Church is all about building up other people. It’s not doing your own thing in the corner.
How we do church reflects the God we serve. If God is the God of love, our church services are about serving one another.
The way we speak in church reflects on God, either positively or negatively. Since God is a God of order, the order of God’s house should reflect the God we worship
God has made people in his image, with rational faculties. And God’s people need to be comforted, exhorted and challenged, and strengthened.
Because God has made us rational, the way he communicates with us is rationally, through the mind. Humans have a mind, emotions, and will. So God first appeals to us through the mind, with understandable words. That affects our emotions. We feel glad or sad or mad or bad, or anything in between. And then that leads to our decision making.
Bypassing the mind is either manipulation or oppression. We can, if we wanted, bypass the mind and simply work on the emotions. We can choose carefully crafted music and heart wrenching stories. Church could become like the movies, whether tear jerkers, or horror movies, or romantic comedies: with the sole aim either to scare, to make you happy, or to make you sad. But that is manipulative, if that is the objective.
We could bypass the mind and the emotions, and simply concentrate on the will. Church could simply be about commands: do this, do that, don't do this, don't do that … or else! But that is less than human, for we have both rational and emotional faculties. In the end, do and don't simply becomes oppressive.
And so, in church, God wants clear, articulated instruction and teaching, in understandable language, which then effects the reason, the emotions and the will. So 1 Corinthians 14:3:
But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. (NIV)
Again, 1 Corinthians 14:9:
Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. (NIV)
Reading 1 Corinthians is like listening to one side of a phone conversation. You have to work out what the person on the other end is saying from context, inductively. You have to try to piece together the conversation from what you hear at your end.
Here is my reconstruction of the Corinthian situation. It seems that the Corinthians church gatherings were disorderly. I reason this from verse 26:
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. (NIV)
And also from verses 31 to 33:
For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. (NIV)
The Corinthian church needs to learn to take turns and to organize their church meetings.
And it also seems that the Corinthians were elevating tongues and devaluing prophesy. Many of them had a miraculous gift of speaking in other languages. But Paul pits this gift against the gift of prophecy. The Corinthians, I think, were devaluing other gifts like prophecy, and over-valuing tongues.
So Paul says, verses 18 to 19:
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. (NIV)
But from Chapter 13, what is the most excellent way? What is the greatest quality Paul wants them to have? Is it tongues? Is it prophecy? What is it then?
It is not a gift at all. It is a characteristic. It is an attitude. It is love. Neither tongues nor prophecy can say ‘I am the greatest’. Love is the greatest. And that is not a spiritual gift at all. Love is a spiritual fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is … love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. (Galatians 5:22-23) And all of these fall under Paul’s description of love in chapter 13. Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, is not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, always protects…
The fruit of the Spirit, not the gifts of the Spirit, are the greatest. Character, not competency, is the most excellent way (1 Corinthians 12:31; 13:13).
But in chapter 14, Paul turns his attention to what seems to be the Corinthians' controversy. We know love is the greatest. But out of tongues and prophecy, which is better? Which gets the minor placings, the silver and bronze? Is it tongues or prophecy? Paul puts tongues and prophecy toe to toe. Undoubtedly, love is greater than both. Love is a fruit of the Spirit. But which is the greater gift of the Spirit, tongues or prophecy? That is the issue Paul decides in chapter 14. And it is a knock out decision to … prophecy.
Now, we need to understand what prophecy and tongues were. We are not given any definitions of ‘prophecy’ and ‘tongues’ in this passage. Again, in reading 1 Corinthians, we are hearing only one side of a telephone conversation, and we have to take educated guesses on what the other side was saying. We have to work this out inductively, from context. We also have to work it out from the rest of the New Testament. And we will find the Acts of the Apostles particularly helpful.
Prophecy
I think that prophecy was a special direct revelation from God. The prophecy could be about specific situations in the future. Or it could be about specific situations concerning certain people. And prophecy was in an understandable language. Let me tease this out.
In 1 Corinthians 14 verse 3, prophecy involved speaking to men for their strengthening, encouraging or comfort (compare Acts 15:32[1]). So the message given was of general benefit to the whole church. Importantly, it involved speaking in an understandable language. In that, it was like teaching (compare Acts 13:1).
From verse 30, I infer that prophecy in the context of 1 Corinthians was a direct revelation from God:
And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. (1 Corinthians 14:30 NIV)
Prophecy, then, is not prepared speech. Prophecy is not the result of study of the Scriptures and thinking on them. I would call that ‘teaching’. Prophecy, it seems, was DIFFERENT to a sermon, which the preacher prepares. Prophecy, rather, seems to be direct revelation from God, which required no study or preparation from God's revealed word, the Scriptures, but God's direct revelation to the prophet.
And the two examples we have in Acts are of predictive prophecy. They are predictions about specific future events. Agabus the Prophet twice gave specific words from God about specific future situations.[2] The first was about a famine which was about to occur[3]. The second correctly predicted Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem[4].
Both prophecies that Agabus made in Acts are about future events. And both those future events came true. But what should be done about each prophecy was not necessarily clear.
So, in the second instance of Agabus' prophesying, what Paul did about the events predicted was completely different from what everyone else wanted him to do about the prophecy. Agabus said Paul would be arrested and bound in Jerusalem. So Luke and everyone else with Paul inferred that Paul should not go up to Jerusalem. But Paul said he was determined to go to Jerusalem, and indeed he did in fact go-to which Paul’s companions could only say, ‘The Lord’s will be done’. So some prophecy doesn’t necessarily make decision-making easier. Agabus' prophecy actually made decision making harder. It was not a help in guidance-it was actually a problem for guidance, causing division and conflict among Christian friends.
