1 Corinthians 14:14

Douay-Rheims Bible

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth: but my understanding is without fruit.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For if I pray in another tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

King James Version (1611)
For if I pray in an vnknowen tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my vnderstanding is vnfruitfull.

King James Version
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

English Standard Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.

New American Standard Bible
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive.

New Century Version
If I pray in a different language, my spirit is praying, but my mind does nothing.

Amplified Bible
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive [because it does not understand what my spirit is praying].

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

Legacy Standard Bible
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

Berean Standard Bible
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

Contemporary English Version
For example, if I use an unknown language in my prayers, my spirit prays but my mind is useless.

Complete Jewish Bible
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit does pray, but my mind is unproductive.

Darby Translation
For if I pray with a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Easy-to-Read Version
If I pray in a different language, my spirit is praying, but my mind does nothing.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For if I pray in a strange togue, my spirit prayeth: but mine vnderstading is without fruite.

George Lamsa Translation
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my knowledge is fruitless.

Good News Translation
For if I pray in this way, my spirit prays indeed, but my mind has no part in it.

Lexham English Bible
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unproductive.

Literal Translation
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

American Standard Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Bible in Basic English
For if I make use of tongues in my prayers, my spirit makes the prayer, but not my mind.

Hebrew Names Version
For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

International Standard Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is not productive.

Etheridge Translation
For if I am praying in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my mind is without fruit.

Murdock Translation
For if I should pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is without fruits.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For yf I pray with tongue, my spirite prayeth, but my vnderstanding is without fruite.

English Revised Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

World English Bible
For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my Spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Weymouth's New Testament
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is barren.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For if Y preye in tunge, my spirit preieth; myn vndurstondyng is with outen fruyt.

Update Bible Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Webster's Bible Translation
For if I pray in an [unknown] language, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

New English Translation
If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive.

New King James Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

New Living Translation
For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don't understand what I am saying.

New Life Bible
If I pray in special sounds, my spirit is doing the praying. My mind does not understand.

New Revised Standard
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unproductive.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, if I am praying in a tongue, my spirit, is praying, but, my mind, is unfruitful.

Revised Standard Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
If I praye with tonge my sprete prayeth: but my mynde is with out frute.

Young's Literal Translation
for if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit doth pray, and my understanding is unfruitful.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf I praye with tunges, my sprete prayeth, but my vnderstodinge bryngeth no man frute.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit indeed prays, but my meaning is of no benefit to others.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Praying in tongues is your spirit praying, not your conscious mind.

Contextual Overview

⁶ 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? ⁷ Even things without life that give sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction of 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 you, except you utter by the tongue plain speech, how shall it be known what is said? For you shall be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are, for example, so many kinds of tongues in this world: and none is without voice. ¹¹ If then I know not the power of the voice, I shall be to him to whom I speak a barbarian: and he that speaketh a barbarian to me. ¹² So you also, forasmuch as you are zealous of spirits, seek to abound unto the edifying of the church. ¹³ And therefore he that speaketh by a tongue, let him pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth: but my understanding is without fruit.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

my spirit: 1 Corinthians 14:2, 1 Corinthians 14:15, 1 Corinthians 14:16, 1 Corinthians 14:19

but: That is, "not productive of any benefit to others.

Reciprocal: Psalms 47:7 - sing Romans 1:9 - with 1 Corinthians 14:4 - edifieth himself Ephesians 4:12 - the edifying

Cross-References

Genesis 12:5
And he took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all the substance which they had gathered, and the souls which they had gotten in Haran: and they went out to go into the land of Chanaan. And when they were come into it,

Genesis 12:16
And they used Abram well for her sake. And he had sheep and oxen and he asses, and men servants, and maid servants, and she asses, and camels.

Genesis 13:8
Abram therefore said to Lot: Let there be no quarrel, I beseech thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen: for we are brethren.

