Hair length in the Bible is simple: men, have short hair; women have uncut hair. But wait… what about Jesus? Samson had long hair. Doesn’t it say a woman should have a covering? Does that mean women have to wear a veil? It says if he be contentious we have no such custom. Doesn’t that mean it’s up to the husband?
The foundational teachings about hair come mainly from Paul’s writings to the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 11:3-16 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. 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. 5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. 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. 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. 8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. 10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. 13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. 16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
There are many foundational points in this passage. First, this verse establishes that the man is the head of the woman just as Jesus is the head of the man.
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 establishes that the man is the head of the house under the guidance of Jesus Christ. There are other doctrinal points here, such as God is the head of Christ. This is referring to the dual nature of Jesus, in that the Deity is the head of the humanity.
The first point concerning hair is the covering.
1 Corinthians 11:4-6 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. 5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. 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.
There are several Greek words in this passage that are translated as ‘covered’.
kata {kat-ah’} Meaning: 1) down from, through out 2) according to, toward, along
katakalupto {kat-ak-al-oop’-to} Meaning: 1) to cover up 2) to veil or cover one’s self
There is also the word ‘covering’.
peribolaion {per-ib-ol’-ah-yon} Meaning: 1) a covering thrown around, a wrapper 1a) a mantle 1b) a veil
Another word to be concerned about is ‘uncovered’.
akatakaluptos {ak-at-ak-al’-oop-tos} Meaning: 1) not covered, unveiled
It is very clear in this context that the man is not to be covered and the woman is to be covered. It is a dishonor for a man to be covered and for a woman to not be covered. For the woman to be dishonored is a shame and it is the same thing as if her hair were shaved off.
The word for dishonor is kataischuno.
kataischuno {kat-ahee-skhoo’-no} Meaning: 1) to dishonour, disgrace 2) to put to shame, make ashamed 2a) to be ashamed, blush with shame 2b) one is said to be put to shame who suffers a repulse, or whom some hope has deceived
The Greek word for shaven is xurao.
xurao {xoo-rah’-o} Meaning: 1) to shear, shave 2) to get one’s self shaved
If her hair is not covered it is the same as if she were shorn.
The Greek word for shorn is keiro.
keiro {ki’-ro} Meaning: 1) to sheer: a sheep 2) to get or let be shorn 3) of shearing or cutting short the hair of the head
To be shorn or to shear is to cut or remove any amount. The amount is irrelevant; it’s the fact that it’s cut that is a shame. If any amount is removed it is the same thing as if it were completely shaved. The woman’s hair is to be uncut- which means the woman’s head is to be covered.
It is a shame for a man to have long hair. Even nature itself teaches us this.
1 Corinthians 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
Men are not to have long hair.
Samuel and Samson had long hair. They had taken the Nazarite’s vow.
1 Samuel 1:11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
Judges 13:5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
The Nazarite’s vow included uncut hair to show the shame of Israel.
Judges 13:7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
Jesus did not have long hair. We see movies and paintings of Jesus and his disciples with long hair, but we do not see this from scripture. Jesus was not a Nazarite; he was a Nazarene, which simply means he lived in Nazareth. Jesus did not take the Nazarite’s vow.
What is the covering? Is this a veil?
1 Corinthians 11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
From this verse it is clear that the covering is not a veil or something that the woman must wear on her head. Her hair is her covering.
We have no such custom.
1 Corinthians 11:16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
This verse is often misunderstood. It is often understood to mean that it’s up to the husband. Let’s look at this verse in a few other translations.
1 Corinthians 11:16 But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches. NLT
1 Corinthians 11:16 But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God. NAS
1 Corinthians 11:16 If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice– nor do the churches of God. NIV
1 Corinthians 11:16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God. ESV
What this verse is telling us is that there are no other choices. This is the way it is, no matter how much you want to argue against this teaching.
There are many cases in scripture where women having their hair cut was considered a disgrace.
Isaiah 3:24 And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.
Jeremiah 7:29 Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
It was common in the New Testament for women to have long hair.
Luke 7:37-38 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment
John 11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Hair has to be long in order to be braided and plaited.
1 Timothy 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
1 Peter 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
There had to be a distinction between men and women’s hair in order to describe demons in the end-time as having hair like women.
Revelation 9:8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
There are many arguments against the teaching that women should have uncut hair and men should have short hair. Most of these arguments come from misunderstandings of scripture, such as Samson, or misunderstandings of true historical accounts, such as the fact that Jesus did not actually have long hair. It is God’s desire that there be a clear distinction between the male and the female. This distinction includes roles and actions. This distinction also includes appearance which includes clothing and hair. It is irrelevant what society has established as acceptable. All that matters is what God’s Word says. It is clear from scripture that Men are to have short hair and Women are to have uncut hair. There is no other custom than this.
“keiro {ki’-ro} Meaning: 1) to sheer: a sheep 2) to get or let be shorn 3) of shearing or cutting short the hair of the head
To be shorn or to shear is to cut or remove any amount. The amount is irrelevant; it’s the fact that it’s cut that is a shame. If any amount is removed it is the same thing as if it were completely shaved. The woman’s hair is to be uncut- which means the woman’s head is to be covered.”
