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Read the Bible

King James Version

1 Corinthians 14:6

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?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Preaching;   Tongues (the Gift);   The Topic Concordance - Prophecy and Prophets;   Tongues;   Understanding;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Language;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Prophecy, prophet;   Tongues;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Education in Bible Times;   Teach, Teacher;   Word;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Interpreting of Tongues;   Worship of God;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Science;   Tongues, Gift of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Knowledge;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Corinthians, First Epistle to the;   Ethics;   Spiritual Gifts;   Tongues, Gift of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Edification;   Prophecy Prophet Prophetess;   Voice;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Edification;   Tongues, Gift of;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Synagogue;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Apocalypse;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Brothers and sisters, will it help you if I come to you speaking in different languages? No, it will help you only if I bring you a new truth or some knowledge, prophecy, or teaching.
Revised Standard Version
Now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how shall I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Now brehren if I come vnto you speakige wt tonges: what shall I profit you excepte I speake vnto you other by revelacio or knowledge or prophesyinge or doctrine.
Hebrew Names Version
But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?
International Standard Version
Indeed, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what good will I be to you unless I speak to you in some revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or teaching?1 Corinthians 14:26;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophecy, or of teaching?
New Century Version
Brothers and sisters, will it help you if I come to you speaking in different languages? No! It will help you only if I bring you a new truth or some new knowledge, or prophecy, or teaching.
Update Bible Version
But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?
Webster's Bible Translation
Now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in languages, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
English Standard Version
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?
World English Bible
But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you, either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecy, or by doctrine?
Weymouth's New Testament
But, brethren, as things are, if I come to you speaking in `tongues,' what benefit shall I confer on you, if the utterance is neither in the form of a revelation nor of additional knowledge nor of prophecy nor of teaching?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But now, britheren, if Y come to you, and speke in langagis, what schal Y profite to you, but if Y speke to you ethir in reuelacioun, ethir in science, ethir in prophecie, ether in techyng?
English Revised Version
But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?
Berean Standard Bible
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?
Contemporary English Version
My friends, what good would it do, if I came and spoke unknown languages to you and didn't explain what I meant? How would I help you, unless I told you what God had shown me or gave you some knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
Amplified Bible
Now, believers, if I come to you speaking in unknown tongues, how will I benefit you unless I also speak to you [clearly] either by revelation [revealing God's mystery], or by knowledge [teaching about God], or by prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], or by instruction [teaching precepts that develop spiritual maturity]?
American Standard Version
But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?
Bible in Basic English
But, now, my brothers, if I come to you using tongues, what profit will it be to you, if I do not give you a revelation, or knowledge, or the word of the prophet, or teaching?
Complete Jewish Bible
Brothers, suppose I come to you now speaking in tongues. How can I be of benefit to you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
Darby Translation
And now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in teaching?
Etheridge Translation
And now, my brethren, if I come to you and speak with you in tongues, what do I profit you, unless I speak with you, or by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecy, or by doctrine ?
Murdock Translation
And now, my brethren, if I should come among you, and speak to you in tongues, what should I profit you; unless I should speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecy, or by doctrine?
King James Version (1611)
Now brethren, if I come vnto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speake to you either by reuelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
Christian brothers, if I come to you speaking in special sounds, what good is it to you? But if I tell you something God has shown me or something I have learned or what God's Word says will happen in the future or teach you God's Word, it will be for your good.
New Revised Standard
Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you in some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
Geneva Bible (1587)
And nowe, brethren, if I come vnto you speaking diuers tongues, what shall I profite you, except I speake to you, either by reuelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecying, or by doctrine?
George Lamsa Translation
Now, my brethren, if I should come to you and speak in diverse tongues, what would I profit you, except I speak to you either by means of revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying or by teaching?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, now, brethren - if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit, you, except I speak, unto you, either by way of revelation, or knowledge, or prophesying, or teaching?
Douay-Rheims Bible
But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either in revelation or in knowledge or in prophecy or in doctrine?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nowe brethren, yf I come vnto you speakyng with tongues, what shall I profite you, except I speake to you eyther by reuelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesiyng, or by doctrine?
Good News Translation
So when I come to you, my friends, what use will I be to you if I speak in strange tongues? Not a bit, unless I bring you some revelation from God or some knowledge or some inspired message or some teaching.
Christian Standard Bible®
So now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in other tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
Lexham English Bible
But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with tongues, how do I benefit you, unless I speak to you either with a revelation or with knowledge or with a prophecy or with a teaching?
Literal Translation
But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you, except I speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in teaching?
Young's Literal Translation
And now, brethren, if I may come unto you speaking tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophesying, or in teaching?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But now brethren yf I come vnto you, and speake with tunges, what shal I profet you, excepte I speake vnto you ether by reuelacion or by knowlege, or by prophecienge, or by doctryne?
Mace New Testament (1729)
for instance, brethren, if I deliver myself to you in an unknown tongue, what good shall I do you, except I deliver to you the meaning of what is said, whether it relate to revelation, to mystical knowledge, to prophecy, or to doctrine.
THE MESSAGE
Think, friends: If I come to you and all I do is pray privately to God in a way only he can understand, what are you going to get out of that? If I don't address you plainly with some insight or truth or proclamation or teaching, what help am I to you? If musical instruments—flutes, say, or harps—aren't played so that each note is distinct and in tune, how will anyone be able to catch the melody and enjoy the music? If the trumpet call can't be distinguished, will anyone show up for the battle?
New English Translation
Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I speak to you with a revelation or with knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
New King James Version
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?
Simplified Cowboy Version
Listen cowboys and cowgirls, is it really doing you any good if I come and talk to you in a language you don't understand? Nope! The only good that can come from talkin' is talkin' that can be understood.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?
Legacy Standard Bible
But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?

