1 Corinthians 14:32

King James Version

And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
The spirits of prophets are under the control of the prophets themselves.

Revised Standard Version
and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For ye spretes of the Prophetes are in the power of the Prophetes.

Hebrew Names Version
The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets,

International Standard Version
The spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets,1 John 4:1;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets;

New Century Version
The spirits of prophets are under the control of the prophets themselves.

Update Bible Version
and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets;

Webster's Bible Translation
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

English Standard Version
and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

World English Bible
The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For the Spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

Weymouth's New Testament
and the spirits of Prophets yield submission to Prophets.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the spiritis of prophetis ben suget to prophetis;

English Revised Version
and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets;

Berean Standard Bible
The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

Contemporary English Version
A prophet should be willing to stop and let someone else speak.

Amplified Bible
for the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets [the prophecy is under the speaker's control, and he can stop speaking];

American Standard Version
and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets;

Bible in Basic English
And the spirits of the prophets are controlled by the prophets;

Complete Jewish Bible
Also, the prophets' spirits are under the prophets' control;

Darby Translation
And spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

Etheridge Translation
For the spirit of the prophets to the prophets is subject.

Murdock Translation
For the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets.

King James Version (1611)
And the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets.

New Living Translation
Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns.

New Life Bible
Men who speak God's Word are able to stop when they should.

New Revised Standard
And the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets,

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets.

George Lamsa Translation
For the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, spirits of prophets, unto prophets, do submit themselves;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the spirites of the prophetes, are subiect to the prophetes.

Good News Translation
The gift of proclaiming God's message should be under the speaker's control,

Christian Standard Bible®
And the prophets’ spirits are subject to the prophets,

Lexham English Bible
and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

Literal Translation
And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

Young's Literal Translation
and the spiritual gift of prophets to prophets are subject,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the spretes of the prophetes are subiecte vnto the prophetes.

Mace New Testament (1729)
the prophetic gifts are to be subservient to the prophets.

New English Translation
Indeed, the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets,

New King James Version
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Even when a prophet gets a word from the Lord, he can hold it until it's his turn.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets;

Legacy Standard Bible
And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets;

Contextual Overview

²⁶ How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. ²⁷ If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. ²⁸ But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. ²⁹ Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. ³⁰ If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. ³¹ For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. ³² And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³ For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Corinthians 14:29, 1 Corinthians 14:30, 1 Samuel 10:10-13, 1 Samuel 19:19-24, 2 Kings 2:3, 2 Kings 2:5, Job 32:8-11, Jeremiah 20:9, Acts 4:19, Acts 4:20, 1 John 4:1

Reciprocal: Numbers 11:25 - they prophesied Ezekiel 1:20 - the spirit Acts 11:27 - prophets Acts 15:32 - being Romans 12:6 - whether 1 Corinthians 12:10 - prophecy 1 Corinthians 14:12 - spiritual gifts

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. Meaning either that the doctrines which the prophets deliver, the explanations they give of passages of Scriptures, the revelations they declare, are subject to the examination, judgment, and censure of other prophets; who have a right to try and judge them, either according to a more clear revelation they may have, or rather according to the sure word of prophecy, the Scriptures of truth; and indeed they are subject to the trial and judgment of the whole church, and therefore ought not to be stiff in their own sentiments, and obstinately persist in them, but cheerfully and readily submit them to be examined, and approved or disapproved by others; and particularly when one that sits by signifies he has something revealed to him, which will better explain, or give further light into what the speaker is upon, he ought to submit and give way to him; and thereby truth may be made manifest and established, instruction, edification, and comfort promoted, and peace and order preserved: or else the sense is, that the spiritual gifts of the prophets, and the inspirations and instincts by which they are acted, and the affections which are excited in them, are subject to themselves, so that they can use, or not use those gifts; though they have the word of the Lord they can forbear speaking, as Jeremy did, for a while, and as the case of Jonah shows; or they can refrain themselves and be silent, and wait till they have proper opportunity of speaking, being not like the prophets of false gods, who are acted by an evil spirit, and observe no order or decorum, but with a sort of fury and madness deliver involuntarily what is suggested to them: but such is not the case of true prophets that are influenced and directed by the Spirit of God, who will give way to one another; one will be silent while the other speaks, and by turns prophesy one after another; and where there is not such a subjection, it is a sign that the Spirit of God is not in them, for the reason that follows.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the spirits of the prophets - See in 1 Corinthians 14:1 for the meaning of the word prophets. The evident meaning of this is, that they were able to control their inclination to speak; they were not under a necessity of speaking, even though they might be inspired. There was no need of disorder. This verse gives confirmation to the supposition, that the extraordinary endowments of the Holy Spirit were subjected to substantially the same laws as a man’s natural endowments. They were conferred by the Holy Spirit; but they were conferred on free agents, and did not interfere with their free agency. And as a man, though of the most splendid talents and commanding eloquence, has “control” over his own mind, and is not “compelled” to speak, so it was with those who are here called prophets. The immediate reference of the passage is to those who are called “prophets” in the New Testament: and the interpretation should be confined to them.

It is not improbable, however, that the same thing was true of the prophets of the Old Testament; and that it is really true as a general declaration of all the prophets whom God has inspired, that they had control over their own minds, and could speak or be silent at pleasure. In this the spirit of true inspiration differed essentially from the views of the pagan, who regarded themselves as driven on by a wild, controlling influence, that compelled them to speak even when they were unconscious of what they said. Universally, in the pagan world, the priests and priestesses supposed or feigned that they were under an influence which was incontrollable; which took away their powers of self-command, and which made them the mere organs or unconscious instruments of communicating the will of the gods. The Scripture account of inspiration is, however, a very different thing. In whatever way the mind was influenced, or whatever was the mode in which the truth was conveyed, yet it was not such as to destroy the conscious powers of free agency, nor such as to destroy the individuality of the inspired person, or to annihilate what was special in his mode of thinking, his style, or his customary manner of expression.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 32. And the spirits of the prophets, c.] Let no one interrupt another and let all be ready to prefer others before themselves; and let each feel a spirit of subjection to his brethren. God grants no ungovernable gifts.