1 Corinthians 14:20

1 Corinthians 14:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
• New International Version (NIV)Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.

Context of 1 Corinthians 14:20

18I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19yet 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. Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 21In the law it is written: “With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord. 22Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.

1 Corinthians 14:20 word by word

Ἀδελφοί, μὴ παιδία γίνεσθε ταῖς φρεσίν, ἀλλὰ τῇ κακίᾳ νηπιάζετε, ταῖς δὲ φρεσὶν τέλειοι γίνεσθε.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• notμήmē · notG3361
• childrenπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• in understandingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• in understandingφρήνphrēn · thinkingG5424
• howbeitἀλλάalla · butG235
• in maliceκακίαkakia · evilG2549
• be ye childrenνηπιάζωnēpiazō · be childlikeG3515
• butδέde · thenG1161
• menτέλειοςteleios · perfectG5046

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 14:20

• 1 Corinthians 3:1And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
• 1 Corinthians 13:11When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
• Psalms 119:99I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.
• Isaiah 11:3His delight is in the fear of the Lord, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
• Romans 16:19For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.
• Ephesians 4:14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
• Philippians 1:9And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
• Hebrews 5:12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
• Hebrews 6:1Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
• 2 Peter 3:18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
• Psalms 131:1Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me.
• Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.
• Matthew 18:3and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
• Matthew 19:4And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’
• Mark 10:15Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
• 1 Peter 2:2as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 14:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Be not children in understanding - There are three words here to which we must endeavor to affix the proper sense. 1. signifies children in general, but particularly such as are grown up, so as to be fit to send to school in order to receive instruction; 2. , from , not, and , I speak, signifies an infant; one that cannot yet speak, and is in the lowest stage of infancy; 3. , from , I complete or perfect, signifies those who are arrived at perfect…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Brethren, be not children in understanding - Be not childish; do not behave like little children. They admire, and are astonished at what is striking, novel, and what may be of no real utility. They are pleased with anything that will amuse them, and at little things that afford them play and pastime. So your admiration of a foreign language and of the ability to speak it, is of as little solid value as the common sports and plays of boys. This, says…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. 20To understand these matters maturely, consider the purpose of spiritual gifts. Do not treat them as ends for personal enjoyment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Brethren--an appellation calculated to conciliate their favorable reception of his exhortation. children in understanding--as preference of gifts abused to nonedification would make you (compare 1Co 3:1; Mt 10:16; Ro 16:19; Ep 4:14). The Greek for "understanding" expresses the will of one's spirit, Ro 8:6 (it is not found elsewhere); as the "heart" is the will of the "soul." The same Greek is used for "minded" in Ro 8:6. men--full-grown. Be childlike…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 14:20

• Children
• Commandments
• Language
• Malice
• Preaching
• Righteous
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Child
• Confusion
• Desire
• Edification
• Except
• Pipe
• Profit
• Tongues, Gift of
• Babe
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the

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