| << Previous | 1 Corinthians Chapter 14 |
Next >> |
Viewing the Standard King James Version (Pure Cambridge). Click to switch to 1611 King James Version of 1 Corinthians Chapter 14
1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
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.
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
| << 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 |
Share 1 Corinthians Chapter 14: 
|
Matthew Henry's 1 Corinthians Chapter 14 Bible commentary...
Prophecy preferred to the gift of tongues. (1-5) The unprofitableness of speaking in unknown languages. (6-14) Exhortations to worship that can be understood. (15-25) Disorders from vain display of gifts; (26-33) and from women speaking in the church. (34-40)1-5 Prophesying, that is, explaining Scripture, is compared with speaking with tongues. This drew attention, more than the plain interpretation of Scripture; it gratified pride more, but promoted the purposes of Christian charity less; it would not equally do good to the souls of men. What cannot be understood, never can edify. No advantage can be reaped from the most excellent discourses, if delivered in language such as the hearers cannot speak or understand. Every ability or possession is valuable in proportion to its usefulness. Even fervent, spiritual affection must be governed by the exercise of the understanding, else men will disgrace the truths they profess to promote.
6-14 Even an apostle could not edify, unless he spoke so as to be understood by his hearers. To speak words that have no meaning to those who hear them, is but speaking into the air. That cannot answer the end of speaking, which has no meaning; in this case, speaker and hearers are barbarians to each other. All religious services should be so performed in Christian assemblies, that all may join in, and profit by them. Language plain and easy to be understood, is the most proper for public worship, and other religious exercises. Every true follower of Christ will rather desire to do good to others, than to get a name for learning or fine speaking.
15-25 There can be no assent to prayers that are not understood. A truly Christian minister will seek much more to do spiritual good to men's souls, than to get the greatest applause to himself. This is proving himself the servant of Christ. Children are apt to be struck with novelty; but do not act like them. Christians should be like children, void of guile and malice; yet they should not be unskilful as to the word of righteousness, but only as to the arts of mischief. It is a proof that a people are forsaken of God, when he gives them up to the rule of those who teach them to worship in another language. They can never be benefitted by such teaching. Yet thus the preachers did who delivered their instructions in an unknown tongue. Would it not make Christianity ridiculous to a heathen, to hear the ministers pray or preach in a language which neither he nor the assembly understood? But if those who minister, plainly interpret Scripture, or preach the great truths and rules of the gospel, a heathen or unlearned person might become a convert to Christianity. His conscience might be touched, the secrets of his heart might be revealed to him, and so he might be brought to confess his guilt, and to own that God was present in the assembly. Scripture truth, plainly and duly taught, has a wonderful power to awaken the conscience and touch the heart.
26-33 Religious exercises in public assemblies should have this view; Let all be done to edifying. As to the speaking in an unknown tongue, if another were present who could interpret, two miraculous gifts might be exercised at once, and thereby the church be edified, and the faith of the hearers confirmed at the same time. As to prophesying, two or three only should speak at one meeting, and this one after the other, not all at once. The man who is inspired by the Spirit of God will observe order and decency in delivering his revelations. God never teaches men to neglect their duties, or to act in any way unbecoming their age or station.
34-40 When the apostle exhorts Christian women to seek information on religious subjects from their husbands at home, it shows that believing families ought to assemble for promoting spiritual knowledge. The Spirit of Christ can never contradict itself; and if their revelations are against those of the apostle, they do not come from the same Spirit. The way to keep peace, truth, and order in the church, is to seek that which is good for it, to bear with that which is not hurtful to its welfare, and to keep up good behaviour, order, and decency.
Recent Comments for 1 Corinthians Chapter 14...
Denise's 1 Corinthians Chapter 14 comment about verse 39 on 5/17/2013, 4:11am...
There are 2 different uses of tongues. One is a prayer language and the other is a gift that should have interpretation to follow if done in the church Ephesians 14:2, 4. Verse 18, Paul says, "I thank God, I speak with tongues more than ye all." Tongues were for a sign of receiving the Holy Ghost. It has NEVER been done away with. If this is the belief, then where is "That which is perfect"? Ephesians 13:9 clearly says, "For now we know in PART and we prophecy in PART, But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away". I personally know that I do not know God as I am known by Him...yet! That which is perfect, is The perfect love that we must have for all God’s creation. We are still very divided in our beliefs and that tells me that which is "perfect" has certainly not come yet. I would suggest a word study on the word "perfect" in the King James Bible; of course, to find out what God means by perfect and perfection. We are NOT yet there and we have a long way to go.
Dorcas Ngwerume's 1 Corinthians Chapter 14 comment about verse 34 on 4/26/2013, 9:16am...
