1 Corinthians 14:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

NIV: Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

NASB: The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

CSB: The person who speaks in another tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

NLT: A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.

KJV: He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

NKJV: He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

Paul is showing how the spiritual gift of prophecy is better for the church than the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues or diverse languages. He has previously described the experience of speaking in tongues as speaking to God and not to other people. Perhaps this was the most common form of speaking in tongues, praying to and praising God in a language unknown to the speaker.

Paul now writes that speaking in tongues cannot build up the church as a whole. He says nobody knows what this person is saying. In the context of this passage, Paul seem to refer to how speaking in tongues was practiced in Corinth, rather than how it was meant to be done. It's likely the practice of speaking in tongues without an interpreter, and in a disorderly way, had become common in Corinth. Paul does not condemn the use of tongues for private prayer. In fact, Paul says that doing so would build up the one who prays by helping them see that God's Spirit was alive and active in this way. It would be encouraging, but only to that specific person.

Someone using the gift of prophecy before the church, however, builds up the entire church because everyone can understand those words.

First Corinthians 14:1–25 describes why the gift of prophecy is superior to the gift of tongues in church services, especially when nobody with the gift of interpreting tongues is available. Prophecy benefits everyone in the room with a revelation from God. Praying in a tongue, when nobody can interpret, only benefits the one praying. In fact, displaying the gift of tongues without interpretation may do more harm than good—it generates confusion and division. In contrast, the use of prophecy provides the opportunity for unbelievers to hear from God, be convicted about sin, and come to faith in Christ and genuine worship.

Paul encourages the Corinthians to desire the gift of prophecy, especially, among the other gifts. He shows why its use in the church service is superior to the use of the gift of tongues if nobody is available to interpret. Prophecy benefits everyone; praying in tongues with nobody to interpret benefits only the speaker. Only two or three tongues-speakers should contribute to any service, and only then one at a time and followed by interpreters. The same applies to prophecy and the gift of discerning spirits. Orderliness and building up the church are guiding principles for any worship meeting. Modern churches are divided on the extent to who which these gifts are given, or should be practiced.

1 Corinthians 14 concludes Paul's teaching on the spiritual gifts begun in chapter 12. Between them, chapter 13 declared that Christlike love matters most of all. The gift of prophecy is better than the display of the gift of tongues in worship services unless someone with the gift of interpreting tongues is available. Even then, only those things which build up the church should be included in any service, and everything should be done in an orderly way, reflecting the character of God. The final two chapters of this letter discuss the resurrection of Christ and Paul's concluding remarks.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.