Follow me as I do Christ.
¶ I commend you brethren that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances which I gave to you. I would ye knew that Christ is the head of every man. and the woman's head is the man. and Christe's head is God. Every man praying or prophesying having any thing on his head, shameth his head. Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth bare headed, dishonesteth her head. For it is even all one, and the very same thing even as though she were shaven. If the woman be not covered, let her also be shaven. If it be shame for a woman to be shaven or shorn, let her cover her head.
¶ A man ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of god. The woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman's sake: but the woman for the man's sake. For this cause ought the woman to have power in her head, for the angels' sake. Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man by the woman: but all is of god.
¶ Judge in yourselves whether it be comely that a woman pray unto god bareheaded. Or else doth not nature teach you, that it is a shame for a man, if he have long hair: and a praise to a woman if she have long hair? For her hair is given her to cover her withall. If there be any man among you that lusteth to strive, let him know that we have no such customes, neither the congregations of God.
¶ This I warn you of, and commend not that ye come together after a worse manner, and not after a better. First of all when ye come together in the congregation, I hear that there is dissension among you: And I partly believe it. For there must be sects among you, that they which among you are perfect might be known. When ye come together in one place, a man cannot eat the Lord's supper. For every man beginneth afore to eat his own supper. And one is hungry, and another is drunken. Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? Or else despise ye the congregation of God? and shame them that have not? what shall I say unto you? shall I praise you? in this praise I you not.
¶ That which I gave unto you I received of the Lord. For the Lord Iesus the same night in the which he was betrayed, took bread: and thanked and brake, and said. Take ye, and eat ye this is my body which is broken for you. This do ye in the remembrance of me. After the same manner he took the cup when supper was done saying: This cup is the new testament in my blood, this do as oft as ye drink it, in the remembrance of me.
¶ For as often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye shall shew the Lord's death, till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat of this bread, or drink of the cup unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man therefore examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he that eateth or drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own damnation, because he maketh no difference of the Lordi's body.
¶ For this cause many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. If we had truly judged ourselves, we should not have been judged. When we are judged of the Lord we are chastened, because we should not be damned with the world. Wherefore my brethren, when ye come togedder to eat, tarry one for another. If any man hunger, let him eat at home, that ye come not together unto condemnation. Other things will I set in order when I come.
© Faith of God
William Tyndale 1526