Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. FOLLOW AFTER CHARITY - as your chief aim, seeing it is "the greatest" (). AND DESIRE Translate 'Yet (as a secondary aim) desire zealously spiritual gifts with prayer and in AND DESIRE. Translate, 'Yet (as a seco... [ Continue Reading ]
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. SPEAKETH ... UNTO GOD () - who alone understands all languages. NO MAN UNDERSTANDETH. Generally, the few who can interpret tongues are the e... [ Continue Reading ]
But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. BUT - on the other hand. EDIFICATION - of which the two species given are "exhortation," to remove sluggishness; "comfort," to remove sadness. Omit "to.... [ Continue Reading ]
He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. EDIFIETH HIMSELF - as he understands the meaning, of the particular "tongue;" but "the church," the congregation, does not.... [ Continue Reading ]
I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. Translate, 'Now I wish you all TO speak with tongues (so far am I from objecting to tongues), bu... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Translate, 'But now;' seeing there is no edification without interpretation. REVELATION ... PROPHESYING - corre... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Translate, 'Even things without life-giving sound, whether pipe or harp, if they give not distinction in (the due interval between) the ton... [ Continue Reading ]
For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? Translate, 'For if also:' an additional step in the argument. UNCERTAIN SOUND - without definite meaning. It ought to be so marked that one succession of notes should summon the soldiers to attack, another to r... [ Continue Reading ]
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. SO LIKEWISE YE - who have life, as opposed to things without life" (). BY THE TONGUE - the language which ye steak in. YE SHALL SPEAK - ye will be... [ Continue Reading ]
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. IT MAY BE - speaking by conjecture. 'It may chance' (1 Corinthians 15:37). SO MANY - as are enumerated by investigators. (Compare "so much," for a definite number left undefined, SO MANY - as... [ Continue Reading ]
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. THEREFORE - seeing that none is without meaning. A BARBARIAN - a foreigner (). Not in our deprecatory sense of the term, but one speaking a foreig... [ Continue Reading ]
Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. ZEALOUS - emulously desirous. OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS - literally, 'spirits;' i:e., emanations from the one Spirit. SEEK THAT YE MAY EXCEL TO. Translate, 'seek that ye may abound in t... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. Explain, 'Let him who speaketh with an unknown tongue (in prayer) pray with the purpose that he may interpret.' This explanation is needed by the logical connection with "pray in an unknown tongue" (). Though his wor... [ Continue Reading ]
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. SPIRIT - my higher being, the passive object of the Holy Spirit's operations, and the instrument of prayer in the unknown tongue; distinguished from the "understanding" [ nous (G3563)], the active instrume... [ Continue Reading ]
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. WHAT IS IT THEN? - What then is my resolve? AND - rather, 'but.' I will not only pray with my spirit, which () might leave the un... [ Continue Reading ]
Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? ELSE, WHEN THOU. He changes from the first person, as he had just expressed his own resolve, "I will pray with the und... [ Continue Reading ]
For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. GIVEST THANKS. The synagogue prayers were called 'eulogies,' because to each was joined a thanksgiving. Hence, Christian prayers also were called blessings and givings of thanks. This illustrates Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:... [ Continue Reading ]
I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: TONGUES. So B. But 'Aleph (') G f g, Vulgate, have the singular, 'in a (tongue) foreign.'... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. I HAD RATHER. The Greek more literally expresses, 'I WISH to speak five words with my understanding (rather) than ten thousand words in... [ Continue Reading ]
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. BRETHREN - an appellation to conciliate their favourable attention. CHILDREN IN UNDERSTANDING - as preference of gifts abused to non-edification would make you (cf. Matthew 10:16; Romans 1... [ Continue Reading ]