But the “meaning” clearly says, “cutting short the hair..” — short… not “any amount”. If you shear a sheep… doesn’t it go all the way up to it’s skin, leaving only stubble or peach skin like hair (not to mention that “shaving” anything means to remove ALL hair all the way up to the scalp/skin with a razor)? If you “shorn” your head, in the definition you copied down it says, “to sheer: a sheep”. Tell me how many farmers trim their sheep or cut only a little bit of their wool or who would say that sheep has been shorn when only a bit of wool has been cut? The author of 1 Cor knew this. It’s why he used it for his explanation. Not to even go into the women being used to the CUSTOM of sacrificing their hair to these previous gods and not realizing that the one true God did not require any such CUSTOMS. He’s trying to tell them their hair is theirs! They don’t need a veil, they need their natural covering of long hair that God gave them. Their glory! Keep it!
And if it also means “uncut” then men COULD grow their hair out and just trim it now and again to maintain their “shortness” and not be ashamed of it. But that’s not what we teach, is it? That’s a double standard and contradictory to what the author of 1 Cor is trying to teach.
I absolutely believe that woman should have LONG hair and men should have SHORT hair, that is extremely clear… but I do not believe that it means “uncut” hair. It simply doesn’t say it. Even in the definitions that you looked up.. it didn’t say what you said. There are several Apostolic/Pentecostal ministers who would agree.
The article from this link is the best I’ve read about a ministers stand point on women’s hair and the most logical. I also agree with the writer saying that a church/elders has the right to say what goes and what doesn’t — but to say that their standard is biblical when it isn’t.. is a completely different story.
http://www.spiritualabuse.org/issues/standards/hair/jim_yohe.html – an article by Jim Yohe, a UPC minister
I honestly hope that my response does not offend or cause any affliction to rise. I only want to show a voice of reason within this hair debate. Simply, I believe in being humble when wrong and excited to know the truth. I was raised UPC and am still attending an awesome church in the UPCI (Bishop Stan Gleason, KCMO).
I just have a question and am so hoping this can be answered.
I have been “in church” as they say for close to 2.5 years now. It is the best decision I have ever made and feel so blessed.
With that being said, I only have one confusion/issue. Hair, of course.
I do not want to cut my hair, I feel a strong urge not to, but I also feel a strong urge to just cut it simply because of the damage it’s endured. It still has the hair dye in it from 3 years ago, and that is the part that is most damaging to my hair. It’s dead a broken at the ends and that is rising up to the healthy grown hair. I love my hair but feel uncomfortable with the way it looks with the breakage just going. I do everything to treat my hair like I should to make it healthy but my past still creeps up on it.
If I had known what I know now I never would’ve touched my hair, it would be uncut and natural.
But, it’s been through damage and I can’t take that back. I research and look up everything. . but all the research says. . the only way to get rid of breakage and damage is to cut it off.
The damage I have now makes me so self-concious.
All I want to do it cut the dyed and dried part off to be left with the healthy hair. Once the dyed part is gone the majority of the breakage will cease, seeing as i will only have the healthy new hair.
I am so sorry for the length, I’m just so confused. Like i said I don’t want to cut my hair, but i want healthy beautiful hair and at this time nothing else but cutting will help.
Your opinion would be greatly appreciated! Please.
I know my hair is my glory and my power and i love it. I just feel weighed down by the damage.
:/
thank you for your time!
-Worried about hair
Worried About Hair,
Hi. Thanks for stopping by. It’s great that you’ve been in Church for 2.5 years! Don’t get discouraged; you’re already doing what you should be doing by taking care of your hair. Your hair grows from the roots, not the ends. All cutting the ends of will do in most cases is make breakage less noticeable. Don’t cut your hair. Your hair is uncut, and that’s what’s important. It will eventually grow out and in the mean-time you’re doing what God wants you to do. It doesn’t matter what others think when you’re in the will of God. My wife is in a similar situation. Her hair is uneven because it has broken off on one side. She feels bad because it looks so uneven, but all that matters is what God thinks. Some breakage is natural and she realizes that. She will not cut it to make it even because what God wants is more important that what others think. You’re doing God’s will by obeying Him no matter what. Also, you’re taking care of your hair, and that’s the best thing you can do.
Randy
Thank you :]
One more thing, :/
My parents are not in church and my mom doesn’t understand completely (no matter how much i explain) the no cutting of the hair. So, she insists that I cut it, well. . trim it. . she doesn’t mind if it’s long BUT she wants it to stay trimmed at the ends.
The bible says Honor thy father and thy mother. .
in this case would it be better to stay firm with my beliefs OR obey my mother. . :/
Sorry again for bugging you.
But I greatly appreciate your answers and wisdom!
-Worried about hair
Hi. You’re not bugging me at all (answering (or at least attempting to answer) questions is part of why I felt led to start this site). I’m sorry that I’m taking so long to answer you (been working late these past few weeks). I appreciate your patience.
Ex 20:12 does say to honor your father and mother, but it is better to obey God than man:
Act 5:29 KJV Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
It is very commendable that you are taking it to heart that you should honor your father and mother. I applaud you for that. I would like to see more people that are concerned about God’s law’s about how we should obey our parents and them that have rule over us. I would also like to see more people that are concerned with obeying God. We are to obey our parents, but not at the expense of obeying God. We should always put God first, no matter what others think. We should never compromise our beliefs when others don’t understand. They will see in us that we’re obeying a higher law, and that might give us a chance to win them to God. We are the only Bible that some will ever read. God always comes first, even over our parents.
