New Living Translation
1 Corinthians 14:6
6Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language, how would that help you? But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful.
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
4A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. 5I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened. Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language, how would that help you? But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful. 7Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody. 8And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to 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, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
- 1 Corinthians 12:7A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
- 1 Corinthians 13:3If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
- 1 Samuel 12:21Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless!
- Jeremiah 16:19Lord, you are my strength and fortress, my refuge in the day of trouble! Nations from around the world will come to you and say, “Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage, for they worshiped worthless idols.
- Jeremiah 23:32I am against these false prophets. Their imaginary dreams are flagrant lies that lead my people into sin. I did not send or appoint them, and they have no message at all for my people. I, the Lord, have spoken!
- Matthew 16:26And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
- 2 Timothy 2:14Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.
- Hebrews 13:9So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.
- 1 Corinthians 14:26Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.
- Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.
- Matthew 16:17Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.
- 2 Corinthians 12:1This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord.
- Ephesians 1:17asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
- Philippians 3:15Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.
- 1 Corinthians 12:8To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special 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
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