1 Corinthians 14
- Who wrote it
- Paul
- Who it was for
- The church in Corinth
- What was happening
- Prophecy and tongues in the assembly: build up the church, and do it in order
What’s happening
Paul says to pursue love and to desire spiritual gifts, especially that they might prophesy. Someone who speaks in a tongue speaks not to people but to God, for no one understands; the one who prophesies speaks to people for their building up, encouragement, and comfort. The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church, so Paul would rather they prophesied, unless someone interprets. He gives pictures: a flute or harp that makes no clear sound, and a trumpet that gives an uncertain call. So with yourselves: unless you speak words that are understood, you are speaking into the air. He prays and sings with the spirit and with the mind also. In the assembly he would rather speak five words with his mind to instruct others than ten thousand in a tongue. "Brothers, don't be children in thinking, but in evil be babies, and in thinking be mature." If an unbeliever or outsider comes in and everyone speaks in tongues, will they not say you are out of your minds? But if all prophesy, the outsider will be convicted and will say, "God is really among you." When they come together, each has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation; let all be done for building up. Two or three at most should speak in tongues, one at a time, with someone interpreting; if there is no interpreter, let them keep silent in church. Two or three prophets should speak, and the others weigh what is said. The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets, "for God is not a God of confusion but of peace." Then 14:34-35 says women should keep silent in the churches and ask their husbands at home, and Paul closes: desire to prophesy, do not forbid speaking in tongues, "but let all things be done decently and in order."
Why the setting matters
Meetings of the Corinthian church seem to have been lively, with many people contributing, and some of the more dramatic gifts being treated as signs of status. Paul's concern is not to suppress the gifts but to ensure that they serve the whole group. Whether the "tongues" in this chapter are known human languages or ecstatic speech is debated; Paul says they are directed to God and need interpretation, and he never describes them as foreign languages that visitors would understand. The lines in 14:34-35 are among the most discussed in the letter. Some manuscripts place them after verse 40, which has led some scholars to think they were added later; others think Paul is quoting a Corinthian position, or limiting a particular kind of disruption, like asking questions during the weighing of prophecy. Since 11:5 assumes women pray and prophesy aloud, the verses are difficult to square with the rest of the letter, and readers differ on how to resolve this. It is a good place to look at what commentaries say. The last line, "decently and in order," frames the whole chapter: freedom in worship is for building others up.
Who’s in this chapter
Paul
Speaks in tongues more than all of them, and prefers five words with his mind.
The believers in Corinth
Eager for tongues; told to seek what builds up.
The outsider
The unbeliever or outsider who comes into the assembly.
Talk it through
- Paul says gifts are measured by whether they "build up." How can a church test that?
- Why does Paul value the "mind" in worship as well as the spirit?
- What might it say about God that Paul describes him as "a God not of confusion but of peace"?
- Verses 34 and 35 are debated by careful readers. How can we handle a difficult passage honestly without hiding the difficulty?
Read 1 Corinthians 14
World English Bible
1Follow after love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. 3But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation. 4He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly. 5Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.
6But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? 7Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they didn’t give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped? 8For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war? 9So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air. 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of sounds in the world, and none of them is without meaning. 11If then I don’t know the meaning of the sound, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me. 12So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly. 13Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret. 14For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 16Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, seeing he doesn’t know what you say? 17For you most certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up. 18I thank my God, I speak with other languages more than you all. 19However in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language.
20Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature. 21In the law it is written, “By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. They won’t even hear me that way, says the Lord.” 22Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe. 23If therefore the whole assembly is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won’t they say that you are crazy? 24But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all. 25And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.
26What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, or has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up. 27If any man speaks in another language, let it be two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret. 28But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the assembly, and let him speak to himself, and to God. 29Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern. 30But if a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent. 31For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted. 32The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, 33for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints. 34Let the wives be quiet in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to be talking except in submission, as the law also says, 35if they desire to learn anything. “Let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a wife to be talking in the assembly.” 36What!? Was it from you that the word of God went out? Or did it come to you alone?
37If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord. 38But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking with other languages. 40Let all things be done decently and in order.
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources