1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 14:1–5
1Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 2For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort. 4The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
5I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified.
Word by word
Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.
1 Corinthians 14:1
| English | Greek | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnestly pursue | Διώκετε | Diōkete | Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural | G1377 I pursue, persecute |
| love | ἀγάπην | agapēn | Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular | G26 love |
| and | δὲ | de | Conjunction | G1161 but, on the other hand, and |
| eagerly desire | ζηλοῦτε | zēloute | Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural | G2206 I am jealous, eager for |
| spiritual gifts | πνευματικά | pneumatika | Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural | G4152 spiritual |
| especially | μᾶλλον | mallon | Adverb | G3123 more, rather |
| of prophecy | προφητεύητε | prophēteuēte | Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural | G4395 I foretell, prophesy |
1 Corinthians 14:2
| English | Greek | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For | γὰρ | gar | Conjunction | G1063 for |
| he who | ὁ | ho | Article - Nominative Masculine Singular | G3588 the |
| speaks | λαλῶν | lalōn | Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular | G2980 I speak, say |
| in a tongue | γλώσσῃ | glōssē | Noun - Dative Feminine Singular | G1100 the tongue, a language, nation |
| does not speak | λαλεῖ | lalei | Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular | G2980 I speak, say |
| to men | ἀνθρώποις | anthrōpois | Noun - Dative Masculine Plural | G444 a man, one of the human race |
| but | ἀλλὰ | alla | Conjunction | G235 but, except |
| to God | Θεῷ | Theō | Noun - Dative Masculine Singular | G2316 God, a god |
| Indeed | γὰρ | gar | Conjunction | G1063 for |
| no one | οὐδεὶς | oudeis | Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular | G3762 no one, none, nothing |
| understands | ἀκούει | akouei | Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular | G191 I hear, listen |
| he utters | λαλεῖ | lalei | Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular | G2980 I speak, say |
| mysteries | μυστήρια | mystēria | Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural | G3466 anything hidden, a mystery |
| in the Spirit | πνεύματι | pneumati | Noun - Dative Neuter Singular | G4151 wind, breath, spirit |
1 Corinthians 14:3
| English | Greek | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| But | δὲ | de | Conjunction | G1161 but, on the other hand, and |
| he who | ὁ | ho | Article - Nominative Masculine Singular | G3588 the |
| prophesies | προφητεύων | prophēteuōn | Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular | G4395 I foretell, prophesy |
| speaks | λαλεῖ | lalei | Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular | G2980 I speak, say |
| to men | ἀνθρώποις | anthrōpois | Noun - Dative Masculine Plural | G444 a man, one of the human race |
| edification | οἰκοδομὴν | oikodomēn | Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular | G3619 the act of building, a building, edification |
| encouragement | παράκλησιν | paraklēsin | Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular | G3874 exhortation, entreaty, encouragement, comfort |
| and | καὶ | kai | Conjunction | G2532 and, even, also, namely |
| comfort | παραμυθίαν | paramythian | Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular | G3889 encouragement, comfort |
1 Corinthians 14:4
| English | Greek | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The | ὁ | ho | Article - Nominative Masculine Singular | G3588 the |
| speaks | λαλῶν | lalōn | Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular | G2980 I speak, say |
| in a tongue | γλώσσῃ | glōssē | Noun - Dative Feminine Singular | G1100 the tongue, a language, nation |
| edifies | οἰκοδομεῖ | oikodomei | Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular | G3618 I build, build up, edify |
