If a Sister's Hair Is Woven, or Plaited or Matted in Cornrows but Not Cut, is She Covered?
1) Direct answer
Yes. If her own hair is uncut, she is covered. Braiding, plaiting, or cornrows do not remove the covering. But she should keep it modest and avoid adding false hair or making a show of it.
2) Scriptural explanation
- The Bible says, “Her hair is given her for a covering” (1 Corinthians 11:15). The covering God recognizes is a woman’s own hair.
- Paul warns against outward display: “not with braided hair… but with good works” and “not the plaiting of the hair” as an adornment (1 Timothy 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3). The point is modesty and a meek spirit, not elaborate styling that draws attention.
3) Simple clarifying logic
- The covering is not a cloth; it is the hair God gave her. If it’s uncut, she is covered.
- Cutting removes the sign of authority; styling does not.
- Simple braids for neatness can be modest; showy, elaborate plaits that advertise the flesh are not.
- Adding artificial hair, wigs, or weaves is not the God-given covering and turns it into outward adornment.
4) Reinforcing statement
Keep the hair God gave, uncut and modest. That’s the covering Scripture honors.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Jairus, the secret believer
55-0604 §15
Now, if they had ... if they had a medicine that would heal a knife cut in my hand, it would heal a knife cut in my coat; it'd heal a knife cut on this desk here. If it'd heal a knife cut, it would heal a knife cut regardless of where it was ... if a medicine healed a knife cut. Now, you say, "Brother Branham, you're getting off of the beaten path." All right. You say, "Medicine is made to heal human bodies, not your coat and the desk." All right. Then I cut my hand with a knife, and I fall dead here on the platfor...
Expectancy
53-0903 §29
Let me show you just a little simple thing while they're causing disturbance, see. Look, for inst... Now look this way and listen to me just a moment. What if I cut my hand tonight plumb to the bone in my hand. There isn't a medicine in the world could heal that knife cut, not a medicine. Of all of our fine things, there's nothing that will heal that knife cut. Oh, you say, "Brother Branham, they'd put penicillin in there." That wouldn't heal it. We put tincture Merthiolate, that won't heal it. There's nothing that...
The Church and its condition
56-0805 §56
And now you say, "Brother Branham, I think if I got short hair, it makes me cool and everything like..." That's right, but if you got long hair, you'd be cooler. It'll take it all off your neck, and wrap it up and make it right. Why, you know what the Bible said? That, a man has a right to put away his wife and get a divorce from her if she cuts her hair. If she cuts her hair, it shows she's living untrue to him. The Bible said so, I Corinthians 12; find out if it's not right. She that... A woman that cuts her hair...
Questions and Answers, Part 1
64-0823M §97
QUESTION: Brother Branham, does this I Timothy 2:9 mean a woman cannot braid her hair? Does "broid" hair mean "braided" hair? Now look, Sister, now this... I'm glad that followed this. I never fixed it there, but it just ... it followed that good. Notice, a braided hair in that day was the sign of a street woman; that's what she done, braided her hair. And Paul said to the Christians, "Now, that adorning, not let it be of a braided..." (or 'broided' and 'braid' is the same thing)--- to braid their hair, because it...
Questions and Answers, part 2
54-0103E §63
I know we ladies today ... or, you ladies, rather, wear hats. You say that's your covering. That's wrong. The Bible said a woman's covering is her hair. And if she cuts her hair, it's a common thing for her to pray. That right? That's Scripture, see. So now, women are supposed to wear long hair, regardless of what you want to think about it; that's "Thus saith the Lord." You can show me any place... You say, "Well, my hair's long. See, it's down to my shoulders." That was short hair. "Christ..." You said, "Christ h...