On What Scriptural Basis Is a Man Praying with a Hat on Frowned Upon If a Woman Praying with a Hat on as a Covering Is Considered Unscriptural?
1) Direct answer
It’s Scripture. A man must not pray with his head covered; a woman must be covered—but God defined her covering as her long hair, not a hat. So a man praying with a hat on dishonors his Head, and a woman using a hat as a “substitute covering” is unscriptural. Her hair is the covering God appointed.
2) Scriptural explanation
- 1 Corinthians 11:4,7: “Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head… For a man indeed ought not to cover his head; forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God.”
- 1 Corinthians 11:5–6: A woman praying or prophesying uncovered dishonors her head; if she won’t be covered, “let her also be shorn,” showing that uncoveredness and shorn/shaven go together.
- 1 Corinthians 11:13–15: “Judge in yourselves… if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her… for her hair is given her for a covering.”
3) Simple clarifying logic
- For the man: The Bible says he must not cover his head when praying. A hat on a praying man is a covered head; therefore it dishonors Christ his Head.
- For the woman: The Bible itself identifies the covering—her hair is given to her for a covering. That means:
- Long hair = covered.
- Shorn/shaven = uncovered.
- No hat can replace hair, and no hat is required to fulfill the command.
So a woman thinking a hat “makes her covered” while she cuts her hair is still uncovered by Scripture. And a woman with long hair is covered even without a hat.
4) Reinforcing statement
Now notice: it’s not about church customs but God’s order. Men pray uncovered; women are covered by the hair God gave. That keeps the headship honor exactly as the Bible sets it. Final biblical conclusion: A man should remove his hat to pray (1 Corinthians 11:4,7). A woman’s scriptural covering is her long hair (1 Corinthians 11:15); a hat does not make or replace that covering.
Existing Follow-Up Answers
- If a Woman Willfully Cuts or Shaves Off Her Hair but Wears a Scarf or Hat to Pray, Is She Covered?
1) Direct answer No. If a woman willfully cuts or shaves her hair and then puts on a scarf or hat to pray, she is still uncovered before God. The - So What If a Woman by Accident, Age or Health Condition Has Short or No Hair, How Should She Be Covered If Hats and Scarfs Are Not a Covering?
1) Direct answer If a woman loses hair by accident, age, or sickness, she is not made “uncovered” in guilt before God. The Bible’s covering is he - What Determines If a Woman's Head Is Covered? Is It the Scalp Visibility or the Uncut Hair? Does It Matter If the Hair Is Matted in Cornrows or Plait?
1) Direct answer A woman’s head is covered when her hair is uncut and allowed to grow. It is not about hiding the scalp with fabric, and it’s not
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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.
A True Sign that's overlooked
61-1112 §111
What we need is the gospel. God, rise someone on the scene that's right back to the Word. God said it's not even a decent thing for a woman to even come to church and pray with her hair cut. And a woman that cuts her hair, a man has a perfect right to get a divorce from her. She's a dishonorable woman. The Bible said so. She's dishonorable to her husband, she maybe not know it. Any woman that'll wear shorts is dishonorable. She might not know it. Lady, I ain't trying to hurt you. I'm trying to save you from a lake...
Questions and Answers, Part 2
64-0823E §83
QUESTION: Brother Branham, is it wrong to have a flattop haircut? I suppose this is a man; I hope it is. Well now, some women do that. Sure. I was going up on the bus one time when I was state game warden here. Going up here ... I was setting there, and a man was talking like that, had a welder's cap on, and I was just talking to him. And he was going ahead smoking a cigarette, had a welder's glasses pushed up like that. Was right up here around Sellersburg. And I was setting there talking to that fellow. He said s...
Questions and Answers
61-1015M §51
Now, if you'll notice, you that's reading your Bible, the thirty-sixth verse, he said. What? came the word of God ... from you? and came it from you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if ... he be ignorant, just let him be ignorant. Now, in otherwise, the women... Now, if you'll take the history to this letter, see, of the church, these women thought that they were to continue on with their min...
Questions and Answers, Part 2
64-0823E §81
QUESTION: Brother Branham, is it wrong for a woman to curl her hair? I done went through that. Sure, I don't care, just keep it long. See? I don't ... I know you're ... I don't mean that to be "jokey" with you girls, see. That's sincere. You want to know, and you're asking me. You got confidence in me or you wouldn't be asking me that. Now, I got confidence in you, sister, that what I'd tell you, I believe you'd do. I can't back that up with the Scripture. If you want... If you haven't got pretty, curly hair and yo...
A True Sign that's overlooked
61-1112 §116
Now, Jezebel and Ahabs... Yes, sir! Why? Why do they do it? Why does them women do ... keep their hair bobbed off, and wear make-up, and go out and put on shorts when men are coming by and things like that, their husbands do it? Because they haven't got a true prophet in their pulpit to tell them the truth. They tell them, "Well, that's no different. That's all right. You don't have to do with that." You... It is the Word of the Lord! The Bible said any woman that'll put on a garment pertains to a man is an abomina...