1 Corinthians, 11
Women must have a covering over their heads. He blameth the abuses of their love feasts and upon that occasion treats of the Blessed Sacrament.
[1] Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ. •
[2] Now I praise you, brethren, that in all things you are mindful of me and keep my ordinances as I have delivered them to you. •
[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 with his head covered disgraceth his head. •
[5] But every woman praying or prophesying with her head not covered disgraceth her head: for it is all one as if she were shaven. •
[6] For if a woman be not covered, let her be shorn. But if it be a shame to a woman to be shorn or made bald, let her cover her head. •
[7] The man indeed ought not to cover his head: because 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] For the man was not created for the woman: but the woman for the man. •
[10] Therefore ought the woman to have a power 1 over her head, because of the angels. •
A power: that is, a veil or covering, as a sign that she is under the power of her husband: and this, the apostle adds, because of the angels, who are present in the assemblies of the faithful.
[11] But yet neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord.
[12] For as the woman is of the man, so also is the man by the woman: but all things of God.
[13] You yourselves judge. Doth it become a woman to pray unto God uncovered? •
[14] Doth not even nature itself teach you that a man indeed, if he nourish his hair, it is a shame unto him?
[15] But if a woman nourish her hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering.
[16] But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor the Church of God. •
[17] Now this I ordain: not praising you, that you come together, not for the better, but for the worse. •
[18] For first of all I hear that when you come together in the church, there are schisms among you. And in part I believe it. •
[19] For there must be also heresies 1: that they also, who are approved may be made manifest among you. •
There must be also heresies: By reason of the pride and perversity of man's heart; not by God's will or appointment; who nevertheless draws good out of this evil, manifesting, by that occasion, who are the good and firm Christians, and making their faith more remarkable.
[20] When you come therefore together into one place, it is not now to eat the Lord's supper 1. •
The Lord's supper: So the apostle here calls the charity feasts observed by the primitive Christians; and reprehends the abuses of the Corinthians, on these occasions; which were the more criminal, because these feasts were accompanied with the celebrating of the eucharistic sacrifice and sacrament.
[21] For every one taketh before his own supper to eat. And one indeed is hungry and another is drunk. •
[22] What, have you no houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? Do I praise you? In this I praise you not.
[23] For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, •
[24] And giving thanks, broke and said: Take ye and eat: This is my body, which shall be delivered for you. This do for the commemoration of me. •
[25] In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood. This do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me.
[26] For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come.
[27] Therefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink 1 the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. •
Or drink: Here erroneous translators corrupted the text, by putting and drink (contrary to the original) instead of or drink.
Guilty of the body, etc., not discerning the body: This demonstrates the real presence of the body and blood of Christ, even to the unworthy communicant; who otherwise could not be guilty of the body and blood of Christ, or justly condemned for not discerning the Lord's body.
[28] But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice 1. •
Drink of the chalice: This is not said by way of command, but by way of allowance, that is, where and when it is agreeable to the practice and discipline of the church.
[29] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.
[30] Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you: and many sleep. •
[31] But if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
[32] But whilst we are judged, we are chastised by the Lord, that we be not condemned with this world. •
[33] Wherefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.
[34] If any man be hungry, let him eat at home; that you come not together unto judgment. And the rest I will set in order, when I come. •