1 Corinthians 14
14
Proper Use of Spiritual Gifts
1It is good that you are enthusiastic and passionate about spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. # 14:1 Or “that you crave spiritual things” or “that you crave spiritual realities.” 2When someone speaks in tongues, no one understands a word he says, because he’s not speaking to people, but to God—he is speaking intimate mysteries in the Spirit. # 14:2 This verse makes it clear that the tongues Paul refers to are not known languages but Spirit-inspired utterances. 3But when someone prophesies, he speaks to encourage people, to build them up, and to bring them comfort. # 14:3 The Greek word paramythia (a hapax legomenon) could also be translated “soothing, calming speech” or “affirmation.” Paul does not describe prophecy here as predictive, but as influential to advance the spiritual welfare of the body. 4The one who speaks in tongues advances his own spiritual progress, # 14:4 See Rom. 8:26. while the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5I would be delighted if you all spoke in tongues, but I desire even more that you impart prophetic revelation to others. Greater gain comes through the one who prophesies than the one who speaks in tongues, unless there is interpretation so that it builds up the entire church.
6My dear friends, what good is it if I come to you always speaking in tongues? But if I come with a clear revelation from God, or with insight, # 14:6 Or “intimate knowledge through experience.” or with a prophecy, or with a clear teaching, I can enrich you. # 14:6 Paul uses these four ministries as examples of what builds up the church. Every congregation needs to focus on all four (revelation from God, insights of truth, prophecy, and teaching), as they are all necessary today. 7Similarly, if musical instruments, such as flutes or stringed instruments, are out of tune and don’t play the arrangement clearly, how will anyone recognize the melody? 8If the bugle makes a garbled sound, who will recognize the signal to show up for the battle? 9So it is with you. Unless you speak in a language that’s easily understood, how will anyone know what you’re talking about? You might as well save your breath!
10I suppose that the world has all sorts of languages, and each conveys meaning to the ones who speak it. 11But I am like a foreigner if I don’t understand the language, and the speaker will be like a foreigner to me. 12And that’s what’s happening among you. You are so passionate # 14:12 The Greek word implies a boiling over with affection and emotion. about embracing the manifestations of the Holy Spirit! Now become even more passionate about the things that strengthen the entire church.
13So then, if you speak in a tongue, pray for the interpretation to be able to unfold the meaning of what you are saying. 14For if I am praying in a tongue, my spirit is engaged in prayer but I have no clear understanding of what is being said.
15So here’s what I’ve concluded. I will pray in the Spirit, but I will also pray with my mind engaged. I will sing rapturous praises in the Spirit, but I will also sing with my mind engaged. 16Otherwise, if you are praising God in your spirit, how could someone without the gift participate by adding his “amen” to your giving of thanks, since he doesn’t have a clue of what you’re saying? 17Your praise to God is admirable, but it does nothing to strengthen and build up others.
18I give thanks to God that I speak in tongues more than all of you, 19but in the church setting I would rather speak five words that can be understood than ten thousand exotic words in a tongue. That way I could have a role in teaching others.
The Function of the Gifts
20Beloved ones, # 14:20 Or “brothers and sisters.” don’t remain as immature children in your reasoning. As it relates to evil, be like newborns, but in your thinking be mature adults.
21For it stands written in the law:
I will bring my message to this people with strange tongues and foreign lips, yet even then they still will not listen to me, says the Lord. # 14:21 See Deut. 28:49; Isa. 28:11–12.
22So then, tongues are not a sign for believers, but a miracle for unbelievers. Prophecy, on the other hand, is not for unbelievers, but a miracle sign for believers.
23If the entire church comes together and everyone is speaking in tongues, won’t the visitors say that you have lost your minds? 24But if everyone is prophesying, and an unbeliever or one without the gift enters your meeting, he will be convicted by all that he hears and will be called to account, 25for the intimate secrets of his heart will be brought to light. He will be mystified and fall facedown in worship and say, “God is truly among you!” # 14:25 Or “Truly God is in you.”
