1 Corinthians 11:6

6 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,

1 Corinthians 11:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 11:6

For if the woman be not covered
That is, if her head is not covered with some sort of covering, as is the custom of the place where she lives,

let her also be shorn;
let her hair be cut short; let her wear it as men do theirs; and let her see how she will look, and how she will like that, and how she will be looked upon, and liked by others; everybody will laugh at her, and she will be ashamed of herself:

but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven:
as it is accounted in all civilized nations: the very Heathens F1 speak of it as a thing abominable, and of which there should not be one single dreadful example: then let her be covered; with a veil, or any sort of covering in common use.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Vid. Apul. Metamorph. l. 2. p. 21.

1 Corinthians 11:6 In-Context

4 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.
5 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.
6 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,
7 men and women, who far too often butt heads with each other, submit their "heads" to the Head: God.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.