Christian Standard Bible
1 Corinthians 14:6
6So now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a 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 person who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5I wish all of you spoke in tongues, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up. So now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7Even lifeless instruments that produce sounds — whether flute or harp — if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized? 8In fact, if the bugle makes an unclear sound, 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·δέde · thenG1161
- Nowνυνίnuni · nowG3570
- brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- I comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- youσύsu · youG4771
- speakingλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- with tonguesγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100
- whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- shall I profitὠφελέωōpheleō · to helpG5623
- ·μήmē · notG3361
- eitherἤē · orG2228
- byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- revelationἀποκάλυψιςapokalupsis · revelationG602
- knowledgeγνῶσιςgnōsis · knowledgeG1108
- prophesyingπροφητείαprophēteia · prophecyG4394
- doctrineδιδαχήdidachē · teachingG1322
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 14:6
- 1 Corinthians 10:33just as I also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved.
- 1 Corinthians 12:7A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good:
- 1 Corinthians 13:3And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.
- 1 Samuel 12:21Don’t turn away to follow worthless things that can’t profit or rescue you; they are worthless.
- Jeremiah 16:19Lord, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in a time of distress, the nations will come to you from the ends of the earth, and they will say, “Our ancestors inherited only lies, worthless idols of no benefit at all.”
- Jeremiah 23:32I am against those who prophesy false dreams” — the Lord’s declaration — “telling them and leading my people astray with their reckless lies. It was not I who sent or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all to these people” — this is the Lord’s declaration.
- Matthew 16:26For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?
- 2 Timothy 2:14Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to fight about words. This is useless and leads to the ruin of those who listen.
- Hebrews 13:9Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established by grace and not by food regulations, since those who observe them have not benefited.
- 1 Corinthians 14:26What then, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Everything is to be done for building up.
- Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants.
- Matthew 16:17Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven.
- 2 Corinthians 12:1Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord.
- Ephesians 1:17I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
- Philippians 3:15Therefore, let all of us who are mature think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you.
- 1 Corinthians 12:8to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a 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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