Bible Commentaries
1 Corinthians 14

Verse 1

charity = love, as in 1 Corinthians 13:1 .

desire = covet earnestly, as in 1 Corinthians 12:31 .

spiritual . Greek. pneumatikos. See 1 Corinthians 12:1 .

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

Verse 2

speaketh . Greek. laleo . App-121 .

in . No preposition. Dative case.

an unknown = a.

unto = to.

men . Greek. anthropos. App-123 .

God . App-98 .

no man = no one. Greek. oudeis.

understandeth . Greek. akouo. Occurs over 420 times. Translated hear, except in this and six or seven other passages. See Acts 9:7 .

howbeit = but.

spirit . App-101 . There is no article.

mysteries . App-193 .

Verse 3

to . Supply the ellipsis by "for".

edification . Literally building. Greek. oikodome. See 1 Corinthians 3:9 . Here used metaphorrically.

exhortation . Greek. paraklesis. See Acts 4:36 with Acts 13:15 . Compare App-134 .

comfort . Greek. paramuthia. Only here. Compare Philippians 1:2 , Philippians 1:1 , and the verb in John 11:19 .

Verse 4

edifieth . Greek. oikodomeo. See Acts 9:31 .

church . App-186 .

Verse 5

would = wish. App-102 .

except . A strong expression. Greek. ektos ei ml. Literally without if not.

interpret . Greek. diermeneuo. See Acts 9:36 .

edifying . Same as "edification", 1 Corinthians 14:3 .

Verse 6

if . App-118 .

unto . App-104 .

except = unless. Greek. ean ( App-118 ) me ( App-105 ).

by = in. Greek. e n . App-104 .

revelation . App-106 .

knowledge . App-132 .

Verse 7

And even = Nevertheless. Greek. homos. Only here, John 12:42 .Galatians 1:3 , Galatians 1:15 .

without life . Greek. apsuchos. Only here.

sound . Greek. phone, voice.

whether, or . Greek. eite .

pipe . Greek. aulos. Only here.

harp . Greek. kithara . Only here and Revelation 5:8 ; Revelation 14:2 ; Revelation 15:2 .

distinction . Greek. diastole. See Romans 3:22 .

sounds . Greek. phthongos. Only here and Romans 10:18 . Not the same word as in the first part of the verse.

known . App-132 .

piped . Greek. auleo. Only here, Matthew 11:17 . Luke 7:32 .

harped . Greek. kitharizo. Only here and Revelation 14:2 .

Verse 8

uncertain . Greek. adelos. Only here and Luke 11:44 (appear not).

to the battle = for (Greek. eis . App-104 .) war.

Verse 9

So likewise ye = So ye also.

utter = give.

words . App-121 .

easy to be understood = intelligible. Greek. eusemos. Only here.

into . App-104 .

Verse 10

it may be = if ( App-118 . b) it may be.

voices . Greek. phone. See 1 Corinthians 14:7 .

in . App-104 .

world . App-129 .

none . Greek. oudeis .

without, &c . = dumb. Greek. aphonos . See Acts 8:32 .

Verse 11

know. App-132 .

meaning = force. App-172 .

barbarian . See Acts 28:2 .

unto . Greek. en . App-104 . in my regard.

Verse 12

Even so ye = So ye also.

zealous . Greek. zelotes . See Acts 21:20 .

spiritual gifts . Literally spirits. Here put for the operations of the Holy Spirit, as in 1 Corinthians 14:2 . App-101 .

excel = abound.

Verse 13

Wherefore . See 1 Corinthians 8:13 .

pray . App-134 .

Verse 14

spirit . App-101 .

understanding . Greek. nous. Translated seven times "understanding", seventeen times "mind".

Verse 15

sing . Greek. psallo , as Ephesians 5:15 (making melody).

Verse 16

when = if. App-118 .

occupieth = fills up. Greek. anapleroo . Here, 1 Corinthians 16:17 . Matthew 13:14 .Galatians 1:6 , Galatians 1:2 .Philippians 1:2 , Philippians 1:30 . 1 Thessalonians 2:16 .

unlearned . See Acts 4:13 . Literally "private" as opposed to "official".

Amen = the amen. See p. 1511.

at . App-104 .

giving of thanks . Greek. eucharistia. See Acts 24:3 .

seeing = since.

understandeth = knoweth. App-132 .

Verse 17

givest thanks . Greek. eucharisteo. See Acts 27:35 .

other . Greek. heteros. App-124 .

Verse 18

thank . Same as "give thanks", 1 Corinthians 14:17 .

I speak = speaking (as I do).