So what you actually do as a result of receiving a prophecy from a genuine prophet wasn’t always that clear. And elsewhere, Paul says prophecy has to be tested. So 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22:
…do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. (NIV)
And likewise, the prophecy that was happening in the Corinthian church needed to be weighed carefully. Verse 29:
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. (1 Corinthians 14:29 NIV)
So prophecy seems to be some sort of lesser form of divine revelation. It is not as authoritative as the Apostolic word or the Scriptures-for prophecy is to be weighed, but the Apostle or the scriptures are to be obeyed. The prophets are to weigh the prophecy, but they are to obey the Apostle and the Bible.
The other thing I infer from the passage is that prophecy is most likely about a particular person or situation. So if a non-Christian came into the church, and everybody is prophesying, we read in verses 24 to 25:
‘he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"’ (NIV)
These verses suggest the possible situation (if I am correct about prophecy being a God-given specific word about persons or the future that could not otherwise be known) that the content of the prophecy reveals things about the non-Christian who enters the church gathering. In other words, at least some types of prophecy were a divine and supernatural revelation of the secrets of the man’s hearts through an authorised (i.e. tested and weighed) prophetic ministry.
Tongues is simply the ability to speak languages[5]. The NIV uses the word 'tongues', but the word simply means 'languages' as well as 'tongues'-just as in English 'tongue' can still mean the muscle in our mouths which enables us to speak (the body part), or the Latin tongue (a language). That is, 'tongues' in this usage denote audible sounds made by the mouth that make sense and have meaning to some but not to others.
Angelic language
Now, some people think these tongues might be angelic language. Some people think this is the case because Paul mentions “the tongues of men and angels” (1 Corinthians 14:1). This is possible. We know that it is through us, the church, that the angels learn about God’s plan of salvation.[6] It is quite possible that there are angelic languages that God miraculously enables humans to speak.
Human language
While that is possible, I think that there is more evidence to suggest that the Corinthians were miraculously speaking a human language they didn’t learn or necessarily understand. This fits well with the tongues in Acts chapter 2[7]. In Acts 2, the visitors to Jerusalem hear God’s praises in their native languages (Acts 2:8).[8]
Perhaps the situation in Corinth was like this: I come to your church in the western suburbs of Sydney. And I deliver my talk in Maltese. None of you can speak Maltese. I can’t either. But God has miraculously given me this gift to speak in Maltese. (Wouldn’t that be wonderful for missionary work!) There are some people in the world who speak Maltese, but they aren’t here in this particular gathering. Of all the scenarios, I think that something like this was most probably happening in Corinth. But we can't be sure. I can't prove it. But I think it most likely. The most evidence points that way. Or perhaps the Corinthians were speaking in both human and angelic languages.
Anyway, that’s my understanding of the situation in Corinth. Prophecy is a miraculously given prediction of the future or a miraculously given uncovering of the present. Tongues is a miraculously given ability to speak another language, most probably a human language.
But how do tongues and prophecy compare? Well, prop is greater. Verse 5:
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues... (NIV)
All God’s gifts are good, and tongues is no exception. Paul doesn’t want them to forbid tongues. Paul wishes them all to speak in tongues, just like he wishes all men to be single (1 Corinthians 7:7), though he knows not all speak in tongues (compare 12:30), nor shall all men be single, for one has this gift, and another has that. But prophecy is greater than tongues.
Why is prophecy greater? Because the most important thing is to edify the church. That is the purpose of all the gifts. Prophecy (and all intelligible teaching) is God’s construction worker. It lays the concrete slab of the church. So consider the following table.
Have you ever danced the Nut bush or the Chicken Dance? What about at a Greek or Arabic wedding, have you ever danced there? What about at a punk or rock concert, have you ever seen people dancing there? Well church is more like dancing the Nut Bush or a Greek wedding than a rock concert. At a rock concert, no-one dances together. You dance, if that is the correct word for it, with yourself. In fact, dancing with others is simply dangerous. Sure you have a great time, but generally its only once you’re in the car on the way home that you’ve emerged for air and bothered to ask anyone else how they enjoyed it. You’ve doing it all for yourself. However, you dance the Nut bush or Greek or Arabic dancing TOGETHER. Oldies, kids, teenagers, everyone is part of it. You do it together. It’s social.
Church is about dancing together. Church is about making us strong as a family, not about some experience I have by myself eyes closed in the corner. Church is not just about you and your individual relationship with God, as important as that is. We can do our individual relationship with God at home. No, church is about you and me together approaching God and listening to him, and encouraging and strengthening each other in our common faith in Christ. And that is why prophecy is greater. Because prophecy, used properly, is not self-seeking. (1 Corinthians 13:5) Therefore, prophecy, properly practised and proclaimed, is loving.
So how are you going at church? Do you do your own thing in the corner? Or do you build others up? Do you make them strong? Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs (Ephesians 4:29). If that's what you are doing, then you’re acting just like a New Testament prophet, even if you don’t have the gift of prophecy and God doesn't speak to you directly in the way he did to Agabus. God still speaks to you directly, mind you, even if you are not a prophet. And that is in the Bible. Apostle and Scripture always trump New Testament prophet.
Paul has given the points victory to prophecy over tongues. But now Paul looks more closely at using tongues in the church. He has got some reasons why uninterpreted tongues should not be used in church.
