BOOK 46 OF 66 · PAULINE EPISTLES · KING JAMES BIBLE

1 Corinthians 14

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1 Corinthians 14 Overview

Paul compares prophecy and tongues in gathered worship. Understandable speech that edifies the church is preferred to uninterpreted tongues. He requires interpretation, limits speakers, commands orderly participation, addresses women’s silence in the churches, and concludes that everything must be done decently and in order.

1 CorinthiansBook

14Chapter

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Before you read 1 Corinthians 14

Coming from

Paul places charity above eloquence, prophecy, knowledge, faith, sacrificial giving, and dramatic self-denial. Without love, impressive gifts amount to nothing. Charity is then described by its actions and attitudes, and Paul contrasts temporary partial gifts with the enduring realities of faith, hope, and charity.

In this chapter

Leads into

Paul restates the gospel he preached: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, rose again the third day, and was seen by many witnesses. He then answers denial of bodily resurrection, explains Christ as the firstfruits, discusses the resurrection body, reveals the mystery of believers being changed, and ends with victory over death.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The controlling concern is edification of the assembled church, not private display.

Paul’s instructions about women speaking must be read with chapter 11’s acknowledgment of women praying/prophesying and with the immediate context of authoritative/orderly congregational speech; the chapter nevertheless plainly commands silence in the churches in the stated setting.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Edification governs public gifts

Five understandable words can be more useful than ten thousand words no one understands.

God is not the author of confusion

Spiritual activity is not validated by chaos.

Public ministry is subject to order and testing

Prophets speak by course, others judge, and tongues require interpretation.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Isaiah 28:11–12

Paul quotes Isaiah while discussing tongues as a sign.

1 Corinthians 11:5

Earlier Paul acknowledges women praying/prophesying, which must be held together with the order instructions here.

1 Timothy 2:11–14

Paul elsewhere grounds restrictions on women’s authoritative teaching in creation order.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not treat unintelligibility as a mark of deeper spirituality

Paul repeatedly insists on understanding and interpretation.

Do not use ‘God is not the author of confusion’ to oppose every spontaneous element of worship

Paul permits participation while requiring order.

Do not erase the text’s command concerning women in the churches, nor use it to pretend women are spiritually inferior

The issue is order and role, not value before God.

Read 1 Corinthians 14 watching for…

The repeated word edify/edification.

Paul’s preference for prophecy over uninterpreted tongues.

Rules limiting tongues and prophecy.

The statement about God and confusion.

The final command to do all things decently and in order.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-19Paul prefers understandable prophecy over uninterpreted tongues because the church must be edified 20-25Tongues are a sign, while clear prophecy can expose the heart of an unbeliever 26-33Public worship should be orderly, with gifts used one by one for edification 34-40Paul gives further instructions for order and concludes that all things be done decently and in order

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

For 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.

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

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

I 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.

Now, 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?

And 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?

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

So 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.

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

Therefore 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.

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

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

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

What 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.

Else 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?

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

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

Yet 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.

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

In 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.

Wherefore 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.

If 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?

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

And 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.

How 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.

If 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let 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.

And 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.

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

If 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.

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

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

Let all things be done decently and in order.

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1 Corinthians 14:15

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