In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. IN THE LAW - the whole Old Testament, all being the law of God (cf. the Psalms cited as the "Law," ). The Quotation is from Isaiah 28:11, w... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. Thus from Isaiah it appears that "tongues" (uninterpreted) are not a sign for believers (though at the conversion of Corneli... [ Continue Reading ]
If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? WHOLE ... ALL ... TONGUES. The more there are assembled, and that speak in unknown tongues, the more will the... [ Continue Reading ]
But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: ALL - one by one (). PROPHESY - speak by the Spirit intelligibly; not in unintelligible tongues. ONE - singular, implying that conviction by all would be produced on... [ Continue Reading ]
And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. AND THUS - omitted in 'Aleph (') A B Delta G f g, Vulgate. SECRETS OF HIS HEART MADE MANIFEST. He sees his inner character opened out by the sword... [ Continue Reading ]
How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. HOW IS IT THEN? 'What then is the true rule as to the use of gifts?' Compare , the same Greek. HATH -... [ Continue Reading ]
If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. LET IT BE BY TWO - at each time: not more than two or three might speak with tongues at each meeting. BY COURSE - in turns. LET ONE INTERPRET - who has the gift of int... [ Continue Reading ]
But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. LET HIM - the speaker in unknown tongues. SPEAK TO HIMSELF, AND TO GOD (cf. ; ) - privately, not in hearing of others.... [ Continue Reading ]
Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. TWO OR THREE - at one meeting (he does not add "at the most," as in , lest he should seem to 'quench prophesyings,' the most edifying of gifts), and these "one by one," in turns (; ). Paul gives similar rules to the prophets as he had... [ Continue Reading ]
If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. IF ANY THING - Greek, 'But if anything.' LET THE FIRST HOLD HIS PEACE - let him who heretofore spoke, furnished with an ordinary revelation ready beforehand, give place to him who is moved to prophesy by a sudde... [ Continue Reading ]
For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. FOR YE MAY - rather, 'For ye can (if you will) all prophesy one by one,' giving way to one another. The "for", justifies (), "let the first hold his peace. THAT ALL MAY LEARN, AND ALL MAY BE COMFORTED - that if o... [ Continue Reading ]
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. AND - following up , 'ye can' (if ye will) restrain yourselves from speaking all together. "And the spirits of the prophets" - i:e., their spirits-acted on by the Holy Spirit, are not so hurried away as to cease to be under their own c... [ Continue Reading ]
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. In all the churches God is a God of peace (irreconcileable with fanatical disorders); let Him not among you In all the churches God is a God of peace (irreconcileable with fanatical disorders); let Him not amo... [ Continue Reading ]
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. (1 Timothy 2:11) For women to speak in public would be an act of independence, as if they were not subject to their husbands (cf. 1 Corinth... [ Continue Reading ]
And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. Women may say, 'But if we do not understand, may we not "ask" a question publicly, so as to "learn?" Nay, replies Paul: if you want information, "ask" not in public, but "at... [ Continue Reading ]
What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? WHAT! - Greek, 'Or,' Will you obey me Or, if you set up your judgment above that of other churches, do you pretend that your church is the first FROM which the Gospel came, that you should give law to all others? Or are you the o... [ Continue Reading ]
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. PROPHET - the species. SPIRITUAL - the genus: spiritually endowed. The followers of Apollos prided themselves as "spiritual" (1 Corinthians 3:1).... [ Continue Reading ]
But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. IF ANY MAN BE IGNORANT - willfully; not wishing to recognize my apostolic authority in enjoining these ordinances. LET HIM BE IGNORANT. I leave him to his ignorance; it will be at his own peril-an argument likely to have weight with the Corinthi... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. COVET - earnestly desire with prayer, in submission to God's will. Stronger than "forbid not." He esteemed "prophecy" more highly than "tongues.... [ Continue Reading ]
Let all things be done decently and in order. LET ... 'Aleph (') A B Delta G f g, Vulgate, read 'But let,' etc., connected with , 'But (while desiring prophecy, and not forbidding tongues) let all things be done decently,' etc. Church government is the best security for Christian liberty (cf. ;... [ Continue Reading ]