1 Corinthians 14:23

1 Corinthians 14:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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?
• New International Version (NIV)So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
• English Standard Version (ESV)If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?

Context of 1 Corinthians 14:23

21It is written in the Law, “By men of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, and not even then will they listen to Me,” says the Lord. 22Therefore, [unknown] tongues are [meant] for a [supernatural] sign, not to believers but to unbelievers [who might be receptive]; while prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people] is not for unbelievers but for believers. So then, if the whole church gathers together and all of you speak in [unknown] tongues, and outsiders or those who are not gifted [in spiritual matters] or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24But if all prophesy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], and an unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convicted [of his sins] by all, and he is called to account by all [because he can understand what is being said]; 25the secrets of his heart are laid bare. And so, falling on his face, he will worship God, declaring that God is really among you.

1 Corinthians 14:23 word by word

ἐὰν οὖν συνέλθῃ ἡ ἐκκλησία ὅλη ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ πάντες λαλῶσιν γλώσσαις, εἰσέλθωσιν δὲ ἰδιῶται ἢ ἄπιστοι, οὐκ ἐροῦσιν ὅτι μαίνεσθε;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• the wholeὅλοςholos · allG3650
• churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• be come togetherσυνέρχομαιsunerchomai · to assembleG4905
• intoἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• one placeαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• with tonguesγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100
• andδέde · thenG1161
• there come inεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
• unlearnedἰδιώτηςidiōtēs · unlearnedG2399
• orἤē · orG2228
• unbelieversἄπιστοςapistos · unbelievingG571
• will theyἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• notοὐou · noG3756
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• ye are madμαίνομαιmainomai · to raveG3105

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 14:23

• 1 Corinthians 11:18For, in the first place, when you meet together in church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and in part I believe it,
• Hosea 9:7The days of punishment have come; The days of retribution are at hand; Let Israel know this! The prophet is [considered] a fool; The man [of God] who is inspired is [treated as if] demented, Because of the abundance of your wickedness and guilt, And because your deep antagonism [toward God and the prophets] is so great.
• John 10:20Many of them said, “He has a demon and He is mad [insane—He raves and rambles]. Why listen to Him?”
• Acts 2:13But others were laughing and joking and ridiculing them, saying, “They are full of sweet wine and are drunk!”
• Acts 26:24While Paul was making this defense, Festus said loudly, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great education is turning you toward madness.”

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 14:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Will they not say that ye are mad? - So they well might, finding a whole assembly of people talking languages which those who had most need of instruction could not understand.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Be come together into one place - For public worship. And all speak with tongues - All speak with a variety of unknown tongues; all speak foreign languages. The idea is, that the church would usually speak the same language with the people among whom they dwelt; and if they made use of foreign languages which were unintelligible to their visitors, it would leave the impression that the church was a bedlam. And there come in - those that are “unlearned.”…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-25Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-25Paul used this quotation from Isaiah 28:11–12 to show that speaking in tongues is a sign for unbelievers, not believers. However, in 1 Corinthians 14:23–25, Paul argues that unbelievers are more likely to be convinced by prophecy than by speaking in tongues. He emphasizes that, in public worship, prophecy is more useful than speaking in tongues.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. whole ... all ... tongues--The more there are assembled, and the more that speak in unknown tongues, the more will the impression be conveyed to strangers "coming in" from curiosity ("unbelievers"), or even from a better motive ("unlearned"), that the whole body of worshippers is a mob of fanatical "madmen"; and that "the Church is like the company of builders of Babel after the confusion of tongues, or like the cause tried between two deaf men before…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 14:23

• Church
• Language
• Tongues (the Gift)

In the dictionaries

• Confusion
• Desire
• Edification
• Except
• Madness
• Pipe
• Profit
• Tongues, Gift of
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Holy Spirit

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings