the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
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Myles Coverdale Bible
1 Corinthians 14:20
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Listen, amigos. Don't get all childish on me. You can be as innocent as a newborn baby and still think like a grown man.
Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
Brothers, do not be children in your thinking; rather in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
My brothers, do not be children in mind: in evil be as little children, but in mind be of full growth.
Brethren, be not children in [your] minds, but in malice be babes; but in [your] minds be grown [men].
Brothers, don't be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking.
Brothers, don't be children in mind, yet in malice be babies, but in mind be men.
Brethren, be not children in understanding: in wickedness be ye as infants, but in understanding be ye grown men.
Brethren, do not prove yourselves to be children in your minds. As regards evil, indeed, be utter babes, but as regards your minds prove yourselves to be men of ripe years.
Brethren, bee not children in vnderstanding: how be it, in malice be yee children, but in vnderstanding be men.
Brothers, do not be children in your minds, but in malice be like infants, and in your minds be mature.
Brethren, be not childish in understanding: be as innocent as babes, but use your understanding like men.
To be perfectly frank, I'm getting exasperated with your infantile thinking. How long before you grow up and use your head—your adult head? It's all right to have a childlike unfamiliarity with evil; a simple no is all that's needed there. But there's far more to saying yes to something. Only mature and well-exercised intelligence can save you from falling into gullibility. It's written in Scripture that God said, In strange tongues and from the mouths of strangers I will preach to this people, but they'll neither listen nor believe. So where does it get you, all this speaking in tongues no one understands? It doesn't help believers, and it only gives unbelievers something to gawk at. Plain truth-speaking, on the other hand, goes straight to the heart of believers and doesn't get in the way of unbelievers. If you come together as a congregation and some unbelieving outsiders walk in on you as you're all praying in tongues, unintelligible to each other and to them, won't they assume you've taken leave of your senses and get out of there as fast as they can? But if some unbelieving outsiders walk in on a service where people are speaking out God's truth, the plain words will bring them up against the truth and probe their hearts. Before you know it, they're going to be on their faces before God, recognizing that God is among you.
Brothers and sisters, do not be children [immature, childlike] in your thinking; be infants in [matters of] evil [completely innocent and inexperienced], but in your minds be mature [adults].
Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men.
Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; be babes in evil, but in thinking be mature.
Brethre be not chyldre in witte. How be it as cocerninge maliciousnes be chyldre: but in witte be perfet.
Brothers, don't be children in mind: yet in malice be babes, but in mind be men.
Brethren, be not children in understanding: yet in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
Brethren, become not children in the understanding, but in the evil be ye babes, and in the understanding become ye perfect;
Brothers and sisters, do not think like children. In evil things be like babies, but in your thinking you should be like adults.
Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking. Instead, be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
My friends, stop thinking like children. Think like mature people and be as innocent as tiny babies.
Brothers, don't be children in your thinking. In evil, be like infants; but in your thinking, be grown-up.
Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
Brethren, be not children in vnderstanding, but as concerning maliciousnes be children, but in vnderstanding be of a ripe age.
My brethren, be not like infants in your intelligence, only to evil things be like children, but in your understanding be mature.
Brothers, don't be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.
Brothers, stop beingdo not be">[fn] children in your thinking. In evil be infants, but in thinking be adults.Psalm 131:2; Matthew 11:25; 18:3; 19:14; Romans 16:19; 1 Corinthians 3:1; Ephesians 4:14; Hebrews 5:12-13; 1 Peter 2:2;">[xr]
MY brethren, be not children in your minds, but in evils be you babes, and in your minds be perfect.
My brethren, be ye not children in your thoughts; but to evil things be ye infants; and in your thoughts be men.
Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
Dear brothers and sisters, don't be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.
Christian brothers, do not be like children in your thinking. Be full-grown, but be like children in not knowing how to sin.
Brethren, be not children in mind: howbeit in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men.
Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; rather, be infants in evil, but in thinking be adults.
Brethren! do not become children, in your understandings; but, in baseness, become babes, while, in your understandings, ye become, full-grown.
Brethren, do not become children in sense. But in malice be children: and in sense be perfect.
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
Brothers, do not become children in your understanding, but with respect to wickedness be as a child, and in your understanding be mature.
Brethren, be not chyldren in wytte: Howbeit, as concerning maliciousnesse, be chyldren: but in wytte, be perfect.
Brothers and sisters, don't think like children. In evil things be like babies, but in your thinking you should be like full-grown adults.
Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
Do not be like children in your thinking, my friends; be children so far as evil is concerned, but be grown up in your thinking.
Britheren, nyle ye be maad children in wittis, but in malice be ye children; but in wittis be ye parfit.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
not: 1 Corinthians 3:1, 1 Corinthians 3:2, 1 Corinthians 13:11, Psalms 119:99, Isaiah 11:3, Romans 16:19, Ephesians 4:14, Ephesians 4:15, Philippians 1:9, Hebrews 5:12, Hebrews 5:13, Hebrews 6:1-3, 2 Peter 3:18
malice: Psalms 131:1, Psalms 131:2, Matthew 11:25, Matthew 18:3, Matthew 19:4, Mark 10:15, 1 Peter 2:2
but: Psalms 119:99
men: Gr. perfect, or, of a ripe age, 1 Corinthians 2:6, Philippians 3:15
Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 13:7 - young Ezra 8:18 - a man of understanding Nehemiah 4:13 - Therefore Esther 1:22 - according Esther 5:4 - the banquet Job 34:2 - General Job 36:4 - perfect Proverbs 13:16 - prudent Ecclesiastes 10:10 - wisdom Isaiah 46:8 - Remember Jeremiah 4:22 - they are wise Ezekiel 1:10 - the face of a man Matthew 10:16 - wise Matthew 19:14 - for Mark 10:14 - for Mark 13:14 - let him Luke 9:47 - took Luke 18:16 - for Acts 10:46 - speak 1 Corinthians 8:1 - touching 1 Corinthians 10:7 - be 1 Corinthians 10:15 - General 1 Corinthians 16:13 - quit Ephesians 4:13 - unto a Ephesians 4:31 - with Ephesians 5:15 - walk Colossians 4:12 - that 1 Peter 2:1 - malice 2 Peter 1:5 - knowledge Revelation 4:7 - as
Cross-References
He sayde morouer: Praysed be the LORDE God of Sem, and Canaan be his seruaunt.
These came all together in to the brode valley, where now the salt see is:
for twolue yeares were they subiectes vnto kinge Kedorlaomer, & in the thirtenth yeare they fell from him.
Therfore in the fourtenth yeare came Kedorlaomer, and the kynges yt were with him, & smote the Giauntes in Astaroth Karnaim, & Susim at Ham, & Emim in the felde of Kiriathaim,
and ye Horites in their owne mount Seir vnto the playne of Pharan, which bordreth vpo the wildernes.
wt Kedorlaomer the kynge of Elam, & with Thideal ye kynge of the Heithen, & with Amraphel ye kynge of Synear, & with Arioch the kynge of Ellasar: foure kynges wt fyue.
And as he came agayne from the slaughter of Kedorlaomer & of the kinges that were with him, the kynge of Sodome wente to mete him in to the playne felde, which is called kynges dale.
blessed him and sayde: Blessed be thou Abram vnto the most hye God possessor of heauen and earth.
and sayde: Praysed be the LORDE the God of my master Abraham, which hath not withdrawen his mercy and his trueth fro my master, for the LORDE hath brought me the waye to my masters brothers house.
and this stone that I haue set vp, shalbe an house of God: and all that thou geuest me, I wyl geue the the tenth therof.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Brethren, be not children in understanding,.... There are some things in children in which it is reproachful for believers to be like them; as nonproficiency in knowledge, want of capacity to receive, bear, and digest strong meat; levity, fickleness, and inconstancy, unskilfulness in the word, deficiency of knowledge, want of understanding, not of things natural, but spiritual and evangelical; which is the more aggravated, since their understandings were opened and enlightened; an understanding was given them; the Spirit of God, as a spirit of understanding, was bestowed on them; they had the Scriptures, which are able to make wise unto salvation, and the man of God perfect; and also the ministers of the Gospel to explain divine truths to them; and many had been a long time in the school of Christ, and might have been teachers of others; and yet; after all, were children in understanding, and needed to be taught the first principles of the oracles of God. The apostle here has chiefly reference to the gift of speaking with tongues, these Corinthians were so desirous of; which when they had it, was only to talk like children; and for them to prefer it to other gifts, which were more useful and beneficial, discovered their judgment to be but the judgment of children; and if they desired this, and made use of it for ostentation, it showed a childish vanity, from which the apostle here dissuades:
howbeit in malice be ye children: in other things it is commendable to imitate children, and be like them; as in innocence and harmlessness of conversation; to be meek, modest, and humble, free from pride and vain glory; to be without guile and hypocrisy, without rancour and bitterness, envying and malice, but tender hearted, and ready to forgive. This the apostle recommends:
but in understanding be men; or "perfect", of ripe and full age, who have their senses exercised to discern between good and evil, גבר "a man", says Aben Ezra p, in our language, signifies מלא דעת, "one full of knowledge", as in Exodus 10:11. It is not perfection of justification that is here meant, for babes in Christ are as perfect in this sense as grown men; nor a perfection of sanctification, for there is no such thing as this in any in this life; there is a perfection of sanctification in Christ, and of parts in everyone that is a new creature; and as that denotes sincerity and uprightness, it is in all that have known the grace of God in truth; but then these are each of them as true of new born babes, young converts, as of older Christians, and strong men: but of knowledge and understanding in divine things; which though it is imperfect in the best, yet in some it is in greater perfection than in others; who may, in a comparative sense, be said to be perfect, or men of full age, who are arrived to a considerable ripeness and maturity of spiritual knowledge; and this is what believers should be pressing after, and desirous of, and make use of all proper methods, such as reading, hearing, and praying, to attain unto.