Randy
I appreciate your answers and your time SO much. :)
thank you :)
hi,i want to ask do you think as christians its ok for us to go in the church without a hat on our head,cause my interpretation of covering is having something to cover your head.
Jbarbie,
Thanks for your question. You are correct in your interpretation that the covering is something covering the head. According to the context, the covering is hair:
1Co 11:15 KJV …for her hair is given her for a covering.
As far as hats in Church, Scripture doesn’t require it, but I would leave it up to the Pastor of the Church to decide whether to allow them in Church or not. Some do, some do not.
Thanks,
Randy
Paul was not against longhaired men, he meant that everybody can have it long [men and women], since it is a self choice, but never to pagan gods. By the time he spoke that, the jews were in a worst political condition, so their hairs were cut shorter – but Jesus weren’t -, so, He was longhaired, as any prophet of the Old Testament whose daily life was free from sins. If Paul advertised men and women about their hair, it was to differ from their Apostasy or simply to keep away from greek/roman religious traditions using hairs for Bacco, for instance. It is clear in the whose Bible, despite many lost verses through the ages, that the more human hairs are long, the closer he/she is to God. Slaves had their hair shorn, while the employees are required to use it short too. Alienation and mistaken concepts spread through decades, have been responsible for wrong ideas, found elsewhere, specially in christian churches and in enterprises – coincidently their tenets are closer to slaveness.
Sampson had seven locks of hair which most say Represented the seven spirits of God which rested upon Jesus in Isaiah 11.v2-It appears Sampson broke other rules of Nazerite vow-but as long as he had the (consecration on his head) as stated by the Lord to Moses concerning the instruction of the Nazerite vow”Their concreation is on their head” the Spirit of the Lord would
still come upon Sampson.As soon as the Hair was cut-you know the rest of the story-So if a women wants to lose her power in the Spirit -have her to- cut -shave- trim her hair. What do you think would have happened to Sampson if he had trimmed the dead ends from his hair? Jesus is the head of the man”consecration on his head”Jesus is everywhere-wherever man goes he has Christ.Head of the women is the man-man cannot be with woman everywhere she goes-she needs power on her head (symbol of authority that Jesus has placed on her life-please read what the seven spirits of God is In Isaiah 11.v2)because of the Angels-Jesus overcame Satan’s temptations(which is a fallen arc angel)the woman was alone in the garden and listened to the serpant Satan-we see then how a women can be influnced by An angel-she needs Power on her head(some extra help) Obey the word of the Lord and-if you are a woman-don’t cut your hair.
coconut oil-
Here is what i have found. Jesus was a Nazarene not nazarite otherwise he couldn’t have healed the dead , drank wine , or be disguised amoung other men. So he must have had short hair and since Jesus is the ultimate example he had short hair for men. … however i do believe that women are supposed to have long hair. even in psalms david speaks of God crowning glory to humans.
anyways if you feel bad about your hair as i did all dyed and layered and junk before i came to Christ try this. Coconut oil it kills bad yeast in ur hair aka dandruff , softens and conditions under the shaft making your hair really healthy no need for trimming. If you have a question about you hair more than likely its conviction telling you not too. Think about this- the devil was cast out and he lost his glory , everytime a female has a crisis ( maybe just me n my gals) we have an urge to cut dye do up w.e to our hair. If the coconut doesn’t work – oregano oil (health food stores) does its pricey (20$) but u only use 5 drops and add it to ur coconut oil treatment set an hr wash it out twice a week. it does mend split ends without chemicals and who knows what. I tried henna but it dyes – henna lawsonia 100% it did control and help my hair but makes it mermaid red for a while. I didnt like changing the color so i went coconut oil. doctors will tell you there is no cure for dandruff ,wrong, with prayer anything has a cure. the oil takes a few treatments and you can even buy it at walmart, Krogers w.e it looks like shortening. get 100% coconut oil its like 5 bucks and works wonders- jsut a pain to wash out but its worth it.
btw -my parents don’t follow any thing in the Bible and never did nor go to church , I do what God tells me too in my heart and pray for them
Hope people read this its a big time saver espcially with you hair and don’t forget to pray for your hair!
Also wanted to point out that your hair is a precursor to your body if you have an intolernce to food like lactose wheat can be anything your body craves from chocolate to tomatoes- that you need to stop eating it before you hair can get better and take your vitamins as well. what you do is take 3 days don’t eat anyhting but fresh veggies and fruits. If your skin and hair and glow get better then slowly add w.e else ur wanting back in for 3 days but not all . ex eat fresh fruits veggies- days add milk if still fine 3 days add bread etc etc. then when u find the problem simply don’t eat it. this took a long time to find the research on it. my hair was falling out in clumps split ends looked like the bad hair commericals – i changed my diet and everything got better.. how did i find this information out i prayed about it for months then God spoke and said take your vitamins. from there i found the causes. I read online many days tried it and it worked . For me its yeast and milk. btw food allergies and food intolerences are different and a doctor test won’t show intolerences. You can also take probiotics aka acidolphilus vitamins found in walmart or groceries. These help your intestines digest your intolerences. and eat plenty yogurt.
homemade hairspray – cornstarch n water
homemade black head exfoliater- epsom salt n water make a paste
stay away from chemical shampoo and massage your scalp deep when you wash to improve circulation
I did all of these and took my hair from thin and falling out and grey ( at 23) to brown healthy long shiny and thick again.
