1 Corinthians 14:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?

NIV: Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say 'Amen' to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying?

NASB: For otherwise, if you bless God in the spirit only, how will the one who occupies the place of the outsider know to say the 'Amen' at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you are saying?

CSB: Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit, how will the outsider say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?

NLT: For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying?

KJV: 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?

NKJV: Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?

Prayer is, by definition, spiritual communication. It takes place between a believer's spirit and God by way of God's Holy Spirit. Paul has shown in the previous verses that prayer should also involve the mind. In other words, prayer is best when the person praying knows what he or she is saying to God.

That's why Paul has urged those who have the gift of tongues to ask God to give them the gift of interpretation, as well. Then, when they pray to God in an unknown language, they will know what they are saying. Otherwise, prayer is limited to a merely spiritual experience for that person.

If that prayer is being spoken in an unknown tongue in a worship service, without an interpreter present, it is even worse for those who are listening. For them, the person's prayer is neither spiritual—since they are not the one praying—or intellectual—since they don't know what is being said. It becomes meaningless.

This is why Paul writes here that nobody who hears the prayer of thanksgiving of someone speaking in tongues, without interpretation, can say "Amen." The word amen is a term of agreement and endorsement. Those who don't understand the words cannot be encouraged by the expression of thanks, and they cannot amplify it by agreeing. It becomes meaningless for them.

The word "outsider" in this verse most likely refers to everyone listening who does not understand what it being said in the unknown language.

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.