1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 14:21–23

²¹It is written in the Law:

“By strange tongues and foreign lips

I will speak to this people,

but even then they will not listen to Me,

says the Lord.”^c

²²Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

²³So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who are uninstructed or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

Footnotes

c 14:21 Isaiah 28:11–12|ISA 28:11-12

Read all of 1 Corinthians 14

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 14:21

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
It is written	γέγραπται	gegraptai	Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1125 I write
in	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
the	τῷ	tō	Article - Dative Masculine Singular	G3588 the
Law	νόμῳ	nomō	Noun - Dative Masculine Singular	G3551 a law, the Mosaic Law
By	Ἐν	En	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
strange tongues	ἑτερογλώσσοις	heteroglōssois	Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural	G2084 speaking another language
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
foreign	ἑτέρων	heterōn	Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural	G2087 another, different
lips	χείλεσιν	cheilesin	Noun - Dative Neuter Plural	G5491 a lip, mouth, shore
I will speak	λαλήσω	lalēsō	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular	G2980 I speak, say
to this	τούτῳ	toutō	Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular	G3778 this, he, she, it
people	λαῷ	laō	Noun - Dative Masculine Singular	G2992 a people, the crowd
even	οὐδ’	oud’	Adverb	G3761 neither, nor, not even
then	οὕτως	houtōs	Adverb	G3779 thus, so, in this manner
they will	εἰσακούσονταί	eisakousontai	Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural	G1522 I hear, listen to
Me	μου	mou	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular	G1473 I
says	λέγει	legei	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G3004 I say, speak
Lord	Κύριος	Kyrios	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2962 lord, Lord, master, sir

1 Corinthians 14:22

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Tongues	γλῶσσαι	glōssai	Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural	G1100 the tongue, a language, nation
then	Ὥστε	Hōste	Conjunction	G5620 so that, therefore
are	εἰσιν	eisin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G1510 I am, exist
a sign	σημεῖόν	sēmeion	Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G4592 a sign, miracle, indication
not	οὐ	ou	Adverb	G3756 no, not
for	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
believers	πιστεύουσιν	pisteuousin	Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Plural	G4100 I believe, have faith in
but	ἀλλὰ	alla	Conjunction	G235 but, except
for	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
unbelievers	ἀπίστοις	apistois	Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural	G571 unbelieving, incredulous, unchristian, unbeliever
Prophecy	προφητεία	prophēteia	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G4394 prophecy
however	ἀλλὰ	alla	Conjunction	G235 but, except
for	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
believers	πιστεύουσιν	pisteuousin	Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Plural	G4100 I believe, have faith in
not	οὐ	ou	Adverb	G3756 no, not
for	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Masculine Plural	G3588 the
unbelievers	ἀπίστοις	apistois	Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural	G571 unbelieving, incredulous, unchristian, unbeliever

1 Corinthians 14:23

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So	οὖν	oun	Conjunction	G3767 therefore, then
if	Ἐὰν	Ean	Conjunction	G1437 if
the	ἡ	hē	Article - Nominative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
whole	ὅλη	holē	Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular	G3650 all, the whole, entire
church	ἐκκλησία	ekklēsia	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G1577 an assembly, congregation, church
comes	συνέλθῃ	synelthē	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular	G4905 I come or go with, accompany, assemble
together	ἐπὶ	epi	Preposition	G1909 on, to, against, on the basis of, at
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
everyone	πάντες	pantes	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural	G3956 all, the whole, every kind of
speaks	λαλῶσιν	lalōsin	Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural	G2980 I speak, say
in tongues	γλώσσαις	glōssais	Noun - Dative Feminine Plural	G1100 the tongue, a language, nation
and	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
some who are uninstructed	ἰδιῶται	idiōtai	Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural	G2399 an amateur, layman
or	ἢ	ē	Conjunction	G2228 or, than
some unbelievers	ἄπιστοι	apistoi	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural	G571 unbelieving, incredulous, unchristian, unbeliever
come in	εἰσέλθωσιν	eiselthōsin	Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural	G1525 I go in, come in, enter
will they not say	ἐροῦσιν	erousin	Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural	G2046 I say, speak
that	ὅτι	hoti	Conjunction	G3754 that, since, because
you are out of your minds	μαίνεσθε	mainesthe	Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural	G3105 I am raving mad

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Corinthians 14:21 Isaiah 28:11–12 · Jeremiah 5:15 · Deuteronomy 28:49

1 Corinthians 14:22 Acts 2:6–12 · Mark 16:17 · 1 Timothy 1:9

1 Corinthians 14:23 Acts 2:13 · 1 Corinthians 11:18

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.