1. Uninterpreted tongues means no-one understands (verses 6-9)
First, uninterpreted tongues means no-one understands. What is the point of coming to church and speaking if no-one can understand you? You won’t be doing any good to the church (verse 6). You are just speaking into the air (verse 9b). You’ve missed the whole idea of church. Paul gives a couple of analogies. Verse 7:
How will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction between the notes. (NIV)
Think of this: you go to the domain expecting 'Symphony under the Stars' But you get a two year playing the glokenspiel. Cute? Yes. Tune? Not much. Or verse 8:
Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle (NIV)
Being a Christian is to be at war with the world, the flesh and the devil. We are the Lord’s Army, an army at war. But say the trumpeter is hopeless. He can't sound a note. So you don’t know whether to retreat or attack. Friends, church is not kindergarten, it is the War Office. It’s the barracks where the saints rest before they are sent out again to battle. Not speaking clearly in church is therefore downright dangerous. In the midst and the heat of battle, we need to hear clear words of exhortation, encouragement, and instruction.
There are different ways that people use language to exclude others. So doctors and lawyers use all kinds of phrases that their clients don’t understand. Perhaps that’s why you can’t read a doctor’s handwriting. Similarly, academic theologians use language that only other academic theologians understand. And while there are some good reasons for terms of art, sometimes fancy language can simply be used to exclude the plebs. We all should shun the use of jargon, the use of in-language, only understood by the in-crowd. Or at least, if we are going to use it, we need to give meaningful definitions.
And sometimes this snobbiness comes into the church. Some churches speak languages not understood by the people. Like when ministers show off using big words.
Some churches have their liturgy in Latin when people didn’t know Latin. That was the Roman Catholic church up until the late 60s. Indeed, I understand the Roman Catholic Church in Mulgoa uses Latin for their Mass. Others have it in Ancient Aramaic, like the Assyrian Orthodox Church. Others in Ancient Greek where the congregation doesn’t speak Greek. Not much good if you are a second generation Greek-Australian.
Friends, church isn’t a school for classicists. We aren’t an ancient language appreciation society. If you’re into it, that’s OK, but not when we do church. Church is a mustering point for the next sortie. And we need to speak in a language we all understand.
And so the Anglican bishops and clergy in 1562 agreed on the following Article, Article 24:
It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the primitive church, to have public prayer in the church, or to minister the sacraments in a tongue not understood by the people’.
And so, the language used in our church must be understood. Otherwise, no one is edified. And one of the key aims of church is to edify the people of God.
2. Uninterpreted tongues turns fellow citizens into foreigners (10-12)
Second, uninterpreted tongues makes strangers out of friends. The turn fellow citizens into foreigners. Verse 11:
If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. (NIV)
Remember the Towel of Babel in Genesis 11? The whole world had one language and a common speech (Gen 11:1). Remember God’s judgment? Yahweh confused their language and scattered them across the earth.
Then do you remember Pentecost? (Acts 2:4-13) There, upon a small group of around 120 believers in Jerusalem, God sends his Holy Spirit. They speak in all sorts of other languages: Parthian, Mede, Elamite, Mesopotamian ... the list goes on (Acts 2:9-11). Suddenly, through the gospel and the Spirit, God starts to undo the Genesis 11 judgment. Because, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God completely does away with national divisions: Greek, Jew, Barbarian[9], Scythian[10]: Christ is all that matters (Colossians 3:11; Galatians 3:28)[11].
But what are the Corinthians doing? With their babble they rebuild the Tower of Babel. They make foreigners of one another. They are undoing all God’s work on the day of Pentecost.
Friends, can you see how unpentecostal uninterpreted tongues are in the church? Because uninterpreted languages undo what God did at Pentecost, making the message clear to the hearers. If you want to be truly pentecostal, speak in a language that the hearers understand, whether you got that language miraculously or not. And even if you got the language miraculously, that fact gives you no right to speak it in the church unless others can understand it.
3. Uninterpreted tongues means unedifying prayers (13-19)
OK, so the Corinthians must speak intelligibly in church. But what about when they pray in church? God understands every language, doesn’t he? Does prayer have to be intelligible in church?
Yes. Prayers have to be intelligible in church. And Paul gives two reasons why the Corinthians should pray in an intelligible language in church.
First, when they pray in an unintelligible language, their minds are unfruitful. Verses 14-15:
If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind (NIV).
When the Corinthian Christians pray or sing in tongues, their minds aren’t engaged. God hears. It is still prayer. We know that God’s Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t have the words to say (Romans 8:26-27). But in this case, they are opting for less than God wants. God, through Christ’s apostle, Paul, wants them to love God with all their hearts, and soul, and strength, and mind. Our minds matter. And God wants our minds engaged in prayer whenever they can be.
Note, Paul isn’t saying there is mind praying and spirit praying. That is, it is not as if somehow when our mind is in gear, our spirits clicks out. No, prayer is always spiritual. And Paul wants them to pray with a fruitful mind. And praying in a language you know engages both your spirit and your mind.
Second, prayer in other languages doesn’t benefit those who hear. Verses 16-17:
If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? (NIV)
If no-one understands, no-one can make your prayer their prayer. No-one can “Amen” your prayers. No-one is agreeing with you. You are missing out on Jesus’ promise, that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you (Matthew 18:19 NIV)[12]. You are doing your own thing in the corner.