Hope this helps God bless
I think that this issue has been over taught and over worried about. I Corinthians says it’s a shame, not a sin. Y’all let it go please-it’s nearly 2000 years later. Paul even reffered to it as a custom. This really is a “hair splitting” issue. There are so many other things in the bible yet, this almost seems to be a main doctrine. Jesus name baptism,( actually nowhere in the bible does it say to baptize ” in Jesus name”, it says- “in the name of Jesus Christ” )2:38 of Acts. I could make that arguement over reading it “exactly” yet every apostolic says that they were baptized ” in Jesus’ name.” Ok, we believe to baptize according to Acts 2:38, we believe in the oneness of God, and some believe the hair thing. There’s gotta be more to study than that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just sayin’
This is still an important issue. 1. New converts need this foundational teaching. 2. If it is not preached it is forgotten or put by the way side. God said he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Neither he nor his ways ever change. I am so thankful for a site giving information on this subject. I am tired of giving the “This is just what I beleive spill” This has been very helpful in giving me a true biblical definition when witnessing to nonbelievers:)
I wanna say Thank You on this study! It is a blessing to me. I pray that the lady that was wondering to cut dead ends or not didnt cut. I also had dyed hair..but my hair has grown out and you really cant tell anymore …
Please dont give up! Jesus IS coming very soon! Hold ON!
Love in Christ and Blessings in Jesus Name!
Randy, I did not have too much problem with your post until you wrote this paragraph:
“To be shorn or to shear is to cut or remove any amount. The amount is irrelevant; it’s the fact that it’s cut that is a shame. If any amount is removed it is the same thing as if it were completely shaved. The woman’s hair is to be uncut- which means the woman’s head is to be covered.”
This is one of those areas that causes great division in the church needlessly, and it saddens me greatly. I see so much misunderstanding in this area, with even well known, men of God handling the Word of God dishonestly. I will try my best not add to the division, but will only ask you to look at some very simple, fundamental facts where I believe much truth can be gleaned.
Primarily this all stems from one man, the Apostle Paul, and his letter to the Church at Corinth. There is so much division regarding many aspects of this subject, just within the Apostolic Pentecostal Church alone. When honestly reviewed one would have to say that most do not know with any great certainty every aspect of what Paul meant when he talked about power, the angels, coverings, etc., etc. Given this fact alone one should perhaps simply go with their own personal convictions. Perhaps they should simply adhere to what is being taught in there local assembly. But regardless of this, we need stop being legalistic about it, condemning everyone else to hell that does not see it their way.
There is however, one aspect that can be made clear for those that have an ear to hear. In his letter to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 11:6, Paul uses the two words, shorn andshaven as if there were the same or similar things, and indeed they are. Shaven or to shave is to cut off all of the hair, wool, or fur with the use of a razor or razor-like instrument. Shorn or to sheer is the removal of all hair, wool or fur with the use of shears. Both refer to the removal of all hair, wool or fur.
There are only three (3) verses in the entire Bible that use the word shorn. The Song of Solomon 4:2 is referring to how sheep are shorn with the removal of all wool with shears. Acts 18:18 uses the word shorn referring to when Paul had shorn his head because of his vow. I think it’s safe to say that he removed all of his hair with shears, and didn’t just cut off his split ends. The last place it is used in 1 Corinthians 11:6 where it talks about it being a shame for women to be shorn or shaven.
The word cut is used three hundred and eight (308) times in the Bible. I think its safe to say with great certainty that if Paul meant that it was a shame for women to cut their hair in any way, he would have said “cut”.
The bottom line is this; I think it is wonderful that some women do not cut their hair. I think it’s wonderful and right for women to have long hair, and men to have short hair. However, I think for men or women of God to put it upon others as if it were sin if they so much as trim split ends, or desire to keep it a little more manageable, but still long. This is a grievous error and has done much harm in the Church, even to the point of causing some not to come into the Church due to such legalism.
Further, I heard it said by a very well known evangelist that the word “long” means “uncut” in the Greek. They went on saying that they studied it out, using the names of other Greek scholars and men of God to make their point. This in my opinion is a deceitful handling of the Word of God. The Greek word used in 1 Corinthians 1:11:15 iskomao (kom-ah’-o) which simply means to “have long hair”. God preserved His Word very well my friends. Beware of men trying to twist it or handle the Word of God deceitfully to prove out their own doctrines. There can be false teaching from without or within the Church.
Don’t take my word for it, or anyone’s. Search it out for yourself. Regardless of where you end up, go according to your own personal convictions as you understand the Word of God, or perhaps as your local assembly teaches, but please stop pushing your convictions on others and condemning others if they do not see it your way.
Lastly, I have seen a growing false doctrine in the church that women have some power or even healing power in their long hair. Who has bewitched you? Saints, we have no power in the flesh or any part of it, neither men or women. Any and all power that we may have comes from the Holy Spirit through the name of Jesus and not of ourselves.
The Greek word used here in 1 Corinthians 11:10 is exousia (ex-oo-see’-ah) The definition of this word is related to authority and not to physical or spiritual power to heal, or anything else. Any claims or examples of any such healing are due to prayer, faith, the power of the Holy Ghost and calling on the name of Jesus, and not because of works such as growing ones hair long.
