English Standard Version
1 Corinthians 14:19
19Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
1 Corinthians 14:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
- New King James Version (NKJV)yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.
Context of 1 Corinthians 14:19
17For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. 21In the Law it is written, "By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord."
Read all of 1 Corinthians 141 Corinthians 14:19 word by word
ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ θέλω πέντε λόγους τῷ νοΐ μου λαλῆσαι, ἵνα καὶ ἄλλους κατηχήσω, ἢ μυρίους λόγους ἐν γλώσσῃ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Yetἀλλάalla · butG235
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
- I had ratherθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- fiveπέντεpente · fiveG4002
- wordsλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- withδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- understandingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- understandingνοῦςnous · mindG3563
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- I might teachκατηχέωkatēcheō · to instructG2727
- othersἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- thanἤē · orG2228
- ten thousandμύριοιmurioi · myriadG3463
- anγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 14:19
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 14:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Yet in the church - As the grand object of public worship is the edification of those who attend, five words spoken so as to convey edification, were of much more consequence than ten thousand which, not being understood, could convey none. By the word , tongue, to which we add unknown, I suppose the apostle always means the Hebrew, for the reasons offered in the note on 1 Corinthians 14:1. One of the greatest difficulties, says Bishop Pearce, in this…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Yet in the church - In the Christian assembly. The word “church” does not refer to the “edifice” where Christians worshipped, but to the organized body of Christians. I had rather - It is probable that in the Christian assembly, usually, there were few who understood foreign languages. Paul, therefore, would not speak in a foreign language when its only use would be mere display. With my understanding - So as to be intelligible to others; so that I…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. 18-19Paul emphasized the personal benefit of speaking in tongues, but in a church meeting, it should benefit others, not just the speaker.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. I had rather--The Greek verb more literally expresses this meaning, "I WISH to speak five words with my understanding (rather) than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue"; even the two thousandth part of ten thousand. The Greek for "I would rather," would be a different verb. Paul would NOT wish at all to speak "ten thousand words in an unknown tongue."Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 14:19
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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