1 Corinthians 14

1 Corinthians · Chapter 14

1 Corinthians 14:21

1Follow 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.3But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.4He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.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.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?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.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.12Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.13Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.14For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, 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.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?17For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.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.20Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.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.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.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?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.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.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.28But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.29Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.30If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.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.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.36What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?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.38But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.39Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.40Let all things be done decently and in order.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
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.It is written in the Law: “By strange tongues and foreign lips I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to Me, says the Lord.”In 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.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
InἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

lawνόμῳnomōG3551
law

νόμος (nomos) νόμος, -ου, ὁ (νέμω, to deal out, distribute), [in LXX chiefly for תּוֹרָה, also for חֻקָּה, etc. ;] that which is assigned, hence, usage, custom, then law; in NT (only in Mt, Jo, Ja, and the Lucan and Pauline bks.); 1. of law in general: Rom.3:27 5:13b; pl., of divine laws, Heb.8:10 10:16; ὁ ν. τ. Χριστοῦ, Gal.6:2; (τ.) ἐλευθερίας, Jas.1:25 2:12; βασιλικιός (Hort., in l.; Deiss., LAE, 267:3), Jas.2:8. 2. Of a force or influence impelling to action: Rom.7:21, 23a, 25 8:2. …

it has been writtenγέγραπταιgegraptaiG1125
to write

γράφω (graphō) γράφω, [in LXX chiefly for כּתב ]; 1. to scrape, graze (Hom.), and later (Hdt.) to sketch, draw. 2. to write; (a) of forming or tracing letters on writing material: Jhn.8:[6], Gal.6:11, 2Th.3:17; (b) to express in writing, commit to writing, record: Luk.1:63, Jhn.19:21, 22 Rev.1:11, 19 al.; of scripture as a standing authority (Deiss., BS, 112ff.), γέγραπται, it stands written (Luther), Mat.4:4, Mrk.7:6, Luk.4:8, Rom.1:17, 1Co.1:31, al.; id. before ἐν, Mrk.1:2, Act.1:20, al.; with accusative, to write of: Jhn.1:46, Rom.10:5; before περί, Mat.26:24, Mrk.14:21, Jhn.5:46; al.; with dative (WM …

thatὅτιhotiG3754G
that/since: that

ὅτι (hoti) ὅτι, conjc. (prop. neut. of ὅστις). I. As conjc, introducing an objective clause, that; 1. after verbs of seeing, knowing, thinking, saying, feeling: Mat.3:9 6:32 11:25, Mrk.3:28, Luk.2:49, Jhn.2:22, Act.4:13, Rom.1:13 8:38 10:9, Php.4:15, Jas.2:24, al.; elliptically, Jhn.6:46, Php.3:12, al. 2. After εἶναι (γίνεσθαι): defining a demonstr. or of person(s) pron., Jhn.3:19 16:19, Rom.9:6, 1Jn.3:16 al.; with pron. interrog., Mat.8:27, Mrk.4:41, Luk.4:36, Jhn.4:22 al.; id. elliptically, Luk.2:49, Act.5:4, 9, al.; …

ByἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

other tonguesἑτερογλώσσοιςheteroglōssoisG2084
in another language

ἑτερόγλωσσος (heteroglōssos) ἑτερό-γλωσσος (Att.. -ττος), -ον, [in Aq.: Psa.114:1, Isa.33:19 * ;] of alien speech, of another tongue (see Cremer, 681): 1Co.14:21 (aliter in LXX).† (AS)

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

byἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

lipsχείλεσινcheilesinG5491
lip

χεῖλος (cheilos) χεῖλος, -ους, τό, genitive pl., -εων (see Bl., § 8, 4; Thackeray, Gr., I, 151), [in LXX chiefly for שָׂפָה ;] a lip (as in Heb., of the lip as the organ of speech): Mat.15:8, Mrk.7:6, Rom.3:13, 1Co.14:21, Heb.13:15, 1Pe.3:10" (LXX) . Metaphorical, of things, an edge, brink, etc. (Hom., Hdt., al.): of the sea­shore, Heb.11:12.† (AS)

of othersἑτέρωνheterōnG2087
other

ἕτερος (heteros) ἕτερος, -α, -ον, [in LXX chiefly for אַחֵר ;] distributive pron., prop. dual (BL, §13, 5; 51, 6), denoting the second of a pair, but in late Gk. encroaching on ἄλλος (M, Pr., 79f.); 1. of number, other; with art., the other; (a) of two, Luk.5:7 9:56, al.; opposite to ὁ πρῶτος, Mat.21:30; ὁ εἷς, Mat.6:24, Luk.7:41, Act.23:6, al.; ἕ. μὲν . . . ἕ. δέ, the one . . . the other: 1Co.15:40; the next: Luk.6:6 9:56 (sc. ἡμέρα, Xen.), Act.20:15 27:3; = ὁ πλησίον, one's neighbour: Rom.2:1 13:8, 1Co.6:1, al.; …

