What Does 1 Corinthians 11:13 Mean in the King James?
Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The question makes discernment part of prayer: the community is asked to judge what form of approaching God is fitting.
THE MEANING
The verse puts a question of fittingness before you: is a woman’s prayer to God with her head uncovered fitting? It makes the visible form of prayer part of what is being weighed, while leaving the judgment with the readers.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Prayer is only inward, so its visible form can never matter.
THE ROOT
πρέπον
prepon
GROWS FROM
πρεπ-
prep-
Be fitting, be proper, suit the circumstances.
“comely” in this verse is prepon. πρέπον (prepon, fitting) frames the question around suitability, not merely attractiveness. The same word family can describe what is seemly or unbecoming, so the verse puts the form of prayer before discernment about its fit.
ALSO GROWS
euprepēs: Seemly, becoming, fitting
εὐπρεπής
It shares the prep- stem and names what appears fitting or becoming.
aprepēs: Unbecoming, unsuitable
ἀπρεπής
It shows the same word family can name what does not fit.
κρίνετε
krinete
GROWS FROM
κριν-
krin-
Distinguish, decide, judge.
κρίνετε (krinete, judge) is a form of κρίνω (krinō, decide or discern). The wording places this decision among the readers, making their discernment part of the verse’s question.
ALSO GROWS
krisis: Judgment, decision
κρίσις
It names the act of reaching a judgment that the verse asks of its readers.
kritēs: Judge, one who decides
κριτής
It names the person exercising the discerning judgment called for here.
diakrinō: Distinguish, discern
διακρίνω
It carries the same krin- root into the act of making distinctions.
ἀκατακάλυπτον
akatakalypton
GROWS FROM
καλυπτ-
kalypt-
Cover, conceal.
ἀκατακάλυπτον (akatakalypton, uncovered) is formed around καλύπτω (kalyptō, cover). The same stem appears in words for a covering and for uncovering or revealing, placing this question about a woman’s head covering within a wider cover-and-uncover word family.
ALSO GROWS
kalymma: Covering, veil
κάλυμμα
It names a covering from the same word family that the verse marks as absent.
apokalyptō: Uncover, reveal
ἀποκαλύπτω
It carries the cover-word into the act of uncovering or making something visible.
THE PATTERN
Scripture weighs visible forms of devotion through discernment while keeping outward appearance from becoming the sole measure.
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.Let all things be done decently and in order.THE THREAD
I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.Both verses use κρίνω (krinō, judge): here readers judge whether uncovered prayer is fitting, and there wise readers judge what is said. The shared verb links the question to discernment as an active part of receiving the passage.
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