the Week of Proper 24 / Ordinary 29
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Good News Translation
1 Corinthians 14:2
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I will explain why. Those who have the gift of speaking in a different language are not speaking to people. They are speaking to God. No one understands them—they are speaking secret things through the Spirit.
For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
For he that speaketh with toges speaketh not vnto men but vnto god for no man heareth him how be it in the sprete he speaketh misteries.
For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
For the person who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands him, because he is speaking secrets in the Spirit.with his spirit">[fn]Acts 2:4; 10:46;">[xr]
For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people, but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.
I will explain why. Those who have the gift of speaking in different languages are not speaking to people; they are speaking to God. No one understands them; they are speaking secret things through the Spirit.
For he that speaks in a tongue speaks not to men, but to God; for no man understands; but in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
For he that speaketh in an [unknown] language, speaketh not to men, but to God: for no man understandeth [him]; yet in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not to men, but to God; for no one understandeth him, though by the Spirit he speaketh mysteries:
For he who speaks in an unknown tongue is not speaking to men, but to God; for no one understands him. Yet in the Spirit he is speaking secret truths.
And he that spekith in tunge, spekith not to men, but to God; for no man herith. But the spirit spekith mysteries.
For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
If you speak languages that others don't know, God will understand what you are saying, though no one else will know what you mean. You will be talking about mysteries that only the Spirit understands.
For one who speaks in an unknown tongue does not speak to people but to God; for no one understands him or catches his meaning, but by the Spirit he speaks mysteries [secret truths, hidden things].
For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
For he who makes use of tongues is not talking to men but to God; because no one has the sense of what he is saying; but in the Spirit he is talking of secret things.
For someone speaking in a tongue is not speaking to people but to God, because no one can understand, since he is uttering mysteries in the power of the Spirit.
For he that speaks with a tongue does not speak to men but to God: for no one hears; but in spirit he speaks mysteries.
For whoever speaketh in a tongue speaketh not to men but to Aloha; for man heareth nothing that he speaketh but in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries.
For he that speaketh in a tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no one understandeth what is said; yet in the spirit, he speaketh a mystery.
For he that speaketh in an vnknowen tongue, speaketh not vnto men, but vnto God: for no man vnderstandeth him: howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won't be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious.
The man who speaks in special sounds speaks to God. He is not speaking to men. No one understands. He is speaking secret things through the power of the Holy Spirit.
For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to other people but to God; for nobody understands them, since they are speaking mysteries in the Spirit.
For hee that speaketh a strange tongue, speaketh not vnto men, but vnto God: for no man heareth him: howbeit in the spirit he speaketh secret things.
For he who speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to men, but to God; for no man understands what he says; however through the Spirit he speaks mysteries.
For, he that speaketh with a tongue, not unto men, doth speak, but, unto God, - for, no one, understandeth, although, in spirit, he is speaking sacred secrets;
For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man heareth. Yet by the Spirit he speaketh mysteries.
For he that speaketh with the tongue, speaketh not vnto men, but vnto God: For no man heareth [hym]. Howbeit, in the spirite he speaketh misteries.
For the person who speaks in another tongue is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit.
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, because no one understands, but by the Spirit he speaks mysteries.
For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God, for no one hears, but in spirit he speaks mysteries.
for he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue -- to men he doth not speak, but to God, for no one doth hearken, and in spirit he doth speak secrets;
For he yt speaketh with tunges, speaketh not vnto men, but vnto God: for no man heareth him. Howbeit in ye sprete he speaketh misteries.
for he that speaks in an unknown tongue, speaks not to men, but to God: for no man can understand the mysteries he delivers by the spirit.
For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, for no one understands; he is speaking mysteries by the Spirit.
For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
You can have the ability to speak in unknown languages, but the only one who will be able to understand you is God. It's a special ability, but only to you. No one else will know what you are saying.
For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.
For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
he that: 1 Corinthians 14:9-11, 1 Corinthians 14:16, 1 Corinthians 14:21, 1 Corinthians 14:22, Genesis 11:7, Genesis 42:23, Deuteronomy 28:49, 2 Kings 18:26, Acts 2:4-11, Acts 10:46, Acts 19:6
understandeth: Gr. heareth, Acts 22:9
howbeit: 1 Corinthians 2:7, 1 Corinthians 2:10, 1 Corinthians 13:2, 1 Corinthians 15:51, Psalms 49:3, Psalms 49:4, Psalms 78:2, Matthew 13:11, Mark 4:11, Romans 16:25, Ephesians 3:3-9, Ephesians 6:19, Colossians 1:26, Colossians 1:27, Colossians 2:2, 1 Timothy 3:9, 1 Timothy 3:16, Revelation 10:7
Reciprocal: 1 Corinthians 2:13 - but 1 Corinthians 12:10 - divers 1 Corinthians 14:14 - my spirit
Cross-References
until the Canaanite borders reached from Sidon southward to Gerar near Gaza, and eastward to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim near Lasha.
Lot looked around and saw that the whole Jordan Valley, all the way to Zoar, had plenty of water, like the Garden of the Lord or like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord had destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.)
against the kings of Elam, Goiim, Babylonia, and Ellasar, five kings against four.
The valley was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah tried to run away from the battle, they fell into the pits; but the other three kings escaped to the mountains.
May the Most High God, who gave you victory over your enemies, be praised!" And Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the loot he had recovered.