I will speakλαλήσωlalēsōG2980
to speak

λαλέω (laleō) λαλέω, -ῶ, [in LXX chiefly for דּבר pi., also for אמר, etc. ;] 1. to utter: of inanimate things, Rev.4:1 10:4; metaphorically, Heb.11:4 12:24. 2. to talk, speak, say: absol., Mat.9:33 12:46, Mrk.5:35, Luk.8:49; before ὡς, 1Co.13:11, Rev.13:11; εἰς, 1Co.14:9; ἐκ, Mat.12:34; with accusative of thing(s), Mat.10:19, Mrk.11:32, Jhn.8:30, al.; with dative of person(s), Mat.12:46, Luk.24:6, Rom.7:1, al.; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s), Mat.9:18, Jhn.10:6, al.; with prep., πρός, μετά, περί, Mrk.6:50, Luk.1:19 2:33, al.; ἐν, ἐξ, ἀπό, Mat.13:3, Jhn.12:49 14:10, al.; λ. τ. λόγον, …

peopleλαῷlaōG2992
a people

λαός (laos) λαός, -οῦ, ὁ, [in LXX very frequently for עַם, Gen.14:16, al.; occasionally for לְאֹם ( Gen.25:23, al.), etc. ;] a word rarely found in Att. prose; 1. the people at large (Hom., al.), esp. of people assembled: Mat.27:25, Luk.1:21 3:15 al.; pl. (Hom., al., π.; see MM, xvi), Act.4:27. …

this,τούτῳ,toutōG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

not evenοὐδ᾽oud᾽G3761
nor

οὐδέ (oude) οὐδέ, negative particle, related to μηδέ as οὐ to μή. I. As conjc., and not, also not, neither, nor: Mat.6:15, Luk.16:31, Rom.4:15, al.; οὐ . . . οὐδέ, Mat.5:15 10:24, Mrk.4:22, Luk.6:43, 44, Jhn.6:24, Act.2:27, Rom.2:28, al. (see Bl., §77, 10). II. As adv., not even: Mat.6:29, Mrk.6:31, Luk.7:9, 1Co.5:1; οὐδὲ εἷς, Act.4:32, Rom.3:10" (LXX) . (AS)

thusοὕτωςhoutōsG3779
thus(-ly)

οὕτως (ohutō, ohutōs) οὕτως, rarely (Bl., §5, 4; WH, App., 146f.) οὕτω, adv. (οὗτος), [in LXX chiefly for כֵּן ;] in this way, so, thus; 1. referring to what precedes: Mat.5:16 6:30, Mrk.10:43 14:59, Luk.1:25 2:48 15:7, Jhn.3:8, Rom.1:15, 1Co.8:12, al.; οὕτως καί, Mat.17:12, Mrk.13:29, al.; pleonastically, resuming a ptcp. (cl.; see Bl., §74, 6), Act.20:11 27:17. 2. Referring to what follows: Mat.1:18 6:9, Luk.19:31, Jhn.21:1, 1Pe.2:15; bef. quotations from OT, Mat.2:5, Act.7:6, 1Co.15:45, Heb.4:4. 3. C. adj. (marking intensity): Heb.12:21, Rev.16:18; similarly with adv., Gal.1:6 (cl.). …

will they hearεἰσακούσονταίeisakousontaiG1522
to listen to

εἰσακούω (eisakouō) είσ-ακούω [in LXX chiefly for שָׁמַע, also for עָנָה, etc. ;] to listen to, in two senses; (a) to obey: 1Co.14:21 (cf. Deu.1:43, Sir.3:6) (b) to listen, assent to; pass., to be heard: of persons praying, Mat.6:7, Heb.5:7; of the prayer offered, Luk.1:13, Act.10:31 (cf. Psa.4:2, Sir.34:26); see Cremer, 624).† (AS)

Me,μου,mouG3165
me

μέ (me) 1. apostrophe for με. 2. rarely for μοι, (Homer) (ML)

saysλέγειlegeiG3004G
to say

λέγω (legō) λέγω, [in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Gen.22:16, al. ;] 1. in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount. 2. In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Act.13:15, 24:10; before orat. dir., Mat.9:34, Mrk.3:11, Jhn.1:29, al.; before ὅτι recit., Mrk.3:21, Luk.1:24, Jhn.6:14, al.; accusative and inf., Luk.11:18, Jhn.12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mat.11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman, Words, 24 ff.), Mat.25:9, Mrk.3:33, 7:28, Luk.24:6, 7, al.; of unspoken thought, λ. ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Mat.3:9, Luk.3:8, al.; of …

[the] Lord.κύριος.kuriosG2962G
lord: God

κύριος (kurios) κύριος, -α, -ον (also -ος, -ον), [in LXX (subst.) chiefly for יהוה, also for בַּעַל ,אָדוֹן, etc. ;] having power (κῦρος) or authority; as subst., ὁ κ., lord, master; 1. in general: with genitive of thing(s), Mat.9:38 20:8, Mrk.12:9 13:35, Luk.19:33; τ. σαββάτου, Mat.12:8, Mrk.2:28, Luk.6:5; with genitive of person(s), δούλου, etc., Mat.10:24, Luk.14:21, Act.16:16, al.; absol, opposite to οἱ δοῦλοι, Eph.6:5, 9 al.; of the Emperor (Deiss., LAE, 161), Act.25:26; θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κ. πολλοί, 1Co.8:5; of a husband, 1Pe.3:6; in voc, as a title of respect to masters, teachers, magistrates, etc., Ma …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.