Lots of good stuff here. I have been studying the hair issue for a while now. It is obvious the mens is to be short and womens long but as it happens that if a hairs end splits it will split up the entire shaft and break off. Then were is your long beautiful hair? Your glory? your covering? My hair is fine and I had little. I experienced great trauma.
A woman under stress will experience a testosterone spike in her hormones at times thus contributing to a type of “male Pattern baldness” Yes it was a shame lol.
But the recovery has happened with all the above mentioned vitamins and especially the coconut oil. I also stopped using shampoo everyday. I do use the conditioner and that seems to work so much better and clean just as well. of course I do own shampoo but water it way down on the occasion where build up or oil treatments makes it feel icky. Trimming the bare minimum of an 1/8 inch has actually allowed it to grow undestroyed from the ends up. This is very different than being shorn as a sheep or shaved bald. Thank you to all who made the distinction.
BTW Hair is used extensively in witchcraft so is is important who u allow access to your hair. Nothing can harm you if you know who you are in Christ Jesus but who needs the extra warfare?
Im a believer in the doctrine of Christ, meaning the teaching of deuteronomy 6:4. I also believe in the salvation experience in Acts 2:38, but I truly believe the Apostolics have truly made their own doctrine here. This is talking about a physical veiling. You even said yourself that there were two different Greek words for covering. The one used first is talking about a physical veil and the second where it talks about the hair given as a covering is talking about the actually hair. Women always wore coverings, it’s a sign of submission. Apostolics have hair pride and God does not like that. They teach this doctrine yet adorn their hair, it’s broided and dressed up. Also they say that’s natural, yet put hair spray, gel, curling irons, hair straighteners, etc. They tease it, rat it out. This is just not what God would want. Cover you heads and be truly submissive and modest. Hair is sensual and your causes your brother to stumble.
So Samuel and all others with long hair will not make it to Heaven, in additiona to every single woman with short hair including cancer victims. I am not sorry to say it, but you are wrong! God does not look on our outer appearance, man is the only one that does that, God does not look at our hair, but what’s in our hearts. Pople Gregory VII made an edict for all men to wear short hair, so you follow it and the King James version vice the original Greek text, when you know full well what went on in Corinth. How men and women did not act as they should have. The text was for Corinth and not for all men and women in all times. This is the problem with Christianity today. Man’s rules will take many others to hell. It does not matter what length your hair is, if God saves you brother, you are saved. Peace and blessings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Christ Yeshua Jesus!
Hi Len. I think you’re misunderstanding some of my points. For example, Samson had long hair because he was a Nazarite. This is someone who took the Nazarite’s vow to show the shame of Israel (showing that long hair on a man is a shame). Cancer patients did not cut their hair. Short hair is not the point – cut hair is. Paul did not make an exclusive command to the Church at Corinth. He was explaining to them they had no other custom contrary to what he was teaching them.
I agree that Jesus has short hair base on the verses. But I still consider the imagination of the artists who painted Christ as a long haired man. I think the artists has better imagination than anyone of you here.
Think of Christ Preaching in the wilderness for days, fasting for 40 days 40 nights in the desert, being beaten by Roman soldiers, carrying the cross along the road to Calvary, Crucified on the Cross —-WHO CAN THINK OF CUTTING HIS HAIR WHILE DOING THESE THINGS?
I can’t imagine a Jesus carrying the cross still thinking,”OMG my hair are getting too long, I should have gone to the beauty parlor before this”. tsk tsk tsk. that’s a funny thought.
Brothers/Sisters:
Jesus is not in the mist of confusion. Study the word of God and ask him for the understanding of His word. Our Lord and Savior is all about love. Our hair will neither get us into the kingdom of God nor keep us out. We have so many people that watch us and listen to the words that come from our mouths; that they have become discouraged.Let us seek ye first the kingdom of God so that all the other things wiil be added unto us. This is all about saving souls for the kingdom of God and not discouragement about hair. If the enemey can keep us there with confusion, than that gives him time to steal, kill and destroy. Let’s be about our Father’s business. Let the glory of the Lord be our gold.
Teach them 2 love the word of God and we are to ask God to teach us to Love that way that He loves so that we can win souls for His kingdom. In this time and age our hair is our least worry. NO MORE CONFUSION, LET’S WIN SOULS FOR THE LORD.
GOD LOVES U AND SO DO I
It may interest some to know that the exact verses discussed here are the only verses of 1 Corinthians that are in doubt by scholars, or at least according to the Wikipedia article found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Epistle_to_the_Corinthians
The quote from the authorship section is as follows, “There is near consensus among historians and Christian theologians that Paul is the author of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, typically classifying its authorship as “undisputed” (see Authorship of the Pauline Epistles). The letter is quoted or mentioned by the earliest of sources, and is included in every ancient canon, including that of Marcion. However, two passages may have been inserted at a later stage. The first passage is 1 Cor 11:2–16 dealing with praying and prophesying with head covering.[1] The second passage is 1 Cor 14:34–35 which has been hotly debated. Part of the reason for doubt is that in some manuscripts, the verses come at the end of the chapter instead of at its present location. Furthermore, Paul is here appealing to the law which is uncharacteristic of him. Lastly, the verses come into conflict with 11:5 where women are described as praying and prophesying.”
Shame isn’t just a wagging of the finger like shame on you. Doing things that are shameful are an abomination. Lying, folly, and a proud look are all examples of things that are considered shameful in the Word of God. The Bible does not change, God does not change just ’cause man does.