Thirdly, uninterpreted tongues are a bad investment They are a bad investment of precious words and time which get precious little return. Verses 18-19:
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. (NIV)
No-one wants to get ripped off. Remember Aussie Alan Bond, the millionaire in the 1980s? Some of his creditors got something like half a cent in the dollar when he went bust. That was a bad investment. And in the church, uninterpreted tongues are a bad investment.
Let me illustrate it for you.[13] I’ve got a $5 note here! I’ll do you a swap. I’ll give you this $5 note, if you give me $10,000 in return. Who’s in? No-one? Of course not. In the same way, uninterpreted tongues are a bad investment! You only have a limited number of words. So make your words count.
So Paul finally says to the Corinthian church, grow up! Speaking in uninterpreted languages in Church is childish, bubby, babyish. Verses 20-21:
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. (NIV)
Grow up you guys. Then he quotes is from Isaiah 28. I’ll give you a bit of background. In Isaiah 28:7-13, the drunk priests mock Isaiah’s clear prophecy. They say, “His teaching is baby talk”. He says “do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule, a little here, a little there” [14]. When you speak to a baby, you speak babytalk. “Ba ba ba ba da da da da ma ma blthroo Hio” You speak like the Teletubbies or R2D2. That is what they were saying of Isaiah. “He speaks to us as if we are babies”
So God says to Israel: Very well, then (and this is the bit Paul quotes), 1 Corinthians 14 verse 21:
“Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, ... but even then they will not listen to me,” says the Lord. (NIV)
I will judge you, says God to his Old Testament people. You call clear prophecy baby talk. OK, I’ll send the Assyrians in judgment. They’ll speak in Aramaic. You won’t understand them. It will indeed be baby talk to you. And God’s word really will mean nothing to you. (Isaiah 28:13)
What is the point of the Isaiah quote? It is this: unintelligible words are a sign of God’s judgment on his Old Testament people who reject his clear words.
That was the problem at Babel. The people refused to scatter and fill the earth. So God sent them all different languages in judgement. And the fact that people can’t understand each other is a sign of God’s judgement. And Paul doesn’t want the Corinthian church to carry on as if having a sign of God’s judgement – inability to understand each other and confusion – is a wonderful sign of God’s blessing. For it is not.
When God speaks intelligibly, it is to reveal. When God speaks unintelligibly, it is to judge[15].
However, Paul also has an eye to the outsider. He cares about what the outsiders, the non-Christians, think of the church. Because he wants to win them for Christ. And so in 1 Corinthians 14:22-25, he considers the impact of tongues and prophecy on unbelievers. From verse 22:
Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers. So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" (NIV)
This passage has proven hard to understand. But I reckon the key to understanding is verse 21.[16]
This is what I think. Uninterpreted tongues are God’s judgment on unbelief. It hardens the unbeliever because they will think the church is nuts[17]. So they won’t think seriously about Christianity. The tongues, which are given as God’s good gift, then become a sign of judgment on the unbeliever. The church is hardening the outsider with this sign. And that’s bad, and the church shouldn’t do it. But, prophesy, clear teaching, will turn the unbeliever into a believer.
When we do church, we do church with an eye to the outsider. We shouldn’t do church in such a way that it will needlessly harden non-Christians, so that they think we’re nuts or crazy. But clear teaching (in the Corinthian's case, prophecy) will not only edify the Christian, but soften the non-Christian. Moreover, the miraculous revelation factor of prophecy might also play it’s part. They will see their sin exposed, and come to the Saviour for forgiveness. So prophecy not only builds up the church, but it loves the outsider.
Paul has told the Corinthians to grow up. And that not only includes stuff about tongues and prophecy. It also includes the way they do church. Paul wants the Corinthian church to have orderly church meetings.
There is a tape of my brothers and I and my mum. I was about 7, my brothers around 4 and 2. We were very excited about the tape recording. Obviously we didn’t have audio recording facilities very often. But our excitement wasn’t constructive. One wanted to pull the cord out. Another made ridiculous sounds. Besides the fact that we we weren’t saying much useful, We were all wanting to talk over the other. And at one level, that’s children. They need to be reminded about sharing and turns.
To a little one, there are two precious and important words: “My turn”, “My turn”! But it’s not just kids. Everyone finds turns hard. You all know this, you've stood in enough queues. It is part of growing up to learn to wait while someone else gets all the attention. That takes maturity and patience.
The Corinthians are bursting with enthusiasm. But Paul reminds them about turns. Verse 26 to 27:
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. (NIV)
It’s great to do these things. But what is the purpose of these things? Verse 27b:
All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.
The goal is to build up others. That has to be the reason why we do these things. That is why church is different to toastmasters, or singing in the amateur musical society.[18]
In verses 27 and 8, Paul gives guidelines for tongue speaking:
Similar but not identical guidelines are given for prophecy (v 29-31)
Two or three should prophesy
Some other prophets should weigh carefully the prophecy – and according to my interpretation below, these should be male prophets, the authoritative teachers.
And even if God gives a revelation as they are siting down listening, they can still take turns.
Two or three prophets should speak
and the others should weigh carefully what is said
if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
How is this politeness – this taking turns – possible? Because of God’s character. Verse 32:
The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace. (NIV)
So much for those who say “I must speak. I must bark. I must fall over. I am out of control.”
That is not God’s nature. His nature is order. At creation, the earth was without form; but he said let there be light He gave it form. Even within the Trinity, there is order, The Son is begotten of the Father, and sent by the Father, not the other way around, the the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. God within himself is a God of order.
