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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1 Corinthians 14: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion Translation1 Corinthians 14
14
Prophecy: A Superior Gift
1Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and above all that you may prophesy. 2For the person who speaks in another language # 1Co 12:10 is not speaking to men but to God, since no one understands him; however, he speaks mysteries in the Spirit. # Or in spirit, or in his spirit 3But the person who prophesies speaks to people for edification, encouragement, and consolation. 4The person who speaks in another language builds himself up, but he who prophesies builds up the church. 5I wish all of you spoke in other languages, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in languages, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.
6But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in other languages, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation # 1Pt 4:13 or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7Even inanimate things that produce sounds — whether flute or harp # 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 trumpet makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle? # 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, and all have meaning. # Lit and none is without a sound 11Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner # Gk barbaros = in Eng a “barbarian.” To a Gk, a barbaros was anyone who did not speak Gk. to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. 12So also you — since you are zealous # Nm 25:13; Gl 1:14 for spiritual gifts, # Lit zealous of spirits ; spirits = human spirits, spiritual powers, or the Holy Spirit # 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 another language should pray that he can interpret. 14For if I pray in another language, my spirit # Ps 51:12 prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. # 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 with the spirit, and I will also sing with my understanding. 16Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit, # Or praise by the Spirit how will the uninformed person # Lit the one filling the place of the uninformed say “Amen” # 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 # Rm 1:8 God that I speak in other languages more than all of you; 19yet in the church I would rather speak five words # Mt 12:37 with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than 10,000 words in another language.
20Brothers, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking. # 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 these people
by people of other languages
and by the lips of foreigners,
and even then, they will not listen to Me, # Is 28:11-12 # Is 28:11-12
says the Lord. 22It follows that speaking in other languages is intended as a sign, # Lit that languages are for a sign not for believers but for unbelievers. But prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23Therefore, if the whole church assembles together and all are speaking in other languages and people who are uninformed or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24But if all are prophesying and some unbeliever or uninformed person comes in, he is convicted by all and is judged 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.” # Is 45:14; Zch 8:23
Order in Church Meetings
26What then is the conclusion, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one # Other mss add of you has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, another language, or an interpretation. # 1Co 12:10 All things must be done for edification. 27If any person speaks in another language, there should be only two, or at the most three, each in turn, and someone must interpret. 28But if there is no interpreter, that person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God. 29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate. # 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. # Lk 16:25 32And the prophets’ spirits are under the control of the prophets, 33since God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints, # Eph 6:18 34the women # Other mss read your women should be silent in the churches, # 1Tm 2:11-12; 1Pt 3:1 for they are not permitted to speak, but should be submissive, as the law also says. 35And if they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands # Mt 1:19; 1Pt 3:1 at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church meeting. 36Did 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. 38But if anyone ignores this, he will be ignored. # Other mss read he should be ignored 39Therefore, my brothers, be eager # Nm 25:13; Gl 4:17 to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in other languages. 40But everything must be done decently # Rm 13:13 and in order.
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