1COR 11:10 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

11:10 Again, a rather literal translation because honestly, no one is really certain about what Paul was meaning here. See also https://GitHub.com/openenglishbible/Open-English-Bible/issues/356 and https://UASVBible.org/2024/02/03/unveiling-the-meaning-of-authority-in-1-corinthians-1110-a-textual-and-exegetical-clarification.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Because of this the woman ought to have authority on the head, because of the angels.

UST Because wives honor their husbands, women should control what they wear on their heads. They should do this also because of the powerful spiritual beings.

BSB For this reason a woman ought to have a sign of authority on [fn] her head, because of the angels.

BLB Because of this, the woman ought to have authority on the head, on account of the angels.

AICNT Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.[fn]

11:10, angels: This context likely refers to human messengers. The Greek word can mean (1) a human messenger serving as an envoy, an envoy, one who is sent or (2) a transcendent power who carries out various missions or tasks, messenger, angel (BDAG, ἄγγελος).

OEB And, therefore, a woman ought to wear on her head a symbol of her subjection, because of the presence of the angels.

WEBBE For this cause the woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For this reason a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

LSV because of this the woman ought to have [a token of] authority on the head, because of the messengers;

FBV That's why the woman should have this sign of authority on her head out of respect for the watching angels.[fn]

11:10 As many commentators note, this is one of the most difficult verses in the New Testament to understand and translate. Some understand the “authority” as the head covering demonstrating the woman is respectable and has a position in relationship to man. Others see this as an “authority” to speak and prophesy, since this would not normally be a woman's role in this society. There are many other interpretations of this, as well as of the phrase literally translated “because of the angels.”

TCNT That is why a woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

T4T For that reason, women should wear something to cover their heads as a symbol of their being under their husbands’ [MTY] authority. They should also cover their heads so that the angels will see that and rejoice.

LEB Because of this, the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, on account of the angels.

BBE For this reason it is right for the woman to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.

Moff No Moff 1COR book available

Wymth That is why a woman ought to have on her head a symbol of subjection, because of the angels.

ASV for this cause ought the woman to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.

DRA Therefore ought the woman to have a power over her head, because of the angels.

YLT because of this the woman ought to have [a token of] authority upon the head, because of the messengers;

Drby Therefore ought the woman to have authority on her head, on account of the angels.

RV for this cause ought the woman to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.

Wbstr For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head, because of the angels.

KJB-1769 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

KJB-1611 [fn]For this cause ought the woman to haue power on her head, because of the Angels.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation and footnotes)

11:10 That is, a couering, in signe that she is vnder the power of her husband

Bshps For this cause ought the woman to haue power on her head, for the Angels sakes.
(For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head, for the Angels sakes.)

Gnva Therefore ought the woman to haue power on her head, because of the Angels.
(Therefore ought the woman to have power on her head, because of the Angels. )

Cvdl Therfore ought the woman to haue a power vpon hir heade, for the angels sakes.
(Therefore ought the woman to have a power upon her heade, for the angels sakes.)

TNT For this cause ought the woman to have power on her heed for the angels sakes.

Wycl Therfor the womman schal haue an hilyng on hir heed, also for aungelis.
(Therefore the woman shall have an hilyng on her heed, also for angelis.)

Luth Darum soll das Weib eine Macht auf dem Haupt haben um der Engel willen.
(Therefore should the woman one Macht on to_him head have around/by/for the/of_the angel willen.)

ClVg Ideo debet mulier potestatem habere supra caput propter angelos.
(Ideo debet mulier potestatem habere supra caput propter angelos. )

UGNT διὰ τοῦτο ὀφείλει ἡ γυνὴ ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς, διὰ τοὺς ἀγγέλους.
(dia touto ofeilei haʸ gunaʸ exousian eⱪein epi taʸs kefalaʸs, dia tous angelous.)

SBL-GNT διὰ τοῦτο ὀφείλει ἡ γυνὴ ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς διὰ τοὺς ἀγγέλους.
(dia touto ofeilei haʸ gunaʸ exousian eⱪein epi taʸs kefalaʸs dia tous angelous.)

TC-GNT διὰ τοῦτο ὀφείλει ἡ γυνὴ ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς διὰ τοὺς ἀγγέλους.
(dia touto ofeilei haʸ gunaʸ exousian eⱪein epi taʸs kefalaʸs dia tous angelous. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

διὰ τοῦτο & ἡ γυνὴ & διὰ τοὺς ἀγγέλους

because_of this & the woman & because_of the angels

Here, For this reason could refer to: (1) both what Paul said in 11:7 about how “the woman is the glory of man” and what he will say at the end of this verse about the angels. Alternate translation: Because of how the woman is the glory of the man and because of the angels, the woman] (2) just what Paul has said in [11:7 about how “the woman is the glory of man.” Alternate translation: [Because of what I have said, the woman … because of the angels] (3) just what Paul will say at the end of the verse about the angels. Alternate translation: [For this reason, that is, because of the angels, the woman]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἡ γυνὴ

the woman

Here, the woman could refer to: (1) a female person. Alternate translation: [the female person] (2) a wife. Alternate translation: [the wife]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

ἡ γυνὴ

the woman

Paul is speaking of “women” in general, not of one particular woman. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this form with a form that refers to people in general. Alternate translation: [every woman]

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς

authority /to_be/_having on her head

The phrase have authority on the head could refer to: (1) the authority that the “man” has over the woman. In this view, authority implies the head covering or long hair, which the woman wears as a sign of the man’s authority over her. Alternate translation: [to have a sign of the man’s authority on her head] (2) how the woman has authority over her own head. In other words, she has authority to decide what to wear or not wear on her head, or authority could imply the head covering or long hair, which the woman wears as a sign of her authority over herself. Alternate translation: [to have authority over her own head] or [to have a sign of her authority on her head]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν ἐπὶ

authority /to_be/_having on

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind authority, you can express the idea in a different way. Make sure you use a word or phrase that fits with the interpretation you chose in the last note. Alternate translation: [to rule over] or [to have someone rule over]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τῆς κεφαλῆς

her head

Here, the with head implies that the head belongs to the woman. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this implication with a word that directly states possession. Alternate translation: [her head]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

διὰ τοὺς ἀγγέλους

because_of because_of the angels

Here, because of the angels clearly means that Paul considers the angels to be a reason for why the woman ought to have authority on the head, whichever meaning of that clause you decide on. However, what Paul means by the phrase because of the angels is not clear. Therefore, you also should leave your translation open so that your readers could draw any of the following conclusions. The phrase because of the angels could refer to: (1) how the angels oversee the order of the world and especially worship. The woman having authority on the head would satisfy what the angels require for worship practices. Alternate translation: [because of what the angels require] (2) how the angels can be sexually attracted to earthly women, so the woman ought to have authority on the head to keep the angels from acting or being tempted to act sexually with women. Alternate translation: [because otherwise the angels would be tempted] (3) how the angels are present in the worship of the community, and the woman must have authority on the head as a sign of respect to them. Alternate translation: [because angels are present when you worship]

Parallel 1COR 11:10