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1 Corinthians 14:19
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17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers

20 Brethren, ado not be children in understanding; however, in malice bbe babes, but in understanding be mature.  
21 aIn the law it is written:
b“With men of other tongues and other lips
I will speak to this people;
And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord.  
22 Therefore tongues are for a asign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.  
23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, awill they not say that you are1 out of your mind?  
24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all.
25 1And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report athat God is truly among you.  

Order in Church Meetings

26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, ahas a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. bLet all things be done for edification.  
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.
Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
<< 1 Corinthians 14:18   1 Corinthians 14:20 >>


1 Corinthians 14:19

Yet in the church - As the grand object of public worship is the edification of those who attend, five words spoken so as to convey edification, were of much more consequence than ten thousand which, not being understood, could convey none. By the word , tongue, to which we add unknown, I suppose the apostle always means the Hebrew, for the reasons offered in the note on I Corinthians 14:1.

One of the greatest difficulties, says Bishop Pearce, in this epistle is contained in the words and , spirit and understanding, which are frequently used in this chapter; and fixing the true meaning of these words will solve the difficulty. In this verse the apostle explains ͅ ̈́ , to speak with the understanding, by ̔ , that I might teach others; so that the sense of , understanding, seems to be, that understanding which the hearer has of what is said; and this sense will agree well with, I will sing with the spirit, and with the understanding, I Corinthians 14:15.

He observes also that spirit, and , understanding, have a sense opposite to each other; so that if is rightly rendered, the understanding which another has of what is said; then will signify a man' s own mind, i.e. his own understanding of what he himself speaks; and this sense agrees well with I Corinthians 14:2 : In the spirit he speaketh mysteries.




Other Adam Clarke entries containing 1 Corinthians 14:19:

1 Corinthians 14:2
1 Corinthians 14:14

 

<< 1 Corinthians 14:18   1 Corinthians 14:20 >>

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