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 only covering Scripture names is her hair. She must repent, stop cutting, and let it grow. A scarf may be worn for modesty, but it does not fulfill 1 Corinthians 11.
2) Scriptural explanation
- “Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head… 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” (1 Corinthians 11:5–6). Uncovered is tied to being shorn/shaven.
- “Her hair is given her for a covering” (1 Corinthians 11:15). The Bible names the covering: hair.
- God receives the repentant: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive” (1 John 1:9).
3) Simple clarifying logic
- Willful cutting/shaving = shorn/shaven = uncovered, regardless of any hat.
- The remedy Paul gives is not a hat, but to be “covered”—and he defines that covering as hair. So obedience is to cease cutting and let the hair grow back.
- While it grows, she can pray and walk modestly, but she must not claim a scarf as the Scriptural covering. God forgives the repentant heart immediately; the visible sign returns as the hair grows.
4) Reinforcing statement
Now notice, God is not measuring hats—He honors obedience. Let the hair grow, don’t cut it again, and the God-given covering will return.
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.
The god of this evil age
65-0801M §82
Say, "What's wrong with them slacks," or whatever they call it, pedal-pushers or ever what it is? The Bible said that any woman that'll wear a garment that pertains to a man, it's an abomination in the sight of God. That's "thus saith the Bible." And a woman that'll cut her hair dishonors her head. And it's not even a... It's a sinful thing for a woman to offer prayer with short hair, the Bible said so, pray in public with her head uncovered. Oh, you say, "I wear a hat." You hypocrite. Teach them women such things...
Questions and Answers, Part 3
64-0830M §118
That's---that mean that they're taking on hair or off ... I think the person might've got mistaken in thinking there that it meant a man prophesying with his head covered, then he takes his covering off. See? No. That isn't that he had long hair, it means, if he's covered... Now, you read on down just a little further, you that asked the question, and you'll find out that the woman's head is her husband. How many knows that? And the man's head is Christ; therefore, a man should cut his hair because of Christ, 'caus...
A thinking man's filter
65-0822E §35
Now, this is going to be a little bitter maybe to somebody, but when she started through God's filter, and it says in there for them not to cut their hair, then what? She lodges on the other side. If it said it's a sin for a woman to do such and she's dishonorable to do such... If she wants to... He said ... "Well, she's got to have her hair cut." Said, "Then shave it off then." And said, "We know that that's a shame for a woman to have a head shorn"; said, "Then let her have her head covered." And her hair is her...
Questions and Answers on Hebrews, part 3
57-1006 §75
Now, now if you... The 8th question: QUESTION: "Why hair because of angels of I Corinthians?" Now somebody get me I Corinthians, the 11th chapter, and we will see there, that you'll find out that... In I Corinthians, the 11th, we find out that Paul is speaking. Let me get over to it just a minute, and then we will read it right quick and then we will have it down. I got something to say on this other verse here, that I hope the Lord gives it to us the way we should have it. If somebody find it... I think that's the...
Questions and Answers, Part 2
64-0823E §84
No, Brother, if you want a flattop haircut, I'll tell you; You just wait till you get about my age, you'll have one. So... That's all right. I didn't mean that like that, buddy. Bless your heart if you believe Brother Branham tell you the truth. I don't think God says anything about men, his covering is just as long as he cuts his hair. If he lets his hair grow down long like a woman, the Bible says it's a shame for a man to do that. But now, if ... as long as you got your hair and you're a little boy. And I know I...