1 Corinthians 14
14
Prophecy: A Superior Gift
1Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. 2For the person who speaks in a tongue # 14:2 Or another language, also in vv. 4, 13, 14, 19, 26, 27,# 14:2 1Co 12:10 is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit. # 14:2 Or in spirit, or in his spirit 3On the other hand, the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, # 14:3 Lit building up encouragement, and consolation. 4The person who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5I wish all of you spoke in tongues, # 14:5 Or other languages, also in vv.vv. 6, 18, 21, 22, 23, 39 but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.
6So now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation # 14:6 1Pt 4:13 or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7Even lifeless instruments that produce sounds — whether flute or harp # 14:7 Rv 5:8; 14:2; 15:2 — if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized? 8In fact, if the bugle makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle? # 14:8 Nm 10:9; Is 58:1; Jr 4:19; Ezk 33:3–6; Jl 2:1 9In the same way, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech, how will what is spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air. 10There are doubtless many different kinds of languages in the world, none is without meaning. 11Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner # 14:11 Gk barbaros, or barbarian to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. 12So also you — since you are zealous # 14:12 Nm 25:13; Gl 1:14 for spiritual gifts, # 14:12 Lit zealous of spirits,# 14:12 Ps 51:11; Lk 11:34; Jn 1:33; Ac 2:4; Rm 8:9; Gl 5:25; Ti 3:5; 1Jn 4:1; Rv 3:22 seek to excel in building up the church.
13Therefore the person who speaks in a tongue should pray that he can interpret. 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit # 14:14 Ps 51:12 prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. # 14:14 Gl 5:22; Ti 3:14 15What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing praise with the spirit, and I will also sing praise with my understanding. 16Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit, # 14:16 Or praise by the Spirit how will the outsider # 14:16 Lit the one filling the place of the uninformed say “Amen” # 14:16 Ps 72:19; Rv 22:21 at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up. 18I thank # 14:18 Rm 1:8 God that I speak in tongues more than all of you; 19yet in the church I would rather speak five words # 14:19 Mt 12:37 with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20Brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking. # 14:20 Ps 131:2; Is 28:9; Mt 18:3; Rm 16:19; Eph 4:14; Heb 5:12–13 21It is written in the law,
I will speak to this people
by people of other tongues
and by the lips of foreigners,
and even then, they will not listen to me, # 14:21 Is 28:11–12,# 14:21 Is 28:11–12
says the Lord. 22Speaking in tongues, then, is intended as a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23If, therefore, the whole church assembles together and all are speaking in tongues and people who are outsiders or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24But if all are prophesying and some unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convicted by all and is called to account by all. 25The secrets of his heart will be revealed, and as a result he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is really among you.” # 14:25 Is 45:14; Zch 8:23
Order in Church Meetings
26What then, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each one # 14:26 Other mss add of you has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. # 14:26 1Co 12:10 Everything is to be done for building up. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, there are to be only two, or at the most three, each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28But if there is no interpreter, that person is to keep silent in the church and speak to himself and God. 29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate. # 14:29 1Jn 4:1 30But if something has been revealed to another person sitting there, the first prophet should be silent. 31For you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may learn and everyone may be encouraged. # 14:31 Lk 16:25 32And the prophets’ spirits are subject to the prophets, 33since God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints, # 14:33 Eph 6:18 34the women # 14:34 Other mss read your women should be silent in the churches, # 14:34 1Tm 2:11–12; 1Pt 3:1 for they are not permitted to speak, but are to submit themselves, as the law also says. 35If they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands # 14:35 Mt 1:19; 1Pt 3:1 at home, since it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 36Or did the word of God originate from you, or did it come to you only?
37If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, he should recognize that what I write to you is the Lord’s command. 38If anyone ignores this, he will be ignored. # 14:38 Other mss read he should be ignored 39So then, my brothers and sisters, be eager # 14:39 Nm 25:13; Gl 4:17 to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40But everything is to be done decently # 14:40 Rm 13:13 and in order.
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
1 Corinthians 14
14
1Pursue ahavah (agape), and eagerly desire the things of the Ruach Hakodesh (matanot HaRuach Hakodesh), and especially that you may speak forth a dvar hanevu'ah (word of prophecy). 2For the one speaking in a lashon (tongue) speaks not to Bnei Adam but to Hashem; for no one grasps with their ears, but the speaker by the Ruach Hakodesh speaks sodot (mysteries). 3However, the one speaking forth divrei nevu'ah (words of prophecy) speaks to Bnei Adam for chizzuk (strengthening) and musar encouragement and nechamah (comfort). 4The one speaking in a lashon (tongue) edifies himself; but, the one speaking forth a dvar hanevu'ah (word of prophecy) edifies kehillah. 5Now I desire all of you to speak in leshonot (tongues), and even more that you may speak forth a dvar hanevu'ah (word of prophecy).#14:5 Num 11:29 Now greater is the one speaking forth a dvar nevu'ah (word of prophecy) than the one speaking in leshonot, unless he gives the pitron (interpretation) of the leshonot (tongues), that the kehillah (congregation) may receive the edification.