The fields will be a barren waste, covered with sulfur and salt; nothing will be planted, and not even weeds will grow there. Your land will be like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Admah and Zeboiim, which the Lord destroyed when he was furiously angry.
the southern part of Judah; and the plain that reaches from Zoar to Jericho, the city of palm trees.
another went toward Beth Horon, and the other one went to the border overlooking Zeboim Valley and the wilderness.
Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
My heart cries out for Moab! The people have fled to the town of Zoar, and to Eglath Shelishiyah. Some climb the road to Luhith, weeping as they go; some escape to Horonaim, grieving loudly.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue,.... Or with tongues, as some copies and the Ethiopic version read: Dr. Lightfoot thinks, that the Hebrew tongue, which was become a dead language, and understood but by few, is here meant, and that not without reason; seeing the public prayers, preaching, and singing of psalms among the Jews, were in this languages x; in imitation of whom, such ministers, who had the gift of speaking this language, read the Scriptures, preached, prayed, and sung psalms in it, which were no ways to the edification of the people, who understood it not; upon which account the apostle recommends prophesying, praying, and singing, in a language that was understood: otherwise he
speaketh not unto men; to the understanding, profit, and edification of men: but unto God: to his praise and glory, and he only knowing, who knows all languages, and every word in the tongue what is said; excepting himself, unless there should be any present capable of interpreting:
for no man understandeth him: or "heareth him": that is, hears him, so as to understand him; he may hear a sound, but he cannot tell the meaning of it, and so it is of no use and advantage to him:
howbeit in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries; though under the influence and by the extraordinary gift of the Spirit he has, and to his own Spirit and understanding, and with great affection and devotion within himself, he speaks of the deep things of God, and the mysteries of his grace, the most glorious truths of the Gospel, yet the meaning of his voice and words not being known, he is a barbarian to them that hear him; and though what he delivers are truths of the greatest importance, they are a mere jargon to others, being unintelligible.
x Vid. Gloss. in T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 3. 1. & in Yoma, fol. 20. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue - This verse is designed to show that the faculty of speaking intelligibly, and to the edification of the church, is of more value than the power of speaking a foreign language. The reason is, that however valuable may be the endowment in itself, and however important the truth which he may utter, yet it is as if he spoke to God only. No one could understand him.
Speaketh not unto men - Does not speak so that people can understand him. His address is really not made to people, that is, to the church. He might have this faculty without being able to speak to the edification of the church. It is possible that the power of speaking foreign languages and of prophesying were sometimes united in the same person; but it is evident that the apostle speaks of them as different endowments, and they probably were found usually in different individuals.
But unto God - It is as if he spoke to God. No one could understand him but God. This must evidently refer to the addresses “in the church,” when Christians only were present, or when those only were present who spoke the same language, and who were unacquainted with foreign tongues. Paul says that “there” that faculty would be valueless compared with the power of speaking in a manner that should edify the church. He did not undervalue the power of speaking foreign languages when foreigners were present, or when they went to preach to foreigners; see 1 Corinthians 14:22. It was only when it was needless, when all present spoke one language, that he speaks of it as of comparatively little value.
For no man understandeth him - That is, no man in the church, since they all spoke the same language, and that language was different from what was spoken by him who was endowed with the gift of tongues. As God only could know the import of what he said, it would be lost upon the church, and would be useless.
Howbeit in the Spirit - Although, by the aid of the Spirit, he should, in fact, deliver the most important and sublime truths. This would doubtless be the case, that those who were thus endowed would deliver most important truths, but they would be “lost” upon those who heard them, because they could not understand them. The phrase “in the Spirit,” evidently means “by the Holy Spirit,” that is, by his aid and influence. Though he should be “really” under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and though the important truth which he delivers should be imparted by his aid, yet all would be valueless unless it were understood by the church.
He speaketh mysteries - For the meaning of the word “mystery,” see Note, 1 Corinthians 2:7. The word here seems to be synonymous with sublime and elevated truth; truth that was not before known, and that might be of the utmost importance.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 1 Corinthians 14:2. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue — This chapter is crowded with difficulties. It is not likely that the Holy Spirit should, in the church, suddenly inspire a man with the knowledge of some foreign language, which none in the church understood but himself; and lead him to treat the mysteries of Christianity in that language, though none in the place could profit by his teaching.
Dr. Lightfoot's mode of reconciling these difficulties is the most likely I have met with. He supposes that by the unknown tongue the Hebrew is meant, and that God restored the true knowledge of this language when he gave the apostles the gift of tongues. As the Scriptures of the Old Testament were contained in this language, and it has beauties, energies, and depths in it which no verbal translation can reach, it was necessary, for the proper elucidation of the prophecies concerning the Messiah, and the establishment of the Christian religion, that the full meaning of the words of this sacred language should be properly understood. And it is possible that the Hebrew Scriptures were sometimes read in the Christian congregations as they were in the Jewish synagogues; and if the person who read and understood them had not the power and faculty of explaining them to others, in vain did he read and understand them himself. And we know that it is possible for a man to understand a language, the force, phraseology, and idioms of which he is incapable of explaining even in his mother tongue. We shall see, in the course of these notes, how this view of the subject will apply to the illustration of the apostle's words throughout the chapter.
Speaketh not unto men, but unto God — None present understanding the language, God alone knowing the truth and import of what he says:-
In the spirit he speaketh mysteries. — Though his own mind (for so πνευματι is understood here by many eminent critics) apprehends the mysteries contained in the words which he reads or utters; but if, by the spirit, we understand the Spirit of God, it only shows that it is by that Spirit that he is enabled to speak and apprehend these mysteries. See the note on 1 Corinthians 14:19.
