He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly.
Parallel Translations
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He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly.
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He that speaketh with tonges proffiteth him silfe: he that prophesyeth edifieth the congregacion.
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He that speaketh strange language, edifieth himselfe: but hee that prophecieth, edifieth the Church.
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Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to 1 Corinthians 14:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Corinthians 14:22 Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe.
- 1 Corinthians 14:26 What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, or has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.
- Mark 16:17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages;
- 1 Corinthians 14:17-19 For you most certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up. I thank my God, I speak with other languages more than you all. However in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language.
- 1 Corinthians 14:3 But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.
- 1 Corinthians 13:2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing.
- 1 Corinthians 14:5 Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.
- 1 Corinthians 14:12 So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.
- Romans 14:19 So then, let’s follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (17 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 4. He that speaketh in another tongue, edifieth himself.…
4. He that speaketh in another tongue, edifieth himself. In place of what he had said before — that he speaketh unto God, he now says — he speaketh to himself But whatever is done in the Church, ought to be for the common benefit. Away, then, with that misdirected ambition, which gives occasion for the advantage of the people generally being hindered! Besides, Paul speaks by way of concession: for when ambition makes use of such empty vauntings, there is inwardly no desire of doing good; but Paul does, in effect, order away from the common society of believers those men of mere show, who look only to themselves.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain The company.
The company.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth…
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
Ver. 4. Edifieth the Church] Therefore prophecy is the more worthy, because profitable. Prodesse melius quam praeesse.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself;…
He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; knowledge or understanding of the things that any man speaketh, is necessary to the improvement of them, by their being a means to promote faith and love; for how shall what men say in the least promote, either my faith in God or Christ, or my love to him, if I understand not what they say?
How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Rom 10:14. So that, though he that speaketh in an unknown tongue may (if he understand what he says) have his own heart affected with what he saith, yet it is not possible he should affect another.
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But he that prophesieth edifieth the church; but he that preacheth in an intelligible language and style to all that hear him, he doth what in him lieth to edify all those that hear him.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Observe here, 1. Another argument used by the apostle…
Observe here, 1. Another argument used by the apostle to prove the gift of prophesying, that is, of interpreting the holy scripture, to be far more excellent than the gift of tongues, separated from the gift of interpretation: he that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifies none but himself, because none but himself understands it; but he that teacheth, instructeth, and exhorteth others, edifieth the church, or the whole assembly that he spake in.
Observe, 2. The apostle wishes they all had the gift of tongues, because they were so very covetous and desirous of them: though alas! rather for their own ostentation than the church’s edification: yet he rather desires, with Moses, that all the Lord’s people were prophets; that is, directed and assisted by the Spirit of God, to deliver plainly and persuasively the will of God to men; for he is the greatest in the church who is most edifying; and he that prophesieth, edifieth more than he that speaketh all languages uninterpreted.
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Observe, 3. He amplifies this by instancing in his own person: If I come to you speaking with tongues; as if he had said, I wonder whether what you so admire in others would please you in me! suppose that I, whom God has eminently endowed with the gift of tongues, should come and speak to you in the Arabian language, what good would it do you? What would you be the wiser or better for me, should I make known to you some revelation which I immediately received from God, or open to you some truth which you knew not before, or urge you to some needful duty, or doctrinally expound to you the matters of faith and obedience recorded in the gospel, if either myself or some interpreter did not make what I say intelligible to you, what will it profit you?
To deliver the mind and will of God plainly and persuasively to the church’s benefit and edification, is much more acceptable to God, profitable to man, and comfortable to ourselves, than to speak with the tongues of men and angels, in language not understood, or not heard.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain He that speaketh its an unknown tongue,.... Be it…
He that speaketh its an unknown tongue,.... Be it the Hebrew language, or any other; some copies, and the Ethiopic version, read, "with tongues":
edifieth himself; his heart may be warmed, his affections raised, his devotion kept up, and he be in a very spiritual and comfortable frame, knowing and understanding what he himself says:
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but he that prophesieth, edifieth the church: which is the great end of the Gospel ministry, which is for the edifying the body of the church: wherefore that which tends to the edification of more, even the whole church, must be preferable to that, which at most can only edify one, and that the speaker himself.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Edifieth himself - Only, on the most favourable supposition.…
Edifieth himself - Only, on the most favourable supposition. The church - The whole congregation.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 4. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue]…
Verse 4. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue] In the Hebrew for instance, the knowledge of the depth and power of which he has got by a Divine revelation, edifieth himself by that knowledge.
But he that prophesieth] Has the gift of preaching.