Hi Aleah. Thanks for your comment. I love your website! I added you to my links page.
i have a question…
Im a new christian who is learning about what the bible really says…my whole life my hair has been cut at one point or another…i recently cut my hair very short but i dint know that god says not to cut your hair..after learning this i fell very self-conscious going out in public i feel like everyone is looking at me and i feel even worse when i go to church even though the church that i go to says its ok to cut your hair…what do i do is there anything i can do…
Hi Jessica. Thanks for stopping by. I can see how this situation would make you feel self-conscious. The main point is to have uncut hair from this point on. What you’ve done in the past should stay in the past. That will be difficult at first because you still have to deal with having cut hair, but you are in a better situation than many that have to deal with something they’ve done in the past (having a child, etc) because this is only temporary. If someone says anything to you just tell them you’re letting it grow for the glory of God. This will be an opportunity for you to talk about holiness issues and others will gradually see a physical change in your appearance as your hair grows. Just remember that we all come to God as we are and we all learn more about living for God as we grow. I thank God for His grace. I hope this helps.
Randy
Yet Jewish Womem Shaved their hairs and cut it. In fact Nazative Vow allowed women to grow and cut their hair.
The word shorn used in 1 Corinthians 11 has been translated from the Greek word keiro, which means “to sheer: a sheep, to get or let be shorn, of shearing or cutting short the hair of the head.” Keiro is used in two other places in the New Testament. The word is translated shearer in Acts 8:32 and Acts 18:18. In the following passage we see the word being used and obviously it wasn’t about cutting locks of hair from the sheep.
Acts 8:32
Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth
We also see the word being used in regards to Paul’s vow taken in Acts. It is important to note that both men and women, married and unmarried would take vows such as a Nazarite vow and upon its completion would shave their heads (see also: Num 6:18; cf. 6:2, 6:5). Bear with me, I am going somewhere with this.
Acts 18:18
After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.
Lets break down 1 Corinthians a bit.
1 Corinthians 11:5,6
5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head.
The problem with using the logic that the word shorn means “cut at all” fails to address what Paul means by covered and uncovered in these verses. Lets look at verse 6 if uncovered were to mean “cut”.
…but every wife who prays or prophesies with her HAIR CUT dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her HAIR were CUT…
This is a simple exercise in basic logic, yet so many fail to see the fallacy with their argument. In order to maintain the argument that this passage teaches strictly uncut hair for women, one must hold that shorn does not mean, “to cut at all” but means “to cut shortly” or “nearly shaved,” which is the correct definition. With this ideology we would then read the passage as follows, which you can see doesn’t not make very much sense.
…but every wife who prays or prophesies with her HAIR CUT FROM HER HEAD dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her HAIR WERE CUT COMPLETELY OFF…
We also run into another little issue with interpreting the scripture this way. If the scripture in regards to ones hair means “to cut at all” (includes trimming), then it would be OK for a man to grow his hair long as long as he trimmed it. Keep in mind I am referring to the same stance of those who hold that woman should not trim or cut their hair and that men should keep their hair cut and short. As you can see interpreting 1 Corinthians 11 this ways ends up creating a series of fallacies and gets itself into trouble.
So what is Paul talking about in 1 Corinthians then? First the word uncovered comes from the Greek word akatakaluptos and means, “not covered, unveiled”, this is a compound word derived from the Greek words kata meaning kalupto, which means, “to hide, veil.” With that in hand we know that it is apparent that Paul is referring to the custom of veiling. If we look at Greco-Roman culture, the practice of veiling among married women was very common. We know this from history and paintings of Christian women on murals, walls, catacombs, and other Christian artwork.
What was or what is the purpose of the veil for married women? Notice that I used the words, “married women” because the practice of veiling was and is only for married women, not single women. A woman’s hair was considered to be sensual, and a thing of beauty to be hidden from other men, lest they be caused to lust after a married woman and sin. This is one of the reasons why woman cover up in Middle Eastern cultures so that the sins and the issues of the men are blamed on the women and put on them for the whole world to see and bare the sins of the men.
Jewish Orthodox woman who practice veiling who do not wish to veil their hair, will often shave their heads, just like Paul makes reference to in 1 Corinthians 11. The interesting thing to note is that since the legal issue here is hair and its sensuality, a woman can shave off her hair, then wear a wig because technically it isn’t her actual hair and thus the law is kept. The issue of the sensuality of hair is what Paul discusses and gives woman the option to shave their heads according to the custom of the day. However, he also states that depending on the culture or traditions it might be shameful for a woman to shave her head, so it would be better that she veil/cover her head.
NOTE that in the NIV, NKJV and KJV translate that Paul gives the option based on what is culturally acceptable “and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head”.
So is Paul telling us that woman should veil their heads? Not entirely. It is important to realize that Paul is only talking about customs and traditions here and not salvation issues that will keep us out of heaven. When read in context of the history and the traditions of that time, we realize Paul was addressing how to follow the custom of veiling for married woman.
