1 Corinthians 14
14
1Make love your most important objective! But also do your best to gain spiritual gifts, especially the ability to speak God's message.#14:1. Literally, “prophesy,” but in the sense of telling the good news rather than foretelling the future. The terms “speaks God's message,” “God's prophetic message,” or “speaks for God” are used here. 2Those who speak in a tongue#14:2. This is clearly not the use of normal human language. There is much debate over this phenomenon. Clearly the early church was gifted with the ability to speak and be understood in different human languages as Acts 2 makes clear. However, some kind of “ecstatic utterance” appears to be in view here. Its practice in Corinth was being abused, and so Paul has to counteract the problem here. are not talking to people, but to God, because nobody can understand them as they speak mysteries in the Spirit. 3However, the words of those who speak for God build people up—they provide encouragement and comfort. 4Those that speak in a tongue only build themselves up, but those who speak God's message build up the church. I would like it if you all spoke in tongues, but I'd prefer if you could speak God's message. 5Those who speak for God are more important than those who speak in tongues, unless they interpret what's been said, so that the church can be built up.
6Brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what benefit would I be to you unless I bring you some revelation, or knowledge, or prophetic message, or teaching? 7Even when it comes to something non-living such as musical instruments like a flute or a harp—if they don't produce clear notes, how will you know what tune is being played? 8Similarly, if the trumpet doesn't give a clear sound, who will get ready for battle? 9It's the same situation for you—unless you speak using words that are easy to understand, who will know what you're saying? What you say will be lost on the wind. 10There are surely many languages in this world, and there is meaning in every one of them. 11If I don't understand the language, those who speak make no sense to me, and I make no sense to them.#14:11. Literally, I am a barbarian to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks is a barbarian to me. The very word “barbarian” comes from the idea that sounds being made make no sense—“baa-baa” etc. 12It's the same for you—if you are keen to have spiritual gifts, try to have many of those that will build up the church. 13Anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that they're able to translate what they say. 14For if I pray out loud in a tongue, my spirit is praying, but it does nothing for my understanding!
15So then, what should I do? I will pray “in the Spirit,” but I will pray with my mind too. I will sing “in the Spirit,” but I will sing with my mind too.#14:15. Paul here seems to be using the phraseology of some of those in Corinth who were proud of being “in the Spirit” as if that was superior to anything else. Paul points out that being “in the Spirit” is not helpful unless it produces understanding. 16For if you only pray “in the Spirit,” how can ordinary people that don't have understanding say “Amen” after your prayer of thanks, since they haven't a clue what you said? 17You might have said a great prayer of thanks, but the other hasn't been helped! 18I thank God that I can speak in tongues more than all of you. 19But in church I would rather speak five understandable words to teach others than ten thousand words in a tongue nobody understands. 20Brothers and sisters, don't think like children. Be as innocent as babies in regard to evil, but be grown up in your understanding. 21As Scripture records, “‘I will speak to my people through other languages and the lips of foreigners, but even then they won't listen to me,’ says the Lord.”#14:21. Quoting Isaiah 28:11-12.
22Speaking in tongues is a sign, not to believers, but those who don't believe. Speaking God's prophetic message is the opposite: it is not for those who don't believe, but for believers. 23If the whole church is meeting together and you are all speaking in tongues, and some people come in who don't understand, or people who don't believe, won't they say that you are insane? 24But if everyone is speaking God's message, and someone comes in who isn't a believer, or someone who doesn't understand, they will be convinced and called to account by everyone's words. 25Their secret thoughts will be revealed, so they will fall to their knees#14:25. Literally, “fall on his face.” and worship God, affirming that God is truly among you.
26So then, brothers and sisters, what should you do? When you meet together, different people will sing, or teach, or share a special message, or speak in a tongue, or give an interpretation. But everything should be done to build up and encourage the church. 27If anyone wants to speak in a tongue, make it just two, or three at the most, taking turns, and someone should interpret what is said. 28If there's no one there to interpret, those who speak in tongues should keep quiet in church and only speak to themselves, and God. 29Similarly, have two or three of those who give God's prophetic message speak, and let everyone else think about what was said. 30However, if a special revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, then the first speaker should give way to them. 31You can all speak for God, one at a time, so that everyone can learn and be encouraged. 32It is for those who speak for God to control their prophetic inspiration, 33for God is not a God of disorder but of peace and quiet.#14:33. This statement is to deal with the situation where people are claiming special revelation/inspiration and therefore wanting precedence—with the obvious arguments that would result. This is the way it should be in all the churches of God's people. 34“Women should stay quiet in the churches—they shouldn't speak. They should respect their situation, as the laws states. 35If they want to learn they can do so at home, asking their husbands. It is not proper#14:35. “Not proper.” By using this term (which also can mean shameful or disgraceful) Paul reveals this is related to the cultural context. for women to speak in church.”#14:35. The reason for placing 14:34-35 in quote marks is the understanding that this is the position outlined in the letter from Corinth, and Paul is quoting them before refuting their argument. The fact that just 3 chapters earlier in 11:5 Paul refers to women praying and prophesying indicates that this statement cannot be read as a blanket ban on women speaking in church. From the context it appears possible that women in the church at Corinth were questioning and arguing, being part of the disorder he mentions, and this suggested solution in the letter from the church at Corinth is what Paul is addressing here. 36What? Did the word of God begin with you? Are you the only ones it came to? 37Anyone who thinks they are a prophet, or that they have some spiritual gift, should be aware that what I'm writing to you is a command of the Lord. 38Those who ignore this will themselves be ignored. 39So my brothers and sisters, make it your aim to speak for God. Don't prohibit speaking in tongues. 40Just make sure everything done is done properly and in an orderly manner.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
1 Corinthians 14
14
Use Spiritual Gifts to Help the Church
1Love should be the goal of your life, but you should also want to have the gifts that come from the Spirit. And the gift you should want most is to be able to prophesy. 2I will explain why. Those who have the gift of speaking in a different language are not speaking to people. They are speaking to God. No one understands them—they are speaking secret things through the Spirit. 3But those who prophesy are speaking to people. They help people grow stronger in faith, and they give encouragement and comfort. 4Those who speak in a different language are helping only themselves. But those who prophesy are helping the whole church.
