1 Corinthians 14

¹Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

¹Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

Commentary · verse 1

Follow after (DO) love and desire gifts but especially prophesying. Paul established a hierarchy so that people would not focus on the rest of his answer out of context. First and foremost: love. Second, desire spiritual gifts, especially prophesying.

Commentary · verses 2-4

Verses 2-4: Paul began contrasting tongues and prophesying.

Tongues being a heavenly language that people cannot understand with their natural mind.
Prophesying being a statement of revelation that could only come from divine inspiration. Prophesying covered more than prophecy. It also covered encouraging/comforting people with a revelatory perspective from God or teaching someone revelatory information from God.

²For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

²For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

Commentary · verse 2

Clearly the word "tongue" referred to a language that was unknown to man because no man understood the man who spoke tongues. The person spoke in the spirit something God understood and was a mystery to man. Tongues, in and of itself, did not bring understanding.

³But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and exhortation, and consolation.

³But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

Commentary · verse 3

Doctrine: The effects of prophesying were edifying, exhorting, and comforting.

⁴He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

⁴He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

Commentary · verse 4

Doctrine: The person speaking tongues edified themselves; prophesying edified the church. Notice, this did not say that speaking tongues did not edify. Speaking in tongues benefited the individual that was speaking in tongues. Prophesying ought to benefit everyone else.

⁵Now I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

⁵I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

Commentary · verse 5

Paul's measure was profitability. It was better to prophesy because more people benefited than just the individual that spoke in tongues, unless the tongues was interpreted for the whole church to be edified. Paul identified a way that speaking in tongues could benefit more than the person speaking in tongues.

⁶But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?

⁶Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

Commentary · verse 6

Verse 6 alluded to love: what would Paul be giving to another if he spoke in tongues and it did not benefit the other person? Paul's answer: nothing. It would not be love.

⁷Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

⁸For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war?

⁹So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air.

⁷And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

⁸For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

⁹So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

Commentary · verses 7-9

Remember how Paul began the previous chapter that presented love as the most excellent way? Verse 1: "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal." Verses 7 and 8 of this chapter also showed that speaking tongues without love was the same as musical instruments played simply to sound or clang, played without a right HOW/WHY.

¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is without signification.

¹¹If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me.

¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

¹¹Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

Commentary · verses 10-11

There was no profit to the church if tongues were not interpreted. Unless what was spoken brings revelation, knowledge, encouragement, comfort, or Doctrine what profit was there? However, do not forget that tongues does profit the person speaking in tongues.

¹²So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church.

¹²Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

Commentary · verse 12

Doctrine: Our objectives regarding gifts ought to be the edification of the church.

¹³Wherefore let him that speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

¹³Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

Commentary · verse 13

If you speak in tongues pray for interpretation. Paul was helping the reader focus on benefiting others.

¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

¹⁴For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Commentary · verse 14

Doctrine: Praying in tongues is your spirit praying, but without understanding. Tongues benefits you through experience. So, it looked as if prophesying covered all the gifts that brought understanding:

word of wisdom and
word of knowledge.

It could cover speaking in tongues, if the tongues was interpreted.

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.

¹⁶Else if thou bless with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest?

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.

¹⁶Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

Commentary · verses 15-16

Paul prayed and sang both in spirit (tongues) and with understanding. He knew the benefit of tongues was for him and speaking in understanding benefited others. Paul continued to keep others' best interest in the forefront of his mind.

¹⁷For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

Commentary · verse 17

We ought to understand the prayers and the singing or else no one else is edified.

¹⁸I thank God, I speak with tongues more than you all: ¹⁹howbeit in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

¹⁸I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:

¹⁹Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

Commentary · verses 18-19

Doctrine: Paul spoke in tongues, more than anyone in the church in Corinth. Paul was grateful for speaking in tongues, but he would rather speak five words in understanding (HOW) so that he could teach others (WHY) than 10,000 words that no one could understand.

²⁰Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men.

²⁰Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Commentary · verse 20

In the KJV, this verse was translated, "...but in understanding be men." Premise: Be children in matters of evil but be men in understanding. Again, Paul emphasized that we ought to continue to grow in understanding.

²¹In the law it is written, By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak unto this people; and not even thus will they hear me, saith the Lord.

²¹In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

Commentary · verse 21

Paul referenced Isaiah 28:11.

²²Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to them that believe.

²²Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

Commentary · verse 22

Doctrine: Tongues are a sign for unbelievers, like at Pentecost in Acts 2.

²³If therefore the whole church be assembled together and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are mad?

²³If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

Commentary · verse 23

This happened at Pentecost: Acts 2:13-14.

²⁴But if all prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved by all, he is judged by all; ²⁵the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.

²⁴But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:

²⁵And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

Commentary · verses 24-25

Prophesying would involve making the secrets of the unbelieving man's heart manifest so that he would realize God must exist because there was no earthly way these people would know this information about this man (as happened with Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well: John 4:15-26). Prophesying could lead to convicting the heart of the unbeliever.