But Paul does not address only the gifts. He turns to the relationship between the sexes. Verse 33b-35:
As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. (NIV)
Now Paul has already permitted women or wives to prophesy and pray with their heads covered (11:2-16, especially verses 5, 13). And this was the rule of the churches (11:16). So in chapter 11, the women were prophesying and praying in church. And Paul didn’t seem to have a problem as long as their heads were covered. Indeed, in Acts 2, the Spirit of prophecy was poured upon both men and women, according to the prophet Joel, and fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2:17-18). So does Paul here take away what he seems to have allowed in chapter 11? Indeed, does Paul restrict to outside the church what God has enabled by the Spirit in Acts 2?
I don’t think so. Rather, the interpretation I follow here is that Paul is talking about the process of the weighing of prophecy[20]. That is, the prohibition that women should not speak relates to the weighing of the prophecies, not to whether women can prophesy or pray. In verse 29, Paul says two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. Those other prophets who weigh the prophecies, according to this interpretation, should be men.
So the way I apply this passage is that it is men who are the authoritative teachers in church. Paul elsewhere says ‘I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man; she must be silent’. Teaching is authoritative by its nature. (1 Timothy 2:12) And also the weighing of prophecy was authoritative. And that was to be exercised by men.
Now, I am a teacher. I do not claim to have the gift of prophecy. I do, however, claim to be a pastor-teacher. And in our church meetings, the authoritative teaching and weighing role, I reserve for appropriately qualified men. In our church, it would be exercised by me, perhaps together with our licenced lay readers, Ray, Ed and Peter.
Well, if prophecy is to be weighed (verse 29), the Apostle is to be obeyed. Let me say that again. In Corinth, prophecy was to be weighed, but the apostle was to be obeyed. Verse 37:
If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. (NIV)
This is the difference between the New Testament prophet and the New Testament apostle. With the prophet, you test the word. With the apostle, the word tests you.
You think you’re spiritually special? That’s OK … what do you think of Paul then? Is he writing the Lord’s command? Even the bits you don’t like? Your answer to these questions will say more about you than it will about Paul. For Paul claims for his writing the highest authority: the Lord Jesus Christ.
How’s our housekeeping at church going? Is our church all about building up other people? Or is it about doing your own thing in the corner? Do our church meetings mirror the order that exists within the Triune God? Do our church meetings address the mind, in clear language that is understood by all? Does that clear language uncover the secrets of the heart?
Do we have an eye to the outsider, that is friendly to those who come in, so they can hear about the Lord Jesus Christ and respond, and not so they walk away and say, ‘You guys are out of your minds’? And does it encourage and strengthen and build up the believer? At our church, does the believer here the clear clarion call that is issued to the Lord’s Army, to fight against the world, flesh and devil? These are the marks of successful church.
Let’s pray.
[1] Compare Acts 15:32 Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. (NIV)
[2] Acts 11:27, 21:10-11; Compare 14:1-3, 29-30
[3] Acts 11:27-28: During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) (NIV)
[4] Acts 21:10-14: After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says,`In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done." (NIV)
[5] Gk - glossa (tongue) lalia (speaking). With primary meaning of the organ tongue, glossa came to denote language (see Rev 5:9, 7:9, 11:9, 13:7, 14:6). compare Gk dialektos - dialect, or more broadly, language
[6] Ephesians 3:10; 1 Peter 1:12; compare John Stott The Message of Ephesians p 124. In this scenario, the language was not understood by the speaker. But it was understandable with the gift of interpretation. Interpretation might be given to the speaker or a congregation member.
[7] See Acts 2:1-18, 10:44-46, 19:1-6.
[8] There is just as much reason that it be the tongues of men as of angels if you base your argument on 1 Corinthians 13:1. And in Chapter 14:10, Paul says “undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning”. Some say that “no-one understands him”, and therefore it is a different gift to that exercised in Acts (eg Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians TNTC p 187). But it is conceivable that this simply means no one in the congregation understands him. Some may object that the tongue speaker “does not speak to men but to God” (14:2) and “that he edifies himself” (1 Corinthians 14:4) as reasons why it must be an angelic language or ecstatic utterance with self-edification as it’s primary purpose. But these statements easily fit if the scenario is a human language not understood in that location and that God looks kindly upon prayers of his people, albeit using a misused gift. For example, if Maltese is spoken in Sydney, when no-one present can understand, it is true to say that no-one understands him, and that he is speaking to God, because the God who knows everything is the only one who knows what he is saying. But the fact that God is kind and hears the prayers of his people, whether they can be articulated or not, is not a reason to say that this is a self-edification gift (compare Romans 8:26-27). None of the gifts are for self-edification, but are given for the common good. John Stott goes further, saying that in “he edifies himself” there is a note of sarcasm, for edification is all about others (Baptism and Fullness, 113-115).
[9] A term applied by the Greeks to all non-Greek speaking peoples...[eg] the ‘barbarians’ of Malta who spoke Phonecian (NBD p 124).
[10] A tribe of horse riding Nomads from Western Siberia (NBD p 1080).
[11] And all this is a foretaste of eternity, as Revelation 7:9 says:“A great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language”, standing before the throne and singing in one voice the praises of the lamb. (NIV)
[12] Compare the Prayer of Chrysostom: ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and who promises that when two or three are gathered together in your Name. you will grant their requests; fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of your servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
[13] Ray Galea’s illustration. Thanks, Ray!