5I would like all of you to have the gift of speaking in different languages. But what I want more is for you to prophesy. Anyone who prophesies is more important than those who can only speak in different languages. However, if they can also interpret those languages, they are as important as the one who prophesies. If they can interpret, then the church can be helped by what they say.
6Brothers and sisters, will it help you if I come to you speaking in different languages? No, it will help you only if I bring you a new truth or some knowledge, prophecy, or teaching. 7This is true even with lifeless things that make sounds—like a flute or a harp. If the different musical notes are not made clear, you can’t understand what song is being played. Each note must be played clearly for you to be able to understand the tune. 8And in a war, if the trumpet does not sound clearly, the soldiers will not know it is time to prepare for fighting.
9It is the same with you. If you don’t speak clearly in a language people know, they cannot understand what you are saying. You will be talking to the air! 10It is true that there are many different languages in the world, and they all have meaning. 11But if I don’t understand the meaning of what someone is saying, it will just be strange sounds to me, and I will sound just as strange to them. 12That’s why you who want spiritual gifts so much should prefer those gifts that help the church grow stronger.
13So those who have the gift of speaking in a different language should pray that they can also interpret what they say. 14If I pray in a different language, my spirit is praying, but my mind does nothing. 15So what should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16You might be praising God with your spirit. But someone there without understanding cannot say “Amen” to your prayer of thanks, because they don’t know what you are saying. 17You may be thanking God in a good way, but others are not helped.
18I thank God that my gift of speaking in different kinds of languages is greater than any of yours. 19But in the church meetings I would rather speak five words that I understand than thousands of words in a different language. I would rather speak with my understanding, so that I can teach others.
20Brothers and sisters, don’t think like children. In evil things be like babies, but in your thinking you should be like full-grown adults. 21As the Scriptures#14:21 Scriptures Literally, “law,” which sometimes means the Old Testament. say,
“Using those who speak a different language
and using the lips of foreigners,
I will speak to these people.
But even then, they will not obey me.” Isaiah 28:11-12
This is what the Lord says.
22And from this we see that the use of different languages shows how God deals with those who don’t believe, not with those who believe. And prophecy shows how God works through those who believe, not through unbelievers. 23Suppose the whole church meets together and you all speak in different languages. If some people come in who are without understanding or don’t believe, they will say you are crazy. 24But suppose you are all prophesying and someone comes in who does not believe or who is without understanding. Their sin will be shown to them, and they will be judged by everything you say. 25The secret things in their heart will be made known. So they will bow down and worship God. They will say, “Without a doubt, God is here with you.”#14:25 See Isa. 45:14 and Zech. 8:23.
Your Meetings Should Be Helpful to All
26So, brothers and sisters, what should you do? When you meet together, one person has a song, another has a teaching, and another has a new truth from God. One person speaks in a different language, and another interprets that language. The purpose of whatever you do should be to help everyone grow stronger in faith. 27When you meet together, if anyone speaks to the group in a different language, it should be only two or no more than three people who do this. And they should speak one after the other. And someone else should interpret what they say. 28But if there is no interpreter, then anyone who speaks in a different language should be quiet in the church meeting. They should speak only to themselves and to God.
29And only two or three prophets should speak. The others should judge what they say. 30And if a message from God comes to someone who is sitting, the first speaker should be quiet. 31You can all prophesy one after the other. This way everyone can be taught and encouraged. 32The spirits of prophets are under the control of the prophets themselves. 33God is not a God of confusion but a God of peace. This is the rule for all the meetings of God’s people.
34The women should keep quiet in these church meetings. They are not allowed to speak out but should be under authority, as the Law of Moses says. 35If there is something they want to know, they should ask their own husbands at home. It is shameful for a woman to speak up like that in the church meeting.
36God’s teaching did not come from you, and you are not the only ones who have received it. 37If you think you are a prophet or that you have a spiritual gift, you should understand that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38If you do not accept this, you will not be accepted.
39So my brothers and sisters, continue to give your attention to prophesying. And don’t stop anyone from using the gift of speaking in different languages. 40But everything should be done in a way that is right and orderly.
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