For gives the reason for the statement in verse 28, and it links up and partly overlaps with the thought of verse 27.

Some manuscripts add “unworthily” after drinks, and “of the Lord” after body, as in verse 27. These additions are probably intended to make the text clear. Although it seems unlikely that “unworthily” is implicit in the text, it certainly is justified to add “of the Lord” after “body,” as Good News Bible has done.

The Greek of this verse is not very smooth. The phrase translated without discerning the body (of the Lord) is added loosely at the end of the verse. All translations we have consulted agree with Good News Bible in translating these words as an “if” clause, and many languages will prefer to put this clause at the beginning of the verse, as in English.

Good News Bible correctly expands Revised Standard Version‘s literal translation to “the Lord’s body,” that is, the body of Jesus. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “If he has not made it clear to himself that he has to do with the Lord’s body….” Many scholars believe that Paul is thinking of the church as the body of Christ, but he leaves this implicit, and translators should probably do the same. Some translations such as New English Bible (but not Revised English Bible) have capitalized “Body,” but this is ineffective. When the verse is read aloud, the hearer will not catch the difference in meaning.

It seems better, on the whole, to understand verse 29 in the light of verse 27 as referring to someone who “does not realize the sacredness of Christ’s body” as he eats the bread in the Lord’s Supper (Translator’s New Testament translational notes).

This interpretation is partially reflected in Good News Bible and more clearly by Bible en français courant “if anyone eats of the bread and drinks of the cup without recognizing their relationship with the body of the Lord.” In a similar way Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch renders it “If he has not made it clear to himself that he has to do with the Lord’s body….”

Judgment means a verdict—almost always, as here, of condemnation. One can render this clause as “God will condemn him as he eats and drinks” (see verse 34 in Good News Bible).

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .