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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

1 Corinthians 14:6

Verse 1 Corinthians 14:6. Speaking with tongues] Without interpreting.

What shall I profit you?] i.e. I shall not profit you;

Except I shall speak to you either by revelation] Of some secret thing; or by knowledge, of some mystery; or by prophesying, foretelling some future event; or by doctrine, instructing you what to believe and practise.-See Whitby. These four words are taken in different acceptations by learned men. The general sense of the terms is that given above: but the peculiar meaning of the apostle is perhaps not easily discerned.

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See also 1 Corinthians 14:6 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    NOW, BRETHREN, IF I COME UNTO YOU ... - The truth which the apostle had been illustrating in an abstract manner, he proceeds to illustrate by applying it to himself. If he should come among them speak...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    4. PROPHECY AND SPEAKING WITH A TONGUE. CHAPTER 14 _ 1. Prophecy the better gift. (1 Corinthians 14:1 .)_ 2. Intelligibility demanded. (1 Corinthians 14:14 .) 3. Practical instructions for the publ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 CORINTHIANS 14. PROPHECY AND SPEAKING WITH TONGUES, THEIR RELATIVE VALUE AND THEIR PLACE IN THE CHURCH GATHERING. Paul now comes to the direct comparison between the two types of ecstatic speech on...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Pursue this love. Covet the spiritual things, especially the gift of forthtelling the truth to others. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one can understand. By the...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE FALSE AND THE TRUE WORSHIP (1 Corinthians 14:1-19)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    IF. App-118. UNTO. App-104. EXCEPT. unless. Greek. _ean_ (App-118) _me_ (App-105). BY. in. Greek.. _n_. App-104. REVELATION. App-106. KNOWLEDGE. App-132....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _by revelation_ That which comes directly to the spirit from on high. _by knowledge_ That which is gained by observation and study, see ch. 1 Corinthians 12:8. _by prophesying_ The outward expressio...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    1 Corinthians 14:1-25. THE SUPERIORITY OF THE GIFT OF PROPHECY OVER THAT OF TONGUES...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἘᾺΝ ἜΛΘΩ. ‘If I _shall have_ come.’ So ἐὰν μὴ λαλήσω ‘unless I shall have spoken.’ Throughout the chapter the conditional _protasis_ is followed by the _apodosis_ in the fut. indic. See 1 Corinthians...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _TONGUES MUST BE PROPERLY INTERPRETED -- 1 CORINTHIANS 14:6-19:_ What good would it do speak in a language that the church could not understand? It would do no good for Paul to speak without giving th...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BY REVELATION, OR BY KNOWLEDGE, &C.— It is not to be doubted that the four distinct terms here used bythe Apostle had each its distinct signification in his mind and intention. Whether what may be col...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    APPLEBURY'S COMMENTS _Text_ 1 Corinthians 14:1-19. Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 2 For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men,...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    BUTLER'S COMMENTS SECTION 1 Preaching by Prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:1-12) 14 Make love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2For one who speaks in a...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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, 'B...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    11 The time came when the apostle admonished and taught in order that he should present every man _ mature _ in Christ (Col_1:28). Epaphras struggled in prayers that they should stand mature and compl...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    EXCEPT I SHALL SPEAK TO YOU] i.e. in addition to (or instead of) speaking with tongues. A rhapsody of praise imparts little truth to others....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    _(e) Spiritual Gifts (iii) The Gift of Tongues subordinate to Prophecy_ The Apostle in this chapter deals with the abuse of the gift of tongues which characterised the Corinthians, and declares that i...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    SERVANTS OF CHRIST 1 CORINTHIANS _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 14 *PROPHECY AND TONGUES 14:1-40 1. THE EFFECT OF *PROPHECY 14:1-5 V1 Follow the way of love. You should be eager to have the gifts of th...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    NOW, BRETHREN. — Transferring these things to himself in an image the Apostle reinforces the preceding teaching. Now (_i.e.,_ seeing that these things are so), what profit would I be to come to you sp...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 20 SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND PUBLIC WORSHIP Is the first twenty-five verses of this chapter Paul gives his estimate of the comparative value of the two chief spiritual gifts: speaking with tongues...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    § 44. THE GIFTS OF TONGUES AND OF PROPHECY. The digression upon ἡ ἀγάπη has not diverted us from the subject of this Div.; Love has shown the way (1 Corinthians 12:31 _b_) in which all τὰ πνευματικά ...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    What the Ap. has said touching the criterion of _edification_, he applies to his own approaching visit (1 Corinthians 4:18 ff., 1 Corinthians 16:5 ff.): “But at the present time, brothers,” νῦν δέ, _t...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE GIFT OF “PROPHESYING” 1 Corinthians 14:1 The word _prophesy_ is used here, as so largely in Scripture, not in the limited sense of foretelling the future, but of pouring forth heaven-given speech...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The apostle now submitted certain gifts to the test of love. Prophesying is desirable because it edifies others. Then as to Tongues. It was a gift that enabled men to speak to God, perhaps in prayer,...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    One Must Be Able to Discern To Learn If the people in the assembly could not learn from what was said, what good was the sound? Even in musical sound, there must be a distinct sound made in order to...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    If I come to you, speaking with tongues in this manner, what shall I profit you, unless in revelation, &c. that is, unless I reveal, and expound to you the meaning, by some other gift, as in knowledge...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    “But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking in tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophesying, or in doctrine?” The first ex...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (1) Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. (2) For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him;...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    As usual, the introductory words (1 Corinthians 1:1-3) of the epistle give us no little intimation of that which is to follow. The apostle speaks of himself as such "called [to be] an apostle of Jesus...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    6._Now, brethren, if I should come. He _proposes himself as an example, because in his person the case was exhibited more strikingly (814) The Corinthians experienced in themselves abundant fruit from...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Two Verses in this Chapter 14 demand a little attention (1 Corinthians 14:1-2 the 3rd and the 6th (1 Corinthians 14:3; 1 Corinthians 14:6). Verse 3 ...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    NOW, BRETHREN, IF I COME UNTO YOU SPEAKING WITH TONGUES,.... The apostle exemplifies this matter in himself, and supposes it his own case, that should he who was the apostle of the Gentiles, and to be...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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? Ver. 6. _If I c...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Now, brethren_ As if he had said, I wonder whether that which you so much admire in others would please you in me: _if I come unto you speaking with tongues_ Supposing the next time I make you a visi...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    BY REVELATION; so as to make to you a revelation. BY KNOWLEDGE; so as to communicate to you knowledge. BY DOCTRINE; teachings in the ordinary way, as distinguished from the utterances of prophecy. U...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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? In continuing hi...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE USE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS IN PUBLIC WORSHIP. The gift of prophesying greater than that of tongues:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Chapter 12 has shown the placing of every gift in its own place in the body by the Spirit of God. Chapter 13 insists on love as the pervading influence for unity and peace in the functioning of the bo...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    BUT NOW, BRETHREN, IF. COME UNTO YOU SPEAKING WITH TONGUES, WHAT SHALL. PROFIT YOU, UNLESS. SPEAK TO YOU EITHER BY WAY OF REVELATION, OR OF KNOWLEDGE, OR OF PROPHESYING, OR OF TEACHING? 'This verse b...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    6-14 Even an apostle could not edify, unless he spoke so as to be understood by his hearers. To speak words that have no meaning to those who hear them, is but speaking into the air. That cannot answ...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    God hath given me an ability to speak with tongues; suppose I should come to you speaking in the Arabian, Scythian, or Parthian language, what good would it do you? How should it any way PROFIT YOU, E...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? [The gift o...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book VII Wherefore also the apostle says, "I shall profit you nothing, unless I speak to you, either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecy, or by doctrine."[89...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Corinthians 14:6 But G1161 now G3570 brethren G80 if G1437 come G2064 (G5632) to G4314 you G5209 speakin

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    'But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?' He asks the...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE USE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS IN THE GATHERINGS OF GOD'S PEOPLE (14:1-40). Having raised us up to heaven Paul now brings us abruptly back to earth as he continues to advise on the use of spiritual gifts....

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    1 Corinthians 14:6. BUT NOW, BRETHREN, IF I COME UNTO YOU SPEAKING WITH TONGUES, WHAT SHALL I PROFIT YOU, UNLESS I SPEAK TO YOU EITHER BY WAY OF REVELATION, OR OF KNOWLEDGE, OR OF PROPHESYING, OR OF T...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    IF I COME (εαν ελθω). Third class condition, supposable case (aorist subjunctive).WHAT SHALL I PROFIT YOU (τ υμας ωφελησω). Two accusatives with this verb (see 1 Corinthians 13:3).UNLESS I SPEAK...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Prophecy and speaking in tongues. The order of the ministry of this gift in the church. CHARACTERS: God, Holy Spirit, Paul. CONCLUSION: That is the best and most eligible gift which best an...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    What is the subject of this chapter? Does it refer to the constant manner in which worship was conducted in the primitive churches; or does it refer to the manner in which men possessed of secondary g...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    SO WHEN I COME TO YOU. The gift of strange tongues, has no value when used in the public meetings, _unless:_ (1) it brings a revelation from God; (2) it brings some knowledge; (3) it brings some inspi...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 CORINTHIANS—NOTE ON 1 CORINTHIANS 14:6 Paul uses several illustrations to show that speaking in tongues without interpretation does not strengthen the faith of anyone other than the speaker; such ed...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER XIV SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER i. He puts prophecy before the gift of tongues, because (_a_) it is of great use in edifying others, and tongues are not, unless some one interpret; (_b_) because...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ 1 Corinthians 14:1. FOLLOW AFTER.—Taking up the thought of a “way,” 1 Corinthians 12:31; as this whole verse resumes the theme of 12, after the digression or episode of 13 “_Pursue_”...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 1 CORINTHIANS 14:1 _The_ _gift of preaching superior to the gift_ _tongues_. 1 CORINTHIANS 14:1 FOLLOW AFTER CHARITY; literally, _chase; pursue. _The word is one of whi

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So Paul exhorts, Follow after love and desire spiritual (1 Corinthians 14:1), But rather, that you may prophecy. We were told to covet earnestly the best gifts. Now, again, he is saying the same thi...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 10:33; 1 Corinthians 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:8; 1 Corinthians 13:2;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    TALKING IN TONGUES 1 Corinthians 14:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. The need for spiritual guidance in the matter of tongues. The church of today is beset by a group of people who very dogmatically assert t...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Revelation — Of some gospel mystery. Knowledge — Explaining the ancient types and prophecies. Prophecy — Foretelling some future event. Doctrine — To regulate your tempers and lives. Perhaps this may...

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