| himself | ἑαυτὸν | heauton | Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular | G1438 himself, herself, itself |
| but | δὲ | de | Conjunction | G1161 but, on the other hand, and |
| the | ὁ | ho | Article - Nominative Masculine Singular | G3588 the |
| prophesies | προφητεύων | prophēteuōn | Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular | G4395 I foretell, prophesy |
| edifies | οἰκοδομεῖ | oikodomei | Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular | G3618 I build, build up, edify |
| church | ἐκκλησίαν | ekklēsian | Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular | G1577 an assembly, congregation, church |
1 Corinthians 14:5
| English | Greek | Sounds like | Grammar | Word study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I wish that | Θέλω | Thelō | Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular | G2309 I will, wish, desire |
| all | πάντας | pantas | Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural | G3956 all, the whole, every kind of |
| of you | ὑμᾶς | hymas | Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural | G4771 you |
| could speak | λαλεῖν | lalein | Verb - Present Infinitive Active | G2980 I speak, say |
| in tongues | γλώσσαις | glōssais | Noun - Dative Feminine Plural | G1100 the tongue, a language, nation |
| but | δὲ | de | Conjunction | G1161 but, on the other hand, and |
| rather | μᾶλλον | mallon | Adverb | G3123 more, rather |
| have | ἵνα | hina | Conjunction | G2443 in order that, so that |
| you prophesy | προφητεύητε | prophēteuēte | Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural | G4395 I foretell, prophesy |
| He who | ὁ | ho | Article - Nominative Masculine Singular | G3588 the |
| prophesies | προφητεύων | prophēteuōn | Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular | G4395 I foretell, prophesy |
| greater | μείζων | meizōn | Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - Comparative | G3173 large, great |
| than | ἢ | ē | Conjunction | G2228 or, than |
| speaks | λαλῶν | lalōn | Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular | G2980 I speak, say |
| in tongues | γλώσσαις | glōssais | Noun - Dative Feminine Plural | G1100 the tongue, a language, nation |
| unless | ἐκτὸς | ektos | Adverb | G1622 without, outside, except, the outside, apart from |
| he interprets | διερμηνεύῃ | diermēneuē | Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular | G1329 I translate, interpret, explain |
| so that | ἵνα | hina | Conjunction | G2443 in order that, so that |
| the | ἡ | hē | Article - Nominative Feminine Singular | G3588 the |
| church | ἐκκλησία | ekklēsia | Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular | G1577 an assembly, congregation, church |
| may be | λάβῃ | labē | Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular | G2983 I receive, take |
| edified | οἰκοδομὴν | oikodomēn | Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular | G3619 the act of building, a building, edification |
Cross-references
Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.
1 Corinthians 14:1 1 Timothy 4:14 · 1 Corinthians 14:39 · 1 Corinthians 16:14 · 1 Thessalonians 5:20 · 1 Corinthians 12:1 · Hebrews 12:14 · 1 Corinthians 14:3–5 · 1 Corinthians 13:13 · Proverbs 15:9 · 1 Peter 3:11–13 · 1 Timothy 6:11 · 1 Corinthians 14:37
1 Corinthians 14:2 Mark 16:17 · Acts 19:6 · Acts 10:46 · Acts 2:4–11 · 1 Corinthians 13:2 · 1 Corinthians 2:10 · Colossians 1:26–27 · Ephesians 3:3–9 · 1 Corinthians 14:9–11 · Revelation 10:7 · 1 Timothy 3:9 · Ephesians 6:19
1 Corinthians 14:3 1 Corinthians 14:12 · 1 Timothy 4:13 · Jude 1:20 · 2 Timothy 4:2 · Ephesians 6:22 · Romans 14:19 · Titus 1:9 · 1 Corinthians 14:26 · 1 Thessalonians 5:11–14 · 1 Corinthians 14:31 · Titus 2:6 · 1 Corinthians 14:4–5
1 Corinthians 14:4 1 Corinthians 14:22 · 1 Corinthians 14:26 · Mark 16:17 · 1 Corinthians 14:17–19 · 1 Corinthians 14:3
1 Corinthians 14:5 1 Corinthians 12:10 · 1 Corinthians 12:28–30 · 1 Corinthians 13:1 · Mark 16:17 · Numbers 11:28–29 · 1 Corinthians 14:3–4
Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.