I believe in God's eyes, we are all the same and He can use a Man the same way as a woman.
Ayanda's 1 Corinthians Chapter 14 comment about verse 34 on 4/22/2013, 10:28am...
We would not have to die today if Adam did not listen to Eva then disobeyed God. The word can't be change and we need to live according to what is in the bible. Women are to be silent at the churches, that is true as it is written and we cannot change. I have attended the church where a woman was standing in front of the congregational and express the word of God as if its hers and I was worried thats I googled this verse today .
Rstinnett's 1 Corinthians Chapter 14 comment about verse 34 on 3/19/2013, 12:20am...
Many believe this to mean abolishment of women in all church activities. I believe that God made man head of household for his strength and wisdom; and with wisdom comes a sense of understanding. The right submissiveness and the right husband/wife will work together to achieve God’s overall effect.
Chaz's 1 Corinthians Chapter 14 comment on 3/14/2013, 3:39am...
The Apostle Paul told us to speak the truth in love so, and that’s how it goes. You say that you cannot find a whole chapter on prayer; what did Jesus go into the garden for? Pray! What about when he charged his disciples, asking them if they could not pray for one hour. How about in Matthew 5 when he told us how to do what? Pray! When Peter was imprisoned in Acts, what the church did? They prayed! In Acts 10 Cornelius did what? He prayed! Look for God's gold Sir, search the scriptures! No scripture on Tithing? Malachi 3 said if you didn't pay your tithes you did what? You robbed God in tithes and offering and that you were cursed with a curse. In fact we don’t need a whole chapter for God to declare it, we need to obey what is there, we need to submit. We don't like that much word. The great commission truly did declare us to go forth baptizing in the NAME. Father, son, Holy Ghost are titles not a NAME. If you research this, you will find in Acts, which is the unfinished history of the New Testament church, every time someone was baptized, it wasn’t done in the titles it was done in the Name of Jesus. For WHAT? The remission of sins! Read it for yourself. In fact in Acts 19, Paul asked the disciples of John what baptism were they baptized in, then they were re-baptized in Jesus’ Name. Why because the power is in that NAME, the remission of sins is in the act of obedience to God's word! When we are baptized correctly, the blood has been applied, we arise in the newness of life! We have put on Christ! We have been buried with him in baptism! If it wasn't important why did Peter preach it so ardently on the day of Pentecost to a multitude of 3,000 people? A word about tongues; The word said that tongues would cease when? What happened? When HE that is perfect has comes, that’s really what it says. Tongues have not ceased! In fact if you look at it, Paul said that he forbids not to speak in tongues that he spoke in tongues more than you all! No, when we receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost, we will speak in other tongues as the spirit gives the utterance. No Sir, that experience is still for us today, then are we born again, as John 3:3, 5 said, “born of water and spirit”?
R. D. Mattock's 1 Corinthians Chapter 14 comment on 3/06/2013, 7:41am...
1 Corinthians 12:1, “Now concerning spiritual gifts I would not have you ignorant”. Is prayer important? Yes. Is tithing important? Yes. I cannot find a whole chapter on any of these. There is a whole chapter on instruction for tongues given to the Church. Some would say it is of the Devil. Before I got saved I hung out at the bars, I never once heard anybody there speaking in tongues. Jesus spoke of two experiences. A well and rivers of living water. The well is when you get saved. Rivers are when you get filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Paul speaks in tongues in prayer. Because at time, we don't know how to pray but the Spirit makes intercession. Buy the way it is recorded three times when Jesus spoke in tongues. Mark 5:41 and Mathew 27:46, are two of the three times. The Great Commission; does not stop at baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son, and the Holy Ghost. It goes on to say they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall cast out Devils.
James gradnigo's 1 Corinthians Chapter 14 comment about verse 39 on 2/24/2013, 7:52pm...
It is not what I think of 1 Corinthians 14:39, but what the Bible says about it. God's written word tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:8 that tongues would cease because it was no longer needed after God's word was completed. Tongues were for unbelievers (unbelieving Israel). Tongues ceased with the completion the written Scripture. The extensive evidence of church history and the effects of tongues on human experience; the emotional extremism, the doctrinal ignorance and confusion, the divisive nature tongues, represent the pride and empty conceit generated by erratic unscriptural experience. All these point to the truth of Paul's inspired Word; tongues shall cease (1 Cor. 13:8).
View More Comments for 1 Corinthians Chapter 14...
What Do You Think of 1 Corinthians 14?
Share your own thoughts or commentary here...
Test Your Knowledge of 1 Corinthians Chapter 14
| << 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 |