[14] literally (see NIV footnote) sav lasav sav lasav / kav lakav kav lakav. This could be: precept by precept, line by line (NKJV ie slowly, as to a child) or do and do, rule on rule (NIV ie legalistic teaching of rules), or it could be baby talk, meaningless sounds (NIV mrg)
[15] D E Garland, 1 Corinthians: BECNT
[16] The difficulty is that Paul says tongues are a sign for unbelivers (not believers) and prophesy is a sign for believers (not unbelievers) in verse 22, but then he says that if the gift of tongues is exercised by everyone in the church, inquirers will think that the church is mad, whereas if everyone prophesied, the unbeliever would be convicted of sin and worship God (verse 23-25), implying that prophesy, not tongues, will be of benefit to the unbelievers’ salvation.
[17] There are a number of different ways to understand verse 22. It could mean:
(a) Tongues are a proof in favour of unbelievers to stay unbelievers not believers (because believers appear to be mad); prophecy is a proof in favour of believers not unbelievers (and encourages unbelievers to become believers). See GNB. This has the advantage that it explains clearly why prophecy is for believers not unbelievers in verse 22 and yet it is that which is brings unbelievers to salvation in verse 24-25. It seems forced in that it reads ‘sign’ to mean ‘proof’ and ‘for’ to mean ‘in favour of’.
(b) A variation on this is that tongues are God’s declarative judgment on the Corinthian church. The Corinthian exaltation of tongues over prophesy shows them unbelieving. G B Wilson 1 Corinthians.
(c) Tongues are intended to be a sign directed to primarily unbelievers (not primarily believers). The sign either is a pointer to inquire further, or alternatively that the Christians are mad. In the first way, tongues acts like a parable, hardening unbelievers and encouraging God fearers to enquire further as in Acts 2. It the second way, it may be a negative sign only, in that it gives the impression to unbelievers that the church is possessed and stark raving mad. On the other hand, prophecy is primarily intended for the encouragement of believers but it has the spin off that unbelievers are convicted and softened as a result when they hear it. This is the clearest meaning of the verse. But why does Paul say that prophecy is not for unbelievers and yet it has the wonderful effect of convicting of sin? Perhaps because he is referring to it’s misuse in the Corinthian church. The way the Corinthians are using tongues makes it a negative sign to unbelievers, and thus leads to those unbelievers not understanding the gospel. The first subvariety has the advantage of being consistent with Acts 2, where tongues are a sign to the unbelievers, followed by Peter’s explanation in Aramaic. However, in Acts tongues are a sign to both unbelievers (Acts 2) so that they can become believers, and believers that the gentiles have been accepted by God (Acts 10-11). I guess my view is that tongues are a negative sign to unbelievers, that the Corinthian unbelievers will think the church is mad, and it will harden unbelievers in that view, and so the church should not use a negative sign, but rather use prophecy, which will turn unbelievers into believers by convicting them of sin and proving God is among them. This is the view of Garland, 1 Corinthians: BECNT, 651.
(d) Leon Morris TNTC prefers the view that verse 22 is a rhetorical question: “So are tongues a sign not for believers but unbelievers but unbeliever, and is prophecy a sign for believers not unbelievers?” On this reading, what follows are proofs which say no to both questions. Uninterpreted tongues are not for unbelievers because they think you are mad, prophecy is not just for believers because unbelievers will repent when they hear it.
(e) J B Phillips at this point takes out the critics scalpal and transposes believers and unbelievers in v 22, blaming a slip of Paul’s pen or a scribal error! We can do better than that!
[18] I take it that the ‘must’ refers to the purpose for doing these things (ie strengthening of the church) rather than they must sing, speak in tongues, interpret, prophesy. For example, verse 28 gives an example where a gift must not be exercised in the church, ie, uninterpreted tongues.
[19] I would suggest that the would-be tongue speaker should not speak under his breath to himself and God at church, but if he wants to exercise the gift, save it for home. This is because: (i) He should be an active listener in the church meeting (ii) It might breach the apostles' injunction that tongue speakers are to take turns (iii) He is told to keep quiet in the church.
[20] This is the view of D A Carson, Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14, (Homebush: Sydney, Lancer, 1988), 129ff
Assyndeton14:1 Pursue love [Διώκετε τὴν ἀγάπην], and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts [ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ πνευματικά, be zealous for the spiritual things], especially [and all the more] that you may prophesy [μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε]. 14:2 For one who speaks in a tongue [ὁ γὰρ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ, language] speaks not to men but to God [οὐκ ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ ἀλλὰ θεῷ·]; for no one understands [hears] him [οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀκούει], but he utters [speaks] mysteries in the Spirit [πνεύματι δὲ λαλεῖ μυστήρια]. 14:3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation [ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ οἰκοδομὴν καὶ παράκλησιν καὶ παραμυθίαν, But the one prophesying to men speaks edification and exhortation and encouragement]. 14:4 The one who speaks in a tongue [language] builds up [edifies] himself [ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ ἑαυτὸν οἰκοδομεῖ·], but the one who prophesies builds up the church [ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ]. 14:5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues [languages; θέλω δὲ πάντας ὑμᾶς λαλεῖν γλώσσαις], but even more to prophesy [μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε·]. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues [languages, μείζων δὲ ὁ προφητεύων ἢ ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσαις], unless [except if] someone [he] interprets [translates; , ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ διερμηνεύῃ], so that the church may be built up [receive edification; ἵνα ἡ ἐκκλησία οἰκοδομὴν λάβῃ].
