1 Corinthians 14:1-32 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:3

But he that prophesieth ,.... Preaches, prays, or sings, in a language understood by the common people: speaketh unto men to edification ; to the building of them up in Christ, and on their most holy faith, so that they grow up as an holy temple to the Lord: and exhortation; to the more vigorous exercise of grace, and the more cheerful and fervent discharge of duty: and comfort ; of distressed minds, either through the temptations of Satan, or divine desertions, or inward... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:4

He that speaketh its an unknown tongue ,.... Be it the Hebrew language, or any other; some copies, and the Ethiopic version, read, "with tongues": edifieth himself ; his heart may be warmed, his affections raised, his devotion kept up, and he be in a very spiritual and comfortable frame, knowing and understanding what he himself says: but he that prophesieth, edifieth the church : which is the great end of the Gospel ministry, which is for the edifying the body of the church:... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:5

I would that ye all spake with tongues ,.... This the apostle says, to prevent being misunderstood; for his view was not to bring the gift of tongues into contempt, or to represent it as at all times, and on all occasions, useless and insignificant; nor would he be thought to envy them this gift, or beat them off of desiring it; for, for his own part, he could wish they all had it, was it the will of God; though he must needs say, that prophesying was most desirable by him, as being most... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:6

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 received by them as such, when he came to them, come with this gift of tongues, which he was capable of, as much, or more than any, see 1 Corinthians 14:18 and only make use of that, what shall I profit you ? of what use would my ministry be to you? what instruction, comfort, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:7

And even things without life giving sound ,.... He instances in things inanimate, that have neither reason, sense, nor life, in musical instruments, and these of various sorts: whether pipe or harp ; wind music, or hand music; either that which is blown with the breath, or pressed or stricken with the hand: except they give a distinction in the sounds ; or "tunes", so as one may be discerned from another; as that this is such a musical note, and that is another: how shall it be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:8

For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound ,.... That is not plain and manifest, so as that it cannot be known on what account it is given: who shall prepare himself to the battle ? the allusion is to the custom of many nations, Jews and others, who, when about to engage in war, made use of musical instruments, particularly the trumpet, to gather the soldiers together, prepare them for the battle, give them notice of it, and animate them to it F25 Vid Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:9

So likewise you, unless ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood ,.... This is an accommodation of the foregoing similes to the case in hand: for as unless there is a distinction of notes and tunes, it cannot be music, nor it cannot be known what is piped or harped; and unless the trumpet gives a certain sound, none can know when to prepare himself for the battle; so unless in the public ministry and service a language is spoken, and words made use of, which are understood without... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:10

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices ,.... לשנא , "tongues", or "languages", as the Syriac version renders it; that is, as many as there are nations in the world; there may be seventy of them, as the Jews say there were at the confusion of languages at Babel; there may be more or less: and none of them is without signification : every language, and every word in a language, has a meaning in it, an idea annexed to it, which it conveys to him that understands it, and that cannot... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:11

Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice ,.... The force and power of a language, the signification of it, the ideas its words convey, but only hear the sound of it: I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me : like one of those rude and uncultivated people that inhabit deserts and wild places, who can neither understand the language of others, nor be understood by others; and indeed may be meant of any sort of people, that do... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:12

Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts ,.... Gr. "of spirits"; that is, "of the gifts of the Spirit", as the Syriac version renders it; and we rightly, "spiritual gifts"; the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, for which the apostle does not blame them; these being what he had before exhorted them to covet earnestly, and zealously affect and desire: but then he further advises, seek that ye may excel, to the edifying of the church : above all, be desirous of such... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Corinthians 14:12

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