²⁶What is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

²⁶How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

Commentary · verse 26

Paul established the context of the following verses with verse 26: In the church of Corinth everyone was claiming to be prophesying. Paul wanted all of it to be done as long as it was edifying. Next, Paul gave guidelines to the church in Corinth, in light of their circumstances as understood from verse 26.

²⁷If any man speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and that in turn; and let one interpret:

²⁷If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.

Commentary · verse 27

Paul did not want more than three people speaking in a tongue in the church of Corinth before an interpretation was given.

²⁸but if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

²⁸But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

Commentary · verse 28

Paul stated that if there was not an interpretation, then everyone should remain silent. This ought to have caused the people who spoke in tongues to be more sensitive to whether they were being led by the Holy Spirit. Basically, the easiest way for a person to appear to flow in the gifts of the Spirit was to speak in tongues without interpretation. It appeared that so many people were doing this there was unedifying chaos, and Paul gave guidelines to limit this unprofitability. It seemed that if interpretation was given, then more people could speak in tongues.

²⁹And let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others discern.

²⁹Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

Commentary · verse 29

Likewise, Paul wanted prophecy to be treated the same way as tongues. The word "discern" spoke to understanding the why behind what was stated. Again, the discerning ought to have made what the prophets spoke profitable. So, prophecy was not prophesying unless discerning/understanding was also presented.

³⁰But if a revelation be made to another sitting by, let the first keep silence.

³⁰If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.

Commentary · verse 30

Paul stated that if one person began to speak and another person began to understand, the person speaking ought to be silent so that the person with understanding could make the church profitable.

³¹For ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted; ³²and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets;

³¹For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

³²And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

Commentary · verses 31-32

Verse 31 stated that everyone could prophesy so that all would learn, all would benefit. There was not a limit on how much prophesying could be done in church because, by definition, prophesying led to profitability through understanding.

³³for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, ³⁴let the women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law.

³⁵And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church.

³³For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

³⁴Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

³⁵And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

Commentary · verses 33-35

Paul was trying to facilitate Marriage here. He wanted the husbands to teach their wives the Word of God (Ephesians 5:25-31). Every Jewish boy memorized the Torah, while the girls memorized the Psalms and Proverbs. This was done so that the men would teach their wives the Law, and the wives would be more attracted to their husbands. A woman speaking in church to understand or be taught (this was the context of these verses) would be stating that her husband was unable to teach her, which would be a shame to her and her husband.

Notice, Paul had stated in this letter that women could pray and prophesy. In this chapter he stated that everyone was speaking in church. Verse 35 could not mean that women were not to speak at all in church. Paul began this chapter saying he wanted everyone to follow love and desire after spiritual gifts, especially prophesying.

³⁶What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?

³⁶What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

Commentary · verse 36

Verse 36 referenced the fact that God spoke His commands to Adam before Eve was created, and Eve was supposed to get her understanding of God's Word from her husband. Again, this verse continued supporting the context that women could speak in church to operate in spiritual gifts.

³⁷If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.

³⁷If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

Commentary · verse 37

Doctrine: Following love and desiring spiritual gifts so that the church is edified is a command from God when it comes to the topic of spiritual gifts and people who think they operate in these spiritual gifts.

³⁸But if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

³⁸But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

Commentary · verse 38

However, if a person does not think they operate in spiritual gifts, then they can continue thinking that and not have to be aware of the instructions from this chapter.

³⁹Wherefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

⁴⁰But let all things be done decently and in order.

³⁹Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

⁴⁰Let all things be done decently and in order.

Commentary · verses 39-40

Paul concluded with a reminder to desire earnestly to prophesy because it edified the church and do not forbid others from speaking in tongues because it edified the individual speaking in tongues. People who prevented the speaking in tongues were contradicting God's Word.

It appeared that the greater gifts were:

word of knowledge,
word of wisdom,
tongues with interpretation, and
prophecy with interpretation.

All four of these fit under the category of prophesying. Notice that discerning of spirits could also be included as a gift that brought understanding. This means that faith, healings, and workings of miracles would be the lesser gifts, yet they are the most attractive gifts. Remember, Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 12 with this list of gifts that some parts of the body are attractive but not necessary, while other parts are not attractive but necessary. Now we can see that healings and workings of miracles are attractive but not necessary.

Look at it this way: How much do you benefit today from a healing or miracle Jesus did thousands of years ago? How much do you benefit today from a word of wisdom or word of knowledge Jesus gave thousands of years ago? Paul stated the overarching principle behind spiritual gifts: God wants all spiritual gifts to be done decently and in order.

Commentary · verse 40

Theme of Chapter 14: Paul concluded his three chapter answer on the Doctrine of spiritual gifts. Paul wanted everyone to first be guided by love. Second, Paul wanted all believers (including women) to desire spiritual gifts, especially prophesying which edified the church. Paul spoke in tongues and thirdly wanted people to speak in tongues with interpretation so it benefited the church. Finally, Paul wanted people to speak in tongues because it edified the individual speaking in tongues. We have seen Paul presented two answers that required three chapters to answer. Next, we will see a very long chapter that covered a lot of Doctrine.

1 Corinthians 14

Collections

Collections

Saved

Doctrines