p Comment. in Psal. xxxvii. 23.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Brethren, be not children in understanding - Be not childish; do not behave like little children. They admire, and are astonished at what is striking, novel, and what may be of no real utility. They are pleased with anything that will amuse them, and at little things that afford them play and pastime. So your admiration of a foreign language and of the ability to speak it, is of as little solid value as the common sports and plays of boys. This, says Doddridge, is an admirable stroke of oratory, and adapted to bring down their pride by showing them that those things on which they were disposed to value themselves were “childish.” It is sometimes well to appeal to Christians in this manner, and to show them that what they are engaged in is “unworthy” the dignity of the understanding - unfit to occupy the time and attention of an immortal mind. Much, alas! very much of that which engages the attention of Christians is just as unworthy of the dignity of the mind, and of their immortal nature, as were the aims and desires which the apostle rebuked among the Christians at Corinth. Much that pertains to dress, to accomplishment, to living, to employment, to amusement, to conversation, will appear, when we come to die, to have been like the playthings of “children;” and we shall feel that the immortal mind has been employed, and the time wasted, and the strength exhausted in that which was foolish and puerile.
Howbeit in malice be ye children - This is one of Paul’s most happy turns of expression and of sentiment. He had just told them that in one respect they ought not to be children. Yet, as if this would appear to be speaking lightly of children - and Paul would not speak lightly of anyone, even of a child - he adds, that in “another” respect it would be well to be like them - nay, not only like children, but like “infants.” The phrase “be ye children,” here, does not express the force of the original νηπιάζετε nēpiazete. It means, “be infants,” and is emphatic, and was used, evidently, by the apostle of design. The meaning may be thus expressed. “Your admiration of foreign languages is like the sports and plays of “childhood.” In this respect be not children (παιδίᾳ paidia); be men! Lay aside such childish things. Act worthy of the “understanding” which God has given you. I have mentioned children. Yet I would not speak unkindly or with contempt even of them. “In one respect” you may imitate them. Nay, you should not only be like “children,” that are somewhat advanced in years, but like “infants.” Be as free from malice, from any ill-will toward others, from envy, and every improper passion, as they are.” This passage, therefore, accords with the repeated declaration of the Saviour, that in order to enter into heaven, it was needful that we should become as little children; Matthew 18:3.
Be men - Margin, “Perfect, or of a riper age” (τέλειοι teleioi). The word means full-grown men. Act like them whose understandings are mature and ripe.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 20. Be not children in understanding — There are three words here to which we must endeavour to affix the proper sense.
1. παιδια signifies children in general, but particularly such as are grown up, so as to be fit to send to school in order to receive instruction;
2. νηπιος, from νη, not, and ειπω, I speak, signifies an infant; one that cannot yet speak, and is in the lowest stage of infancy;
3. τελειοι, from τελεω, I complete or perfect, signifies those who are arrived at perfect maturity, both of growth and understanding. We shall now see the apostle's meaning: Brethren, be not, παιδια, as little children, just beginning to go to school, in order to learn the first elements of their mother tongue, and with an understanding only sufficient to apprehend those elements.
In malice — κακια, In wickedness, νηπιαζετε, be ye as infants, who neither speak, do, nor purpose evil.
But in understanding — τελειοι γινεσθε, Be ye perfect men, whose vigour of body, and energy of mind show a complete growth, and a well cultivated understanding.