At the end of the passage Paul also addresses that a woman’s hair is her glory and it is a covering, basically God gave it to hair as a blessing, not a curse to be covered. The real issue is the hearts of men and should not be placed on the woman to bear the sins of men for the world to see. When you read Paul’s other writings on the law and dealing with similar issue such as circumcision, you get a clearer picture that he is trying to get people to separate tradition and culture from serving Jesus and to be free of the bondage of legalism because we are saved by grace, justified through the cross and nothing that we can boast of doing on our own. In 1 Corinthians 11:16 Paul even states that the churches of Christ have no such traditions and we should argue over the matter.
1 Corinthians 11:15,16
15 but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. 16 If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.
It is important that when reading the scriptures we not get caught up trying to prove our points, and instead read them with an open heart and mind to seek God’s truth rather than our own. It is also good measure to understand the historical context of a passage we are reading before drawing our own conclusions. We can often get caught up in dissecting the Greek words, and going back-and-forth with trying to figure out what the original meaning of the words were, when all we needed to really do was read it for its original context.
To summarize we have learned that Paul was discussing the practice of veiling for woman, and how that tradition was to be kept; if you indeed followed the practice. We also know that 1 Corinthians 11 has nothing to do with woman cutting or trimming their hair, since historically we know that women cut their hair and even shaved their heads. We know also that the practice of Jewish women shaving their heads was common after completing a Nazarite vow, while in morning, and was symbolic of an ending or new beginning.
One last note before I close. If you do follow the custom of veiling understand why it is you are doing it, for it isn’t to simply cover your head, but to cover your hair IF you are a MARRIED WOMAN because your hair could cause another man to lust after you. Then you must ask yourself if you indeed want to carry the sins of men on your shoulders, when really this should be the job of Jesus Christ, this is after why He died on the cross in the first place and covering your head will not stop the lust in a man’s heart; only the cross can do that.
So, Women had have long hair.
On this website http://www.studyholiness.com there are 2 articles on the meanings of “keiro” and “komao,” coming from Greek language experts! Included are passages from ancient Greek literature that illustrate the contextual meanings of these Greek verbs. There is also an article on the meaning of “katakalupto,” which meant to VEIL — NOT to grow long hair! There’s no excuse for such ignorance!
I get the uncut hair.. However what about dying hair?? I have searched the scriptures & web sites.. Yet I can’t find anything.. The best I’ve been told was I was telling God He didn’t make me good enough.. I’ve dyed my hair since I was a young child.. I hadn’t dyed my Hair in over 6 months & it’s desperately needing it.. If it’s wrong, II won’t do it.. Ty.. :)
Hi Missy. I appreciate your attitude on this. You are very open minded and I can tell that in your heart you want to please God. I’ve always seen hair dye in the category of makeup. A good book that covers this is David Bernard’s Practical Holiness. Here are some excerpts of that mention hair dye:
pg 49:
Adornment and dress (Deuteronomy 22:5; I Timothy
2:9; I Peter 3:1-6). The Bible establishes the principles of sex distinction in dress, modesty of dress, moderation in the cost of dress, avoidance of ornamentation, and separation
from worldliness. Applying this to modern culture,
we must avoid dresses on men and pants on women, colored cosmetics and hair dye, ornamentative jewelry, clothing that immodestly exposes the body, and very expensive or extravagant attire.
pgs 162-163:
The Christian is to be content with the way God has made him and the position in which he finds himself. “For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11). Everything God creates is good, and we should not try to alter our natural, Godgiven
appearance by using false colors for the face, false hair dyes, false eyelashes, or false hair. What is wrong with the way God made us? What is wrong with the complexion
and hair we inherited? Why be ashamed of what we are? Why base our identity on the outward man? Why evaluate self-worth by physical appearance?
Instead of accepting themselves for what they are and what God wants them to be, many mistakenly try to fight nature. The Bible teaches that gray hair is a crown of glory and a mark of beauty or splendor (Proverbs 16:31; 20:29), yet many people with a false sense of values try to change it. Jesus taught that people could not alter the color of their hair (Matthew 5:36), yet many people today try to prove Him wrong. Nature itself teaches a distinction
between male and female in behavior and appearance
(Romans 1:26-27; I Corinthians 11:13-15), yet society today tries to destroy that God-ordained separation.
Jewelry and makeup reflect a false set of values. They overemphasize the temporal, the unimportant, the physical, and even the ungodly. One author tried to justify jewelry and makeup by saying, “God does not require a drab and dull appearance. Why shouldn’t a woman try to look nice? . . . The extreme view that God requires a dull appearance (often accompanied with a dull personality) is certainly not consistent with the over-all teaching of the Bible.”10
This statement actually insults both God and women. Who says a woman is dull and drab unless she wears makeup and jewelry? Who says a woman’s personality is dull unless she attempts to look seductive or showy? Certainly a Christian woman should seek to be attractive in both appearance and personality. However, we reject the notion that it takes cosmetics to make a woman attractive. What is wrong with God’s creative ability? What is wrong with natural beauty? What is wrong with the beauty that emanates from within? The movie producers
in Hollywood, the fashion designers in Paris, and the advertising agencies on Madison Avenue in New York will tell us that beauty comes from sex appeal, bottles, tubes, potions, colors, dyes, and the latest fashions, but why should Christians believe this satanic deception? According to Paul and Peter, a woman develops her beauty
by concentrating on spiritual values.
