1 Corinthians 14:16

1 Corinthians 14:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say "Amen" to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?
• New Living Translation (NLT)For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying?

Context of 1 Corinthians 14:16

14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. 18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

1 Corinthians 14:16 word by word

ἐπεὶ ἐὰν εὐλογῇς ἐν πνεύματι, ὁ ἀναπληρῶν τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου πῶς ἐρεῖ τὸ ἀμὴν ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ; ἐπειδὴ τί λέγεις οὐκ οἶδεν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Elseἐπείepei · sinceG1893
• whenἐάνean · ifG1437
• thou shalt blessεὐλογέωeulogeō · to praise/blessG2127
• with the spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• shallἀναπληρόωanaplēroō · to fulfilG378
• the roomτόποςtopos · placeG5117
• of the unlearnedἰδιώτηςidiōtēs · unlearnedG2399
• sayἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• Amenἀμήνamēn · amenG281
• atἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• thyσόςsos · yourG4674
• giving of thanksεὐχαριστίαeucharistia · thankfulnessG2169
• seeingἐπειδήepeidē · sinceG1894
• he understandethεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• notοὐou · noG3756
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• thou sayestλέγωlegō · to sayG3004

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 14:16

• 1 Corinthians 14:2For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.
• 1 Corinthians 14:23So 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?
• Isaiah 29:11For you this whole vision is nothing but words sealed in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say, “Read this, please,” they will answer, “I can’t; it is sealed.”
• John 7:15The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”
• Acts 4:13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
• 1 Corinthians 11:24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
• 1 Corinthians 16:24My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.
• Numbers 5:22May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.” “ ‘Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.”
• Deuteronomy 27:15“Cursed is anyone who makes an idol—a thing detestable to the Lord, the work of skilled hands—and sets it up in secret.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
• 1 Kings 1:36Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, so declare it.
• 1 Chronicles 16:36Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”
• Psalms 41:13Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.
• Psalms 72:19Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.
• Psalms 89:52Praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.
• Psalms 106:48Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord.
• Jeremiah 28:6He said, “Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 14:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16He that occupieth the room of the unlearned - One who is not acquainted with the language in which you speak, sing, or pray. Say Amen - Give his assent and ratification to what he does not understand. It was very frequent in primitive times to express their approbation in the public assemblies by Amen. This practice, soberly and piously conducted, might still be of great use in the Church of Christ. This response was of the highest authority and merit…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Else - ( ̓́ Epei). Since; if this is not done; if what is said is not intelligible, how shall the unlearned be able appropriately to express his assent, and join in your devotions? When thou shalt bless - When thou shalt bless God, or give thanks to him. If thou shalt lead the devotions of the people in expressing thanksgiving for mercies and favors. This may refer to a part of public worship, or to the thanks which should be expressed at table, and the…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. 15-17It is better to worship with both spirit and understandable words. Public worship should bless God and others. Speaking in tongues without interpretation glorifies God and helps the speaker (14:4), but it does not help others present. say “Amen” to your thanksgiving: Amen was the traditional response to a prayer.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Else ... thou--He changes from the first person, as he had just expressed his own resolution, "I will pray with the understanding," whatever "thou" doest. bless--the highest kind of prayer. occupieth the room of the unlearned--one who, whatever other gifts he may possess, yet, as wanting the gift of interpretation, is reduced by the speaking in an unknown tongue to the position of one unlearned, or "a private person." say Amen--Prayer is not a…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 14:16

• Amen
• Interpretation
• Language
• Preaching
• Tongues (the Gift)
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Amen
• Confusion
• Desire
• Edification
• Except
• 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