Guidelines for Use of the Gifts
26Beloved friends, # 14:26 Or “brothers and sisters.” what does all this imply? When you conduct your meetings, you should always let everything be done to build up the church family. Whether you share a song of praise, # 14:26 Or “a psalm.” a teaching, a divine revelation, or a tongue and interpretation, let each one contribute what strengthens others.
27If someone speaks in a tongue, it should be two or three, # 14:27 This could be a Greek idiom (lit. by twos and threes) meaning “just a few.” one after another, with someone interpreting. 28If there’s no one with the interpretation, then he should remain silent in the meeting, content to speak to himself and to God.
29And the same with prophecy. Let two or three prophets prophesy and let the other prophets carefully evaluate and discern what is being said. 30But if someone receives a revelation while someone else is still speaking, the one speaking should conclude and allow the one with fresh revelation the opportunity to share it. # 14:30 God wants a fresh word spoken to his people. The churches must allow God’s “now” voice to be heard and evaluated by the written Word. 31For you can all prophesy in turn and in an environment where all present can be instructed, encouraged, and strengthened. 32The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. # 14:32 The Aramaic allows for this translation: “The prophecies (spiritual words) of the prophets are subject to the prophets,” which could imply that the prophet is to be accountable with his/her prophecies. From the context it appears that the Corinthians were speaking in tongues and prophesying without regarding others in the body who also had prophetic words to share or a tongue and interpretation. This caused disorder and confusion in the church meetings, with people speaking up and giving their opinions about what was spoken. 33For God is the God of harmony, not confusion, # 14:33 Or “instability.” as is the pattern in all the churches of God’s holy believers.
34The women # 14:34 Or “wives.” should be respectfully silent during the evaluation of prophecy in the meetings. # 14:34 Implied in the greater context. The theme Paul is addressing is unity and mutual edification, not simply the role of women. Women are permitted to speak in church, to prophesy, and to minister the gospel. See 1 Cor. 11:2–16; 14:31. Paul is apparently prohibiting interrupting the leaders as they evaluate prophetic utterances. It is likely that Paul was addressing a specific issue taking place in the church fellowship of Corinth with women interrupting the meetings with their opinions and questions about the prophetic words just spoken, possibly even words spoken by their husbands. They are not allowed to interrupt, # 14:34 Or “speak.” Interrupting the meeting is implied when compared with 1 Cor. 11:2–16; 14:31; Acts 2:16–21; 21:9. but are to be in a support role, as in fact the law teaches. # 14:34 See Gen. 2:18–24; 3:16. 35If they want to inquire about something, let them ask their husbands when they get home, for a woman embarrasses herself when she constantly interrupts the church meeting. # 14:35 One interpretation of this passage is that Paul is quoting from a letter written by the Corinthians to him. They were the ones saying a woman should remain silent and Paul is responding to their questions. In other words, they were imposing a rule in the church that Paul refutes in v. 36. Some manuscripts move vv. 34–35 to after v. 40, which causes a few scholars to consider this as evidence of an early introduction into the text by Jewish scribes. The only two places in the New Testament where Paul writes about women being quiet or not teaching in the church are in his letters to the church of Ephesus (1 Timothy) and Corinth. Both cities were centers of worship to the goddess Artemis (Diana), where women had the leading roles of teaching and temple prostitution was commonplace. To the Galatians Paul writes that there is no distinction between believing men and women (Gal. 3:28).
36Do you actually think that you were the starting point for the Word of God going forth? Were you the only ones it was sent to? I don’t think so! # 14:36 Inferred by the rhetorical question and the disjunctive particle. 37If anyone considers himself to be a prophet or a spiritual person, # 14:37 Or “a spiritually gifted person.” let him discern that what I’m writing to you carries the Lord’s authority. 38And if anyone continues not to recognize this, he should not be recognized!