Conj + Vocative renom 14:6 Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues [languages, Νῦν δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς γλώσσαις λαλῶν], how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching [τί ὑμᾶς ὠφελήσω ἐὰν μὴ ὑμῖν λαλήσω ἢ ἐν ἀποκαλύψει ἢ ἐν γνώσει ἢ ἐν προφητείᾳ ἢ [ἐν] διδαχῇ; how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either with revelation or with knowledge or with prophecy or with teaching]? 14:7 If even lifeless instruments [ὅμως τὰ ἄψυχα φωνὴν διδόντα, the lifeless things giving sounds], such as the flute or the harp [εἴτε αὐλὸς εἴτε κιθάρα, whether a flute or a harp], do not give distinct notes [ἐὰν διαστολὴν τοῖς φθόγγοις μὴ δῷ, if they do not give a distinction in the notes], how will anyone know what is played [πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ αὐλούμενον ἢ τὸ κιθαριζόμενον; how will the flute-playing or the harp-playing be known]? 14:8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound [καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν ἄδηλον σάλπιγξ φωνὴν δῷ, For indeed if a trumpet gives an indistinct sound, ἄδηλος, not manifest, indistinct, uncertain, obscure], who will get ready for battle [τίς παρασκευάσεται εἰς πόλεμον; who will prepare for war]? 14:9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? [It is this way also with what you speak through the tongue., οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς διὰ τῆς γλώσσης, If you do not give a distinct word, ἐὰν μὴ εὔσημον λόγον δῶτε, εὔσημος, εὔσημον (εὖ and σῆμα a sign), well-marked, clear and definite, distinct, how will what is being spoken be known, πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ λαλούμενον;]. For you will be speaking into the air [ἔσεσθε γὰρ εἰς ἀέρα λαλοῦντες].
Assyndeton14:10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world [τοσαῦτα εἰ τύχοι γένη φωνῶν εἰσιν ἐν κόσμῳ], and none is without meaning [καὶ οὐδὲν ἄφωνον·] [It may be, εἰ τύχοι that there are so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them are voiceless], 14:11 but if I do not know the meaning [δύναμις] of the language [ἐὰν οὖν, therefore, μὴ εἰδῶ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς φωνῆς], I will be a foreigner [barbarian] to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner [barbarian] to me [ἔσομαι τῷ λαλοῦντι βάρβαρος καὶ ὁ λαλῶν ἐν ἐμοὶ βάρβαρος. The Greeks used βάρβαρος of any foreigner ignorant of the Greek language and the Greek culture, whether mental or moral, with the added notion, after the Persian war, of rudeness and brutality.] 14:12 So with yourselves [οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς, In this way also you], since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit [ἐπεὶ ζηλωταί ἐστε πνευμάτων, since you are zealots for spiritual things], strive to excel in building up the church [πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ζητεῖτε ἵνα περισσεύητε, seek for the edification of the church, so that you might abound].
Logical Conjunction 14:13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue [language] should pray [Διὸ ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ προσευχέσθω] that he may interpret [translate, ἵνα διερμηνεύῃ]. 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue [language, ἐὰν [γὰρ] προσεύχωμαι γλώσσῃ], my spirit prays [τὸ πνεῦμά μου προσεύχεται,] but my mind is unfruitful [ὁ δὲ νοῦς μου ἄκαρπός ἐστιν]. 14:15 What am I to do? [τί οὖν, therefore, ἐστιν;, to do supplied] I will pray with my spirit [προσεύξομαι τῷ πνεύματι, articles anaphoric, ‘my’], but I will pray with my mind also [προσεύξομαι δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ·]; I will sing praise with my spirit [ψαλῶ τῷ πνεύματι], but I will sing with my mind also [ψαλῶ δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ.]. 14:16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit [ἐπεὶ ἐὰν εὐλογῇς [ἐν] πνεύματι, no article/possessive pronoun, Since if you bless with the spirit], how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” [ὁ ἀναπληρῶν τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου πῶς ἐρεῖ τὸ ἀμὴν, the one filling the place of the unskilled, an ἰδιώτης is a private as opposed to a public person such as magistrate or king, but has other meanings understood from its antithesis, e.g., soldier/officer; writer of prose/poet; unlearned and illiterate/learned and educated] to your thanksgiving [ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ;] when he does not know what you are saying [ἐπειδὴ τί λέγεις οὐκ οἶδεν·]? 14:17 For you may be giving thanks well enough [σὺ μὲν γὰρ καλῶς, beautifully, εὐχαριστεῖς], but the other person is not being built up [ἀλλ’ ὁ ἕτερος οὐκ οἰκοδομεῖται].
Assyndeton14:18 I thank God [Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ,] that I speak in tongues [languages] more than all of you [πάντων ὑμῶν μᾶλλον γλώσσαις λαλῶ·]. 14:19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind [ἀλλ’ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ θέλω πέντε λόγους τῷ νοΐ μου λαλῆσαι,] in order to instruct others [ἵνα καὶ ἄλλους κατηχήσω], than ten[s of] thousand[s of] words in a tongue [language, ἢ μυρίους λόγους ἐν γλώσσῃ].
Vocative Renom14:20 Brothers [Ἀδελφοί], do not be children in your thinking [μὴ παιδία γίνεσθε ταῖς φρεσὶν]. Be infants in evil [ἀλλὰ τῇ κακίᾳ νηπιάζετε,], but in your thinking be mature [ταῖς δὲ φρεσὶν τέλειοι γίνεσθε]. 14:21 In the Law it is written [ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γέγραπται ὅτι], “By people of strange tongues [different languages] and by the lips of foreigners [different lips] will I speak to this people [ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ ἐν χείλεσιν ἑτέρων λαλήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ], and even then they will not listen to me [καὶ οὐδ’ οὕτως εἰσακούσονταί μου], says the Lord [λέγει κύριος].