Contextual Overview

6 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? 7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? 8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. 12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

what shall I: 1 Corinthians 10:33, 1 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Corinthians 13:3, 1 Samuel 12:21, Jeremiah 16:19, Jeremiah 23:32, Matthew 16:26, 2 Timothy 2:14, Titus 3:8, Hebrews 13:9

revelation: 1 Corinthians 14:26-30, Matthew 11:25, Matthew 16:17, 2 Corinthians 12:1, 2 Corinthians 12:7, Ephesians 1:17, Philippians 3:15

knowledge: 1 Corinthians 12:8, 1 Corinthians 13:2, 1 Corinthians 13:8, 1 Corinthians 13:9, Romans 15:14, 2 Corinthians 11:6, Ephesians 3:4, 2 Peter 1:5, 2 Peter 3:18

prophesying: 1 Corinthians 14:1, 1 Corinthians 13:2

doctrine: 1 Corinthians 14:26, Romans 16:17, 2 Timothy 3:10, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Timothy 4:2, 2 John 1:9

Reciprocal: Acts 20:20 - profitable 1 Corinthians 1:5 - in all 1 Corinthians 13:1 - I speak 1 Corinthians 14:17 - but 1 Corinthians 14:30 - revealed 1 Timothy 4:13 - to doctrine

Cross-References

Genesis 14:20
And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Genesis 16:7
And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
Genesis 21:21
And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
Genesis 36:8
Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.
Numbers 10:12
And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.
Numbers 12:16
And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.
Numbers 13:3
And Moses by the commandment of the Lord sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 2:12
The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the Lord gave unto them.
Habakkuk 3:3
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues,.... The apostle exemplifies this matter in himself, and supposes it his own case, that should he who was the apostle of the Gentiles, and to be received by them as such, when he came to them, come with this gift of tongues, which he was capable of, as much, or more than any, see 1 Corinthians 14:18 and only make use of that,

what shall I profit you? of what use would my ministry be to you? what instruction, comfort, and edification, could you receive by it?

except I shall speak to you, either by revelation; by the revelation of Jesus Christ, whereby he received the Gospel he preached; or by the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ, and the mysteries of his grace, by which they were made known unto him at first, or by a fresh immediate revelation from heaven:

or by knowledge; the word of knowledge, one of the peculiar gifts of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:8.

Or by prophesying; the gift of prophecy, another of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, mentioned in the same chapter, 1 Corinthians 12:10 and already explained:

or by doctrine? the same with the word of wisdom, another gift of the same Spirit, in 1 Corinthians 12:8. The apostle intimates, that by the use and exercise of these gifts, he might be profitable to them, to lead them into a clearer view of the doctrines of the Gospel, and for the further improvement of their knowledge in the Scriptures of truth, which could never be done by bare speaking with tongues, and with tongues they understood not.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now, 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; but he did not use this power for ostentation or display, but merely to communicate the gospel to those who did not understand his native tongue.

Either by revelation - Macknight renders this, “speak intelligibly;” that is, as he explains it, “by the revelation peculiar to an apostle.” Doddridge, “by the revelation of some gospel doctrine and mystery.” Locke interprets it, that you might understand the revelation, or knowledge,” etc.; but says in a note, that we cannot now certainly understand the difference between the meaning of the four words here used. “It is sufficient,” says he, “to know that these reruns stand for some intelligible discourse tending to the edification of the church.” Rosenmuller supposes the word “revelation” stands for some “clear and open knowledge of any truth arising from meditation.” It is probable that the word here does not refer to divine inspiration, as it usually does, but that it stands opposed to that which is unknown and unintelligible, as that which is “revealed” ἀποκαλύψις apokalupsis stands opposed to what is unknown, concealed, “hidden,” obscure. Here, therefore, it is synonymous, perhaps, with “explained.” “What shall it profit, unless that which I speak be brought out of the obscurity and darkness of a foreign language, and uncovered or explained!” The original sense of the word “revelation” here is, I suppose, intended ἀποκαλύψις apokalupsis, from ἀποκαλύπτω apokaluptō, “to uncover”), and means that the sense should be uncovered, that is, explained or what was spoken could not be of value.

Or by knowledge - By making it intelligible. By so explaining it as to make it understood. Knowledge here stands opposed to the “ignorance” and “obscurity” which would attend a communication in a foreign language.

Or by prophesying - See the note at 1 Corinthians 14:1. That is, unless it be communicated, through interpretation, in the manner in which the prophetic teachers spoke; that is, made intelligible, and explained, and actually brought down to the usual characteristics of communications made in their own language.

Or by doctrine - By teaching (διδαχῇ didachē). By instruction; in the usual mode of plain and familiar instruction. The sense of this passage, therefore, is clear. Though Paul should utter among them, as he had abundant ability to do, the most weighty and important truths, yet, unless he interpreted what he said in a manner clear from obscurity, like “revelation;” or intelligibly, and so as to constitute “knowledge;” or in the manner that the prophets spoke, in a plain and intelligible manner; or in the manner usual in simple and plain “instruction,” it would be useless to them. The perplexities of commentators may be seen stated in Locke, Bloomfield, and Doddridge.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 14:6. Speaking 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 practise.-See Whitby. These four words are taken in different acceptations by learned men. The general sense of the terms is that given above: but the peculiar meaning of the apostle is perhaps not easily discerned.


 
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