God’s Word Translation
1 Corinthians 14:6
6Brothers and sisters, it wouldn’t do you any good if I came to you speaking in other languages, unless I explained revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or doctrine to you.
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
4When a person speaks in another language, he helps himself grow. But when a person speaks what God has revealed, he helps the church grow. 5I wish that all of you could speak in other languages, but especially that you could speak what God has revealed. The person who speaks what God has revealed is more important than the person who speaks in other languages. This is true unless he can interpret what he says to help the church grow. Brothers and sisters, it wouldn’t do you any good if I came to you speaking in other languages, unless I explained revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or doctrine to you. 7Musical instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. If there is no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played? 8For example, if the trumpet doesn’t sound a clear call, who will get ready 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 10:33I try to please everyone in every way. I don’t think about what would be good for me but about what would be good for many people so that they might be saved.
- 1 Corinthians 12:7The evidence of the Spirit’s presence is given to each person for the common good of everyone.
- 1 Corinthians 13:3I may even give away all that I have and give up my body to be burned. But if I don’t have love, none of these things will help me.
- 1 Samuel 12:21Don’t turn away to follow other gods. They can’t help or rescue you, because they don’t exist.
- Jeremiah 16:19The Lord is my strength and my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. Nations come to you from the most distant parts of the world and say, “Our ancestors have inherited lies, worthless and unprofitable gods.”
- Jeremiah 23:32I’m against those who prophesy dreams they made up,” declares the Lord. “They tell the dreams they made up and lead my people astray with their lies and their wild talk. I didn’t send them or command them to go. They don’t help these people at all,” declares the Lord.
- Matthew 16:26What good will it do for people to win the whole world and lose their lives? Or what will a person give in exchange for life?
- 2 Timothy 2:14Remind believers about these things, and warn them in the sight of God not to quarrel over words. Quarreling doesn’t do any good but only destroys those who are listening.
- Hebrews 13:9Don’t get carried away by all kinds of unfamiliar teachings. Gaining inner strength from God’s kindness is good for us. This strength does not come from following rules about food, rules that don’t help those who follow them.
- 1 Corinthians 14:26So what does this mean, brothers and sisters? When you gather, each person has a psalm, doctrine, revelation, another language, or an interpretation. Everything must be done to help each other grow.
- Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from wise and intelligent people and revealing them to little children.
- Matthew 16:17Jesus replied, “Simon, son of Jonah, you are blessed! No human revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven revealed it to you.
- 2 Corinthians 12:1I must brag, although it doesn’t do any good. I’ll go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
- Ephesians 1:17I pray that the glorious Father, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know Christ better.
- Philippians 3:15Whoever has a mature faith should think this way. And if you think differently, God will show you how to think.
- 1 Corinthians 12:8The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom. The same Spirit gives another person the ability to speak with knowledge.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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