pg 194:
Quoting I Timothy 2:9 and I Peter 3:3, Clement taught against very costly clothing, jewelry, makeup, plucking out the eyebrows (to paint them back on), elaborate hair arrangement, false hair, and hair dye.3 In his day, dye for clothing was very expensive and luxurious, so he recommended
that Christians wear simple, white clothing. In opposing ornamentation, he specifically rejected head crowns, headdresses, ornaments for the hand, earrings, and finger rings. He did allow finger rings for two reasons:
(1) for a woman with an unsaved husband and (2) as a seal or signet for conducting business but not for ornamentation.
pg 195:
“It is not, then, the aspect of the outward man, but the soul that is to be decorated with the ornament of goodness;
we may say also the flesh with the adornment of temperance. . . . Those women who wear gold, occupyingthemselves in curling at their locks, and engaged in anointing their cheeks, painting their eyes, and dyeing their hair, and practising the other pernicious arts of luxury,
decking the covering of flesh,—in truth, imitate the Egyptians, In order to attract their infatuated lovers . . . For love of display is not for a lady, but a courtesan. Such women care little for keeping at home with their husbands;
but loosing their husbands’ purse-strings, they spend its supplies on their lusts, that they may have many witnesses of their seemingly fair appearance. . . .
pg 196:
Another very relevant ante-Nicene writing is On the Apparel of Women by Tertullian. Tertullian taught against makeup, hair dye, elaborate hair arrangement, false hair, extravagant clothing, and jewelry.4 He also warned against men who adorned themselves.
pg 199:
Commodianus wrote, “Thou wishest, O Christian woman, that the matrons should be as the ladies of the world. Thou surroundest thyself with gold. . . . Thouaffectest vanity with all the pomp of the devil. . . . Andmoreover, with evil purposes, thou puttest on false medicaments, on thy pure eyes the stibium, with painted beauty, or thou dyest thy hair that it may be always black. . . . But these things are not necessary for modest women. . . . Do ye, O good matrons, flee from the adornment
of vanity; such attire is fitting for women who haunt the brothels. . . .
pg 221:
Clement of Alexandria had much to say about hair in
The Instructor. He taught against elaborate braiding, curling and dressing of the hair, elaborate headdresses, dyeing the hair, and wearing false hair. He admonished women to bind their hair simply and not to cut it, stating, “God wishes women to . . . rejoice in their locks alone growing spontaneously.”
Tertullian wrote in his treatise On the Apparel of Women that women should not dye the hair, use wigs, or arrange the hair elaborately.
http://www.wholebible.com/head_covering.htm
Cutting the hair was not the sin. FOr women did it to when they told the vow.
http://www.aaronmatthew.com/blog/standards-what-is-biblical/is-it-wrong-for-a-woman-to-cut-her-hairs/
Jewelry is not a sin even.
http://www.aaronmatthew.com/blog/standards-what-is-biblical/is-jewelry-a-sin/
http://www.aaronmatthew.com/blog/standards-what-is-biblical/what-does-the-bible-say-about-makeup/
read
I don’t know how idiots, like the fool who wrote this essay here, get this notion that long hair is necesarily associated with femininity, but .. . http://www.press-play.at/2013/07/31/filmkritik-in-zwei-satzen-conan-the-barbarian/
http://arcadiasbest.com/wp-content/uploads/Fabio.jpg . .. yep, THOSE are some very swishy fellas indeed, aren’t they?
Besides, if GOD really hated long hair on men then why would he make them even NATURALLY CAPABLE OF GROWING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE????? If he’s supposed to be the CREATOR then why wouldn’t he just make it so that male hair would just NATURALLY CEASE TO GROW ANY FURTHER THAN A CERTAIN POINT WICH IS DESIRED BY HIM ?????
“the fool who wrote this essay here” Really?
Naturally growing long is irrelevant. We’re naturally nude and capable of sinning. God gives you the choice to obey Him.
why not take the words of Paul and believe them , women leave your hair alone! leave it uncut! if it grows it grows, if it doesnt it doesnt. but leave it uncut. dont be fussing about it. This is the word of God and so we follow it. plain and simple. Gods word does not lie and I am sorry but as I read it its real plain . Women do not cut your hair at all.
Pretty sure this is wrong.
Regarding hair cutting of women, you have clearly misinterpreted it. Covering only applies while praying, as the passage clearly states. Furthermore, it is perfectly fine to trim hair: trimming isn’t at all like shearing, as Leah explained in the top comment.
Also, as Leah also pointed out, if “cutting short” meant trimming, then a man could grow long hair as long as it was trimmed occasionally.
You’re essentially contradicting yourself.
I think this is the extreme to tell a woman she cannot cut or trim her hair. There is a difference between cutting, trimming, and and a woman shaving her head bald. The point in scripture was about a woman having a bald head by shaving , not trimming. How many witnesses are there in the new and old testaments that agree with this philosophy, God said out of the mouth of two or three witnesses let my word be established. Where are the other witnesses that say a woman cannot ever cut her hair? If she had some sort of scalp condition or needed operation in her head, her hair must be shaved, what is she to do, die because man say she is not allowed to shave?
whatisshet
I believe Paul, was speaking of not falling into the trap of excessively adorning hair as the unbelievers did and taking away from worship. God cares about your soul. I’m sure he would accept anyone as long as they accept his son as the Only way to him an eternal life!
Hi brother!
How you understand this then?
“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.”
If it speaks about hair then shoyuld reat it like that? For if the woman cut her hair , let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her have long hair?
I think that yes is good to have long hair but she must put a covering too.