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Edifieth the Church.] Speaketh unto men to edification, exhortation, and comfort, 1Co 14:3.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Edifieth himself - That is, the truths which are…
Edifieth himself - That is, the truths which are communicated to him by the Spirit, and which he utters in an unknown language, may be valuable, and may be the means of strengthening his faith, and building him up in the hopes of the gospel, but they can he of no use to others. His own holy affections might be excited by the truths which he would deliver, and the consciousness of possessing miraculous powers might excite his gratitude. And yet, as Doddridge has well remarked, there might be danger that a man might be injured by this gift when exercised in this ostentatious manner.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain edifieth himself--as he understands the meaning of what the…
edifieth himself--as he understands the meaning of what the particular "tongue" expresses; but "the church," that is, the congregation, does not.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 4. Edifieth himself—The very inspiration elevates and delights his…
4. Edifieth himself—The very inspiration elevates and delights his spirit, while his own utterance of divine mysteries reacts upon and edifieth himself. Though he keep silence, (1Co_14:28,) he goes not unblest.
Edifieth the Church—By clear and instructive thought, and, perhaps, supernatural prediction.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 4. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth…
4. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself] Not necessarily because he understands what he is saying, but because his spirit, stirred up by the Spirit of God, is led by the experience of the inward emotion to praise God. Estius. See 1Co_14:14.
but he that prophesieth edifieth the church] The profit of the brethren is ever St Paul’s object. Cf. 1Co_14:6; 1Co_14:12; ch. 1Co_6:12, &c. Prophecy is to be preferred to the gift of tongues because it is more directly useful. See note, ch. 1Co_12:28.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (4) He that speaketh in an unknown tongue.—Better, He…
(4) He that speaketh in an unknown tongue.—Better, He that speaketh in a tongue. The introduction of the word “unknown” destroys the whole force of the passage. All tongues—as distinct from languages—were unknown, i.e., unintelligible. The gift of prophecy is superior in usefulness to that of tongues, and therefore to be preferred. The use of the word “edify,” as applied to an individual solely, as distinct from the individual as a part of the whole Church, is unusual with St. Paul (see Note on 1Co_8:1), but is introduced so as to make the antithesis verbally as well as logically more striking.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Edifieth himself. When the "tongue" was genuine, and under…
Edifieth himself. When the "tongue" was genuine, and under due control (ver. 32); when it avoided the physical and orgiastic manifestations by which a sort of spiritual possession was indicated in the ancient oracular shrines; when the self consciousness was not wholly obliterated, a sense of ennobling conviction would be produced by this spiritual outpouring. Those who have experienced the emotion describe this very result. They felt enlarged and elevated their whole being was for a time expanded by this emotion. The Church. Primarily the body of assembled Christians which he is addressing, and through them the Church of God in general.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 4. He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself.…
4. He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself. His speech in the unknown tongue tends to strengthen him, though not instructing others. He is made to feel that he is moved by God, and so is filled with awe.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself; but…
He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church . [The apostle here lays the groundwork of his argument. Prophecy is superior to the gift of exercising his spiritual gift ( Rev_1:10 ), might indeed speak the divine truths or mysteries of God; but, speaking them in a foreign language, he would be understood only by God and himself, and so would only edify, etc., himself. On the other hand, the prophet, declaring the same or kindred mysteries in the vernacular, would be understood by all present, and thus he would transform the mysteries into revelations, which would benefit the church, either edifying it, so as to enlighten its ignorance; or rousing its latent energies, so as to dispel its sluggishness; or comforting it, so as to remove its sorrows. In short, tongues might excite wonder ( Act_2:12 ), but preaching brought forth fruit ( Act_2:36-42 ) and the Corinthian church had need to be more fruitful, since it was not eminent for its holiness or its works. Paul does not mean to say that no man living could understand the tongues, or that they were mere jargon. He means that no man present in the usual Corinthian assemblies understood them. Had speaking with tongues been mere hysterical "orgiastic" jargon, it certainly would not have bodied forth the mysteries of God, nor would it have edified the one speaking, nor could it have been interpreted by him or by others as Paul directs. Those who belittle the gift by construing it as a mere jargon approach dangerously near making Paul (and themselves likewise) criticize the Holy Spirit for giving such a senseless, abnormal gift. But those who read Paul correctly find that he is only censuring the abuse of the gift and not the nature of it. It was useful to the church while engaged in missionary work in foreign fields. But it became a source of vanity and vainglorious display when used by a church sitting idly at home. To the missionary it was a splendid addition to the gift of prophecy; but to the Corinthian preachers exhorting in their home church, it was a sad subtraction from that gift. The fruits of the Spirit in the Christian life are far enough from being "orgiastic"-- Gal_5:22 ]
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 14:4 The primary purpose of spiritual gifts is not…
14:4 The primary purpose of spiritual gifts is not self-edification, but the strengthening of the entire church (see 12:7; cp. 8:1; 14:12).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.