¹tc The Western and Byzantine texts, as well as one or two Alexandrian mss (D F G Y 33 Ï latt sy), combine in reading ajdelfoiv (adelfoi, “brothers”) here, while the Alexandrian witnesses (Ì46 Í A B C P 81 630 1175 1739 1881 2464 co) largely lack the address. The addition of ajdelfoiv is apparently a motivated reading, however, for scribes would have naturally wanted to add it to ejpainw' deV uJma'" (epainw de Juma", “now I praise you”), especially as this begins a new section. On the other hand, it is difficult to explain how the shorter reading could have arisen from the longer one. Thus, on both internal and external grounds, the shorter reading is strongly preferred.
²tn Or “the husband is the head of his wife.” The same Greek words translated “man” and “woman” can mean, as determined by context, “husband” and “wife” respectively. Such an approach is followed by NAB, TEV, NRSV, and NLT (with some variations).
³sn Paul does not use a word specifying what type of “covering” is meant (veil, hat, etc.). The Greek word he uses here (ejxousiva exousia; translated symbol of authority) could be (1) a figure of speech that may substitute the result (the right to participate in worship) for the appropriate appearance that makes it possible (the covered head). Or (2) it refers to the outward symbol (having the head covered) as representing the inward attitude the woman is to possess (deference to male leadership in the church).
⁴sn Paul does not explain this reference to the angels, and its point is not entirely clear. It seems to reflect an awareness that angels are witnesses to church life (cf. Eph 3:10) and would be particularly sensitive to resistance against God’s created order.
⁵sn Paul does not mean nature in the sense of “the natural world” or “Mother Nature.” It denotes “the way things are” because of God’s design.
⁶sn No word for veil or head covering occurs in vv. 3-14 (see the note on authority in v. 10). That the hair is regarded by Paul as a covering in v. 15 is not necessarily an argument that the hair is the same as the head covering that he is describing in the earlier verses (esp. v. 10). Throughout this unit of material, Paul points out the similarities of long hair with a head covering. But his doing so seems to suggest that the two are not to be identified with each other. Precisely because they are similar they do not appear to be identical (cf. vv. 5, 6, 7, 10, 13). If head covering = long hair, then what does v. 6 mean (“For if a woman will not cover her head, she should cut off her hair”)? This suggests that the covering is not the same as the hair itself.
⁷tn Grk “those approved may be evident among you.”
⁸tn The word “first” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. It has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
⁹tn Grk “in this manner.”
¹⁰tn The word more literally means, “judging between, recognizing, distinguishing.”
¹¹tn Grk “are asleep.” The verb koimavw (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.
¹²tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.