Head Covering in the Bible

Many Christians these days do not want to hear about modest dressing, let alone head coverings and strictly wearing dresses. I do not wish to make my sisters in Christ uncomfortable, but I am a believer in if you are uncomfortable perhaps you should ask God why. This time last year I began to wonder if I should get baptized and then thoughts of wearing a head covering came to me. I discussed it with my husband who told me to do whatever God led me to do, it didn’t matter to him either way. Since we are Southern Baptist it is uncommon for women to have long hair and wear dresses, let a lone a head covering and a long dress, so it was not even our churches teachings that led me to this point.

So, you may be asking, if my husband did not require it and my church does not really approve of it, then why do I do it? That’s easily answered, because my God has asked me to do it and I want to serve Him to the best of my ability. There is a long chapter in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 11:3-10 and verse 13, that discusses head coverings.

Before I continue, I must also explain that I only use the King James Version of the Bible, it is a personal preference as I feel it is the most accurate. However, other translations on this subject say basically the same thing.

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.”
This verse deals with submission, which is the reason for dressing modestly and wearing a head covering, as you will see as we continue.

1 Corinthians 11:4; “Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head."
Men should not cover their heads.

1 Corinthians 11:5; “But every woman who prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that were even all one if she were shaven.
1 Corinthians 11:6; “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.
These verses go hand in hand. It is wrong for a woman to cut her hair, so she should cover her head so she does not bring shame on herself or on her husband.

1 Corinthians 11:7; “For a man indeed ought not to cover [his] head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.”
The man brings glory to God while the woman brings glory to her husband, by covering her head. So in turn, she is bringing glory to God by following this commandment.

1 Corinthians 11:8; “For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.”
1 Corinthians 11:9; “Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.”
1 Corinthians 11:10; “For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.”
Women were created to help men. While they work in the fields, we bear children and raise them up to be men and women of God. We have power on our heads to distinguish us as Christian women and to be like the angels in heaven whose heads are covered with a halo to signify they belong to God.

1 Corinthians 11:13; “Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?”
My answer is no, it is not. To go before God without a proper head covering says to Him that we are good enough to not have to wear it, when His word says we should in order to bring glory to our husband.


I hope this has explained why I feel the way I do on these issues and why I have decided what I have regarding headcovering. I don't think God convicts every woman on this issue, but if He does, remember that He requires obedience, to not obey what He has layed upon your heart is sin.

God bless you.