6But now, Achim b'Moshiach, if I come to you speaking in leshonot (tongues), what will I benefit you unless I speak to you either with a dvar hisgalus (a word of revelation) or with a dvar da'as or with a dvar nevu'ah or with a dvar hora'ah (word of teaching)? 7So even lifeless things, like the flute or harp, if they do not articulate a distinction in the notes, how will it be known what is being played on the flute or on the harp? 8Indeed, if a shofar gives an unclear trumpet call, who will prepare himself for krav (battle)?#14:8 Num 10:9; Jer 4:19 9So also unless you by your lashon (tongue) render an intelligible dvar Torah, how will the thing being uttered be known? For you will be merely speaking into the air. 10There are doubtless many kinds of foreign languages in the Olam Hazeh, and not one is meaningless. 11If, therefore, I do not have da'as of the meaning of the language, I will be to the speaker a foreigner and the speaker will be a foreigner to me.#14:11 Gn 11:7 12So also you, als (since) you have a zeal for the matanot of the Ruach Hakodesh, endeavor to abound in them for the edification of the Kehillah (Congregation).
13Therefore, the speaker in a lashon (tongue), let him offer tefillos that he may give the pitron (interpretation). 14For if I daven (pray) in a lashon, my nashamah davens, but my sikhliyut (rationality) lies shemitah (fallow). 15Nu? (Well?) I will daven [in leshonot] with my nashamah, and I will daven also with my seichel; I will sing [in leshonot] with my nashamah, and I will sing niggunim also with my seichel. 16Otherwise, if you make a bracha [in leshonot] with your neshamah, how will the am ha'aretz, who have no idea what you are saying, answer the “Omein”?#14:16 Dt 27:15,26; 1Chr 16:36; Neh 8:6; Ps 106:48 17For indeed you make the bracha well enough, but the other is not being edified. 18Modeh Ani Hashem that I speak in leshonot more than all of you, 19but in kehillah I want to speak five words with my sikhliyut (rationality), that also others I may instruct with a dvar hora'ah (word of teaching), rather than speak ten thousand words in a lashon (tongue).
20Achim b'Moshiach, be not yeladim in your machsh'vot (thoughts); be infantile in kavvanah ra'ah (malice), perhaps, but in your binah, be mature.#14:20 Jer 4:22 21In the Torah it stands written, KI BELA'AGEI SAFAH UVELASHON ACHERET YEDABER EL HAAM HAZEH…V'LO AVU SHMO'A (Then with ones of foreign lip and with strange tongue he will speak to this people… but they were not willing to listen), says the L-rd.#14:21 Isa 28:11-12 22So then the leshonot (tongues) are for an ot (miraculous sign), not to the ones believing, the ma'aminim in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, but an ot (miraculous sign) to the Apikorosim; but divrei hanevu'ah (words of prophecy) are not for the Apikorosim, but for the ones believing, the ma'aminim in Moshiach. 23If, therefore, the kehillah has a farbrengen gathering and all speak in leshonot (tongues), and then in walks the am ha'aretz or the Apikorosim, will they not say that you are all meshuggah? 24However, if all speak forth divrei hanevu'ah (words of prophecy), and then in walks some Apikorosim or am ha'aretz, such a visitor is brought under conviction by all, he is brought into mishpat (judgment) by all, 25What is hiding in his lev (heart) becomes manifest, and, having fallen on his face, he worships Hashem, declaring that G-d is among you.#14:25 Zech 8:23; Isa 45:14; Dan 2:47
26Nu? Well? Achim b'Moshiach, when you come together, each one has a mizmor (hymn, psalm), a musar (teaching with an ethical point), a dvar hisgalus (a dvar of revelation), a lashon (tongue), or a pitron (interpretation) of a lashon (tongue); let all things be for edification. 27If anyone speaks in a lashon (tongue), let the speakers be shenayim (two) or at most shloshah (three), and by turn, and let one give the pitron (interpretation). 28But if there is no one to give the pitron, let the one with the lashon (tongue) be silent in the kehillah and let him instead speak to himself and to Hashem. 29And let shenayim or shloshah nevi'im speak and let the other nevi'im be used with discernings of ruchot (spirits).#14:29 1C 12:10 30And if a dvar hisgalus (a word of revelation) is given to a navi sitting by, let the first navi become silent. 31For you all are able one by one to speak forth a dvar hanevu'ah (word of prophecy), in order that all may learn and receive chizzuk (strengthening). 32And the neshamot of nevi'im are subject to the nevi'im. 33For Hashem is no Elohei HaMevucha (the G-d of Confusion, Tohu); He is Elohei HaShalom, and this is so in all the kehillot of the Kedoshim. 34Let the nashim in the kehillot be silent, for it is not permitted for them to blurt out, but let them become submissive, as it says in the Torah.#14:34 Gn 3:16 35And if the nashim wish to inquire about something, let them inquire of their own be'alim b'bayis, for it is a bushah (shame) for an isha to blurt out in the kehillah.#14:35 Gn 3:2
36Or from you did the dvar Hashem go forth,#14:36 Isa 2:3 or to you only did it reach? 37If anyone thinks himself to be a navi or a man of the Ruach Hakodesh,#14:37 1C 2:13 let him have full da'as that the things I wrote to you are a mitzvoh of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu. 38But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39So then, Achim b'Moshiach of mine, earnestly desire to speak forth a dvar hanevu'ah (word of prophecy), and do not forbid speaking in leshonot (tongues). 40Let all things be done b'seder and without bushah (shame).
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