Genesis 14:1
And it came to pass at that time, that Amraphel, king of Sennaar, and Arioch, king of Pontus, and Chodorlahomor, king of the Elamites, and Thadal, king of nations,

Genesis 14:2
Made war against Bara, king of Sodom, and against Bersa, king of Gomorrha, and against Sennaab, king of Adama, and against Semeber, king of Seboim, and against the king of Bala, which is Segor.

Genesis 14:3
All these came together into the woodland vale, which now is the salt sea.

Genesis 14:5
And in the fourteenth year came Chodorlahomor, and the kings that were with him: and they smote the Raphaim in Astarothcarnaim, and the Zuzim with them, and the Emim in Save of Cariathaim.

Genesis 14:11
And they took all the substance of the Sodomites, and Gomorrhites, and all their victuals, and went their way:

Genesis 14:12
And Lot also, the son of Abram’s brother, who dwelt in Sodom, and his substance.

Genesis 15:3
And Abram added: But to me thou hast not given seed: and lo my servant born in my house, shall be my heir.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For if I pray in an unknown tongue,.... In the Hebrew tongue, which the greatest part of the Jewish doctors insisted a upon should be only used in prayer; which notion might be borrowed from them, and now greatly prevailed in the church at Corinth; and the custom was used by such as had the gift of speaking that language, even though the body and bulk of the people understood it not:

my spirit prayeth; I pray with my breath vocally; or else with affection and devotion, understanding what I say myself, and so am edified; or rather with the gift of the Spirit bestowed on me:

but my understanding is unfruitful; that is, what I say with understanding to myself is unprofitable to others, not being understood by them.

a Vid. Trigland. de Sect. Kar. c. 10. p. 172, 173.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For if I pray ... - The reference to prayer here, and to singing in 1 Corinthians 14:15, is designed to illustrate the propriety of the general sentiment which he is defending, that public worship should be conducted in a language that would be intelligible to the people. However well meant it might be, or however the “heart” might be engaged in it, yet unless it was intelligible, and the understanding could join in it, it would be vain and profitless.

My spirit prayeth - The word spirit here (πνεῦμα pneuma) has been variously understood. Some have understood it of the Holy Spirit - the Spirit by which Paul says he was actuated. Others of the “spiritual gift,” or that spiritual influence by which he was endowed. Others of the mind itself. But it is probable that the word “spirit” refers to the “will;” or to the mind, as the seat of the affections and emotions; that is, to the heart, desires, or intentions. The word “spirit” is often used in the Scriptures as the seat of the affections, and emotions, and passions of various kinds; see Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit;” Luke 10:21, “Jesus rejoiced in spirit.” So it is the seat of ardor or fervor Luke 1:17; Acts 18:25; Romans 12:11; of grief or indignation; Mark 3:12; John 11:33; John 13:21; Acts 17:16. It refers also to feelings, disposition, or temper of mind, in Luke 9:55; Romans 8:15. Here it refers, it seems to me. to the heart, the will, the disposition, the feelings, as contradistinguished from the understanding; and the sense is, “My feelings find utterance in prayer; my heart is engaged in devotion; my prayer will be acceptable to God, who looks upon the feelings of the heart, and I may have true enjoyment; but my understanding will be unfruitful, that is, will not profit others. What I say will not he understood by them; and of course, however much benefit I might derive from my devotions, yet they would be useless to others.”

But my understanding - (ὁ δὲ νοῦς μου ho de nous mou). My intellect, my mind; my mental efforts and operations.

Is unfruitful - Produces nothing that will be of advantage to them. It is like a barren tree; a tree that bears nothing that can be of benefit to others. They cannot understand what I say, and of course, they cannot be profited by what I utter.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 14:14. For if I pray in an unknown tongue — If my prayers are composed of sentences and sayings taken out of the prophets, c., and in their own language-my spirit prayeth, my heart is engaged in the work, and my prayers answer all the purpose of prayers to myself but my understanding is unfruitful to all others, because they do not understand my prayers, and I either do not or cannot interpret them. See the note on 1 Corinthians 14:19.