair long is degrading to him, ¹⁵ A woman's long hair is her glory? Her hair has been given her to serve as a covering. ¹⁶ If, however, any one still thinks it right to contest the point-well, we have no such custom, nor have the Churches of God.