Verse 19

had rather = desire to. App-102 .

with . Greek. dia , but the texts read "by" (Dat.)

might teach . Greek. katecheo. See Acts 18:25 .

others . App-124 .

Verse 20

be = become.

children . App-108 .

understanding . Greek. phren. Only here.

malice . App-128 .

be ye children = act as babes. Greek. nepiazo . Compare App-108 .

men , i.e. of mature age and thought. Greek. teleioa. See App-123 ., and 1Co 125:1 .

Verse 21

the law . The Scriptures of the O.T. are called "the law", "the law and the Prophets", "the law, the Prophets, and the Psalms". Here the law includes Isaiah, just as in John 10:34 ; John 15:25 , it includes the Psalms.

With = In. App-104 .

other tongues . Greek. heteroglossos = other-tongued. Only here.

and other lips = and with lips of others.

people . Greek. laos. See Acts 2:47 .

yet for all that, &c . = not even (Greek. oude) so will they.

hear = hearken to. Greek. eisakouo. Elsewhere, Matthew 6:7 . Luke 1:13 .Acts 10:31 .Hebrews 5:7 ; all of answered prayer. A stronger word than akouo which occ, over 400 times.

Lord . App-98 . The quotation is from Isaiah 28:11 , Isaiah 28:12 . App-107 .

Verse 22

sign . App-176 .

believe . App-150 .

believe not = are unbelieving. Greek. apistos. See App-150 .

serveth = is .

Verse 23

into one place . See Acts 2:1 .

unbelievers . Greek. apistos, as in verses: 1 Corinthians 14:22 , 1 Corinthians 14:24 .

mad . Greek. mainomai. See Acts 12:15 .

Verse 24

one = any one. App-123 .

convinced . Greek. elencho. See John 8:9 . Occurs seventeen times; translated four times "convince", once "convict", five times "rebuke", six times "reprove", and once "tell a fault" (Matthew 18:15 ).

of = by. App-104 .

judged = discerned. App-122 .

Verse 25

are . . . made = become.

manifest . App-106 .

worship . App-137 .

and report = announcing, or declaring. Greek. apangello.

in = among. Greek. en . App-104 .

of a truth = indeed. Greek. ontos. Compare John 8:36 .

Verse 26

How . Greek. ti. Same as "What", 1 Corinthians 14:15 .

every = each.

of you . Omit.

interpretation . See 1 Corinthians 12:10 .

Verse 27

any man = any one, as in 1 Corinthians 14:24 .

by = according to. App-104 .

by course = in turn. Greek. ana ( App-104 .) meros.

Verse 28

interpreter . Greek. di erme n eutes. Only here.

Verse 29

prophets . App-189 .

the other = the others.

judge = discern, or discriminate. App-122 .

Verse 30

revealed . App-106 .

hold his pence . Same as "keep silence" in verses: 1 Corinthians 14:28 , 1 Corinthians 14:34 .

Verse 31

may = can.

one by one . Greek. kath ' ( App-104 .) hena.

Verse 32

spirits = spiritual gifts, as in 1 Corinthians 14:12 .

subject to . i.e. under the control of their possessors. So there was no warrant for the scenes of excitement sometimes exhibited in ancient, as well as in modern, days.

Verse 33

confusion = commotion. Greek. akatastasia . See Luke 21:9 .

saints . Greek. hagios. See Acts 9:13 .

Verse 34

under obedience = subject, as in 1 Corinthians 14:32 .

as also, &c . = as the law also saith. Reference is to Genesis 3:16 . Compare 1 Timothy 2:11-13 .

Verse 35

if . App-118 .

will = wish to. App-102 .

their = their own.

husbands . App-123 .

at home = in (Greek. en) the home.

Verse 36

came = went.

word . App-121 .

came . Greek. katantao. See Acts 16:1 .

unto . App-104 .

Verse 37

acknowledge . App-132 .

the . All the texts omit.

Lord . App-98 .

Verse 38

be ignorant . Greek. agnoeu. See 1 Corinthians 10:1 .

Verse 39

covet. Same as desire, 1 Corinthians 14:1 .

Verse 40

decently . Greek. euschemonos. Elsewhere (Romans 13:13 . 1 Thessalonians 4:12 ) translated honestly. Compare 1 Corinthians 7:35 ; 1 Corinthians 12:24 .

in = according to. Greek. kata. App-104 .

order . Greek. ta xis. Elsewhere, Luke 1:8 . Colossians 2:5 .Hebrews 5:6 , Hebrews 5:10 ; Hebrews 6:20 ; Hebrews 7:11 , Hebrews 7:17 , Hebrews 7:21 .