Berean Standard Bible
1 Corinthians 14:6
6Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
1 Corinthians 14:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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?
- New International Version (NIV)Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
- New King James Version (NKJV)But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?
Context of 1 Corinthians 14:6
4The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified. Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7Even in the case of lifeless instruments, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone recognize the tune they are playing unless the notes are distinct? 8Again, if the trumpet sounds a muffled call, who will prepare for battle?
Read all of 1 Corinthians 141 Corinthians 14:6 word by word
Νῦν δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς γλώσσαις λαλῶν, τί ὑμᾶς ὠφελήσω, ἐὰν μὴ ὑμῖν λαλήσω ἢ ἐν ἀποκαλύψει ἢ ἐν γνώσει ἢ ἐν προφητείᾳ ἢ ἐν διδαχῇ;Read the interlinear
- Nowνῦνnun · nowG3568
- ·δέde · thenG1161
- brothersἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- I comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- youσύsu · youG4771
- speakingλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- in tonguesγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100
- howτίςtis · which?G5101
- will I benefitὠφελέωōpheleō · to helpG5623
- unlessμήmē · notG3361
- ·ἤē · orG2228
- ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- revelationἀποκάλυψιςapokalupsis · revelationG602
- knowledgeγνῶσιςgnōsis · knowledgeG1108
- prophecyπροφητείαprophēteia · prophecyG4394
- teachingδιδαχήdidachē · teachingG1322
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 14:6
- 1 Corinthians 10:33as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.
- 1 Corinthians 12:7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
- 1 Corinthians 13:3If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.
- 1 Samuel 12:21Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.
- Jeremiah 16:19O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of distress, the nations will come to You from the ends of the earth, and they will say, “Our fathers inherited nothing but lies, worthless idols of no benefit at all.
- Jeremiah 23:32“Indeed,” declares the LORD, “I am against those who prophesy false dreams and retell them to lead My people astray with their reckless lies. It was not I who sent them or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all to these people,” declares the LORD.
- Matthew 16:26What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
- 2 Timothy 2:14Remind the believers of these things, charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words, which succeeds only in leading the listeners to ruin.
- Hebrews 13:9Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them.
- 1 Corinthians 14:26What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.
- Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
- Matthew 16:17Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven.
- 2 Corinthians 12:1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
- Ephesians 1:17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him.
- Philippians 3:15All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.
- 1 Corinthians 12:8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit,
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 14:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Speaking with tongues - Without interpreting. What shall I profit you? - i.e. I shall not profit you; Except I shall speak to you either by revelation - Of some secret thing; or by knowledge, of some mystery; or by prophesying, foretelling some future event; or by doctrine, instructing you what to believe and practice. - See Whitby. These four words are taken in different acceptations by learned men. The general sense of the terms is that given above: but…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Now, brethren, if I come unto you - The truth which the apostle had been illustrating in an abstract manner, he proceeds to illustrate by applying it to himself. If he should come among them speaking foreign languages, it could be of no use unless it were interpreted to them. Speaking with tongues - Speaking foreign languages; that is, speaking them “only,” without any interpreter. Paul had the power of speaking foreign languages 1 Corinthians 14:18…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-14Verses 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-25After highlighting the supreme importance of love (chapter 13), Paul discusses spiritual gifts again. He defines their value by how much they help others, which reflects love (chapter 13). With this in mind, Paul compares the overvalued gift of speaking in tongues with the more helpful gift of prophecy.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. Translate, "But now"; seeing there is no edification without interpretation. revelation ... prophesying--corresponding one to the other; "revelation" being the supernatural unveiling of divine truths to man, "prophesying" the enunciation to men of such revelations. So "knowledge" corresponds to "doctrine," which is the gift of teaching to others our knowledge. As the former pair refers to specially revealed mysteries, so the latter pair refers to the…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 14:6
In the dictionaries
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
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