After his arguments, Paul turns to the Corinthians' own judgment: "Judge in yourselves." Barnes paraphrases, "I appeal to your natural sense of what is proper and right." Gill says the apostle "appeals to the common sense and understanding of the Corinthians," because the thing seemed clear. The question presses them to ask whether it was fitting, in their own setting, for a woman to pray to God unveiled. Barnes explains that Paul had in mind an established custom: "The Grecian women, except their priestesses, were accustomed to appear in public with a veil" (a point Barnes takes from Doddridge).

Paul answers by adding another appeal: "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering" (1 Corinthians 11:14-15). He then closes the matter for anyone who wants to argue: "we have no such custom, neither the churches of God" (1 Corinthians 11:16).

"Comely" translates prepon, fitting or proper. "Uncovered" is akatakalyptos, unveiled. Barnes describes the veil as the customary sign of modesty for women in Greek public life. On 1 Corinthians 11:16 he takes the sense to be probably that if anyone still disputed, Paul pointed to the custom of the other churches, where women did not appear unveiled in public, and that uniformity among the churches and the fear of giving offence should guide Corinth. Gill reads "no such custom" in two possible ways: either the churches had no custom of women praying uncovered, or no custom of contending over such matters.

Paul's question is about worship that honors God in its outward form as well as its heart. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary says, "We should, even in our dress and habit, avoid every thing that may dishonour Christ." Henry's full commentary adds, "Custom is in a great measure the rule of decency." In Corinth, the veil was a known sign of modesty, and casting it off in worship sent a message Paul did not want sent.

Paul also guards against misreading the passage. Right before this question he writes, "Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:11). Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary says man and woman were "to be mutual comforts and blessings, not one a slave, and the other a tyrant." The same chapter assumes women do pray and prophesy (1 Corinthians 11:5).