14:22 Thus tongues [languages] are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers [ὥστε αἱ γλῶσσαι εἰς σημεῖόν εἰσιν οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις], while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers [ἡ δὲ προφητεία οὐ τοῖς ἀπίστοις ἀλλὰ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν]. 14:23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues [languages] [Ἐὰν οὖν συνέλθῃ ἡ ἐκκλησία ὅλη ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ πάντες λαλῶσιν γλώσσαις], and outsiders or unbelievers enter [εἰσέλθωσιν δὲ ἰδιῶται ἢ ἄπιστοι], will they not say that you are out of your minds [insane] [οὐκ ἐροῦσιν ὅτι μαίνεσθε;]? 14:24 But if all prophesy [ἐὰν δὲ πάντες προφητεύωσιν,], and an unbeliever or outsider enters [εἰσέλθῃ δέ τις, a certain, ἄπιστος ἢ ἰδιώτης], he is convicted by all [ἐλέγχεται ὑπὸ πάντων], he is called to account by all [ἀνακρίνεται ὑπὸ πάντων,], 14:25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed [τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ φανερὰ γίνεται], and so [in this way], falling on his face [καὶ οὕτως πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον], he will worship God [προσκυνήσει τῷ θεῷ] and declare that God is really among you [ἀπαγγέλλων, announcing, ὅτι ὄντως ὁ θεὸς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστιν].
Question+Vocative Renom 14:26 What then, brothers [Τί οὖν ἐστιν, ἀδελφοί;, What, therefore, is to be done, brothers]? When you come together [ὅταν συνέρχησθε], each one has a hymn [ἕκαστος ψαλμὸν, psalm, ἔχει], a lesson [διδαχὴν, teaching, ἔχει], a revelation [ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει], a tongue [γλῶσσαν, language, ἔχει], or an interpretation [ἑρμηνείαν, translation, ἔχει·]. Let all things be done for building up [πάντα πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν γινέσθω]. 14:27 If any speak in a tongue [language] [εἴτε γλώσσῃ τις λαλεῖ], let there be only two or at most three [κατὰ δύο ἢ τὸ πλεῖστον τρεῖς], and each in turn [καὶ ἀνὰ μέρος], and let someone interpret [καὶ εἷς διερμηνευέτω·, translate]. 14:28 But if there is no one to interpret [ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ διερμηνευτής, no translator], let each of them keep silent in church [σιγάτω, he should be quiet, ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ,] and speak to himself and to God [ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαλείτω καὶ τῷ θεῷ, but let him speak to himself and to God]. 14:29 Let two or three prophets speak [προφῆται δὲ δύο ἢ τρεῖς λαλείτωσαν], and let the others weigh what is said [καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι διακρινέτωσαν, should discern]. 14:30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there [ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλῳ ἀποκαλυφθῇ, if something is revealed, καθημένῳ], let the first be silent [ὁ πρῶτος σιγάτω, quiet]. 14:31 For you can all prophesy one by one [δύνασθε, able, γὰρ καθ’ ἕνα πάντες προφητεύειν], so that all may learn and all be encouraged [ἵνα πάντες μανθάνωσιν καὶ πάντες παρακαλῶνται.], 14:32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets [καὶ πνεύματα προφητῶν προφήταις ὑποτάσσεται,]. 14:33a For God is not a God of confusion but of peace [οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀκαταστασίας ὁ θεὸς ἀλλ’ εἰρήνης].
Assyndeton 14:33b As in all the churches of the saints [Ὡς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῶν ἁγίων], 14:34 the women should keep silent in the churches [αἱ γυναῖκες ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις σιγάτωσαν·]. For they are not permitted to speak [οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτρέπεται αὐταῖς λαλεῖν, it is not permitted for them to speak], but should be in submission [ἀλλ’ ὑποτασσέσθωσαν], as the Law also says [καθὼς καὶ ὁ νόμος λέγει]. 14:35And if they wish to learn something [εἰ δέ τι μαθεῖν θέλουσιν], they should question their own husbands at home [ἐν οἴκῳ τοὺς ἰδίους ἄνδρας ἐπερωτάτωσαν·], for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church [αἰσχρὸν γάρ ἐστιν γυναικὶ λαλεῖν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ].14:36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? [ἢ ἀφ’ ὑμῶν ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξῆλθεν,] Or are you the only ones it has reached? [ἢ εἰς ὑμᾶς μόνους κατήντησεν;] 14:37 If anyone thinks [seems?] that he is a prophet, or spiritual [Εἴ τις δοκεῖ προφήτης εἶναι ἢ πνευματικός], he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord [ἐπιγινωσκέτω ἃ γράφω ὑμῖν ὅτι κυρίου ἐστὶν ἐντολή·]. 14:38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized [εἰ δέ τις ἀγνοεῖ, ἀγνοεῖται].
Conj + Voc Renom 14:39 So, my brothers [Ὥστε, ἀδελφοί [μου]], earnestly desire to prophesy [ζηλοῦτε τὸ προφητεύειν], and do not forbid speaking in tongues [καὶ τὸ λαλεῖν μὴ κωλύετε γλώσσαις·]. 14:40 But all things should be done decently and in order [πάντα δὲ εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τάξιν γινέσθω].