39So, beloved friends, # 14:39 Or “brothers and sisters.” with all this in mind, be passionate # 14:39 The Greek word zēloō means “a boiling fervor.” to prophesy and don’t forbid anyone from speaking in tongues, 40doing all things in a beautiful # 14:40 Or “respectably.” The Aramaic can be translated “with the right design.” and orderly way. # 14:40 This is the Greek word taxis, which can also mean “in battle array.” Here are some summary observations concerning believers’ gatherings: (1) When the believers gathered, they ate together and frequently observed the Lord’s Table. See 1 Cor. 11:7–33. (2) Men and women participated together and used their spiritual gifts. See 1 Cor. 11:2–16; 12. (3) The main purpose of gathering together was the mutual building up and encouragement of one another. See 1 Cor. 14:1–26. (4) Several people would speak in the meetings, and the leaders would discern and direct. See 1 Cor. 14:26–40. (5) Expressing love was more important than gifts, teachings, or prophecies. See 1 Cor. 13. (6) Everything was to be done in a beautiful way and in order. See 1 Cor. 14:40.
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Learn More About The Passion Translation1 Corinthians 14
14
1Pursue the love, and seek earnestly the spiritual things, and rather that ye may prophecy,
2for he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue — to men he doth not speak, but to God, for no one doth hearken, and in spirit he doth speak secrets;
3and he who is prophesying to men doth speak edification, and exhortation, and comfort;
4he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue, himself doth edify, and he who is prophesying, an assembly doth edify;
5and I wish you all to speak with tongues, and more that ye may prophecy, for greater is he who is prophesying than he who is speaking with tongues, except one may interpret, that the assembly may receive edification.
6And now, brethren, if I may come unto you speaking tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophesying, or in teaching?
7yet the things without life giving sound — whether pipe or harp — if a difference in the sounds they may not give, how shall be known that which is piped or that which is harped?
8for if also an uncertain sound a trumpet may give, who shall prepare himself for battle?
9so also ye, if through the tongue, speech easily understood ye may not give — how shall that which is spoken be known? for ye shall be speaking to air.
10There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is unmeaning,
11if, then, I do not know the power of the voice, I shall be to him who is speaking a foreigner, and he who is speaking, is to me a foreigner;
12so also ye, since ye are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, for the building up of the assembly seek that ye may abound;
13wherefore he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue — let him pray that he may interpret;
14for if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit doth pray, and my understanding is unfruitful.
15What then is it? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing psalms with the spirit, and I will sing psalms also with the understanding;
16since, if thou mayest bless with the spirit, he who is filling the place of the unlearned, how shall he say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, since what thou dost say he hath not known?
17for thou, indeed, dost give thanks well, but the other is not built up!
18I give thanks to my God — more than you all with tongues speaking —
19but in an assembly I wish to speak five words through my understanding, that others also I may instruct, rather than myriads of words in an [unknown] tongue.
20Brethren, become not children in the understanding, but in the evil be ye babes, and in the understanding become ye perfect;
21in the law it hath been written, that, ‘With other tongues and with other lips I will speak to this people, and not even so will they hear Me, saith the Lord;’
22so that the tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving; and the prophesy [is] not for the unbelieving, but for the believing,
23If, therefore, the whole assembly may come together, to the same place, and all may speak with tongues, and there may come in unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
24and if all may prophecy, and any one may come in, an unbeliever or unlearned, he is convicted by all, he is discerned by all,
25and so the secrets of his heart become manifest, and so having fallen upon [his] face, he will bow before God, declaring that God really is among you.
26What then is it, brethren? whenever ye may come together, each of you hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation? let all things be for building up;
27if an [unknown] tongue any one do speak, by two, or at the most, by three, and in turn, and let one interpret;
28and if there may be no interpreter, let him be silent in an assembly, and to himself let him speak, and to God.
29And prophets — let two or three speak, and let the others discern,
30and if to another sitting [anything] may be revealed, let the first be silent;
31for ye are able, one by one, all to prophesy, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted,
32and the spiritual gift of prophets to prophets are subject,
33for God is not [a God] of tumult, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.
34Your women in the assemblies let them be silent, for it hath not been permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law saith;
35and if they wish to learn anything, at home their own husbands let them question, for it is a shame to women to speak in an assembly.
36From you did the word of God come forth? or to you alone did it come?
37if any one doth think to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge the things that I write to you — that of the Lord they are commands;
38and if any one is ignorant — let him be ignorant;
39so that, brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and to speak with tongues do not forbid;
40let all things be done decently and in order.
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