1 Corinthians 11:6 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Paul reasons that if uncovering is acceptable, so would shaving be; since shaving is shameful, she should be covered.
What Does 1 Corinthians 11:6 Mean?
Paul presses the logic of the local custom. If a woman sets aside the covering, she may as well go further and cut off her hair. But since a shorn or shaven head was held to be a disgrace, the conclusion is plain: let her keep the covering.
This is an argument from what the Corinthians themselves already felt to be honorable. Paul does not impose a foreign rule; he appeals to a sense of fittingness they already shared. The deeper lesson is that love accommodates the conscience of the community. Where an action would needlessly wound or shame, the gracious path is to lay down our liberty for the sake of peace and good order in worship.
1 Corinthians 11:6 in the Original Language
keiro (κείρω), 'shorn' -- to cut the hair short or shear, as one shears a sheep.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Corinthians 11:6
What does 1 Corinthians 11:6 mean?
Paul reasons that if uncovering is acceptable, so would shaving be; since shaving is shameful, she should be covered.