1 Corinthians 14:22 kjv
Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
1 Corinthians 14:22 nkjv
Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
1 Corinthians 14:22 niv
Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers.
1 Corinthians 14:22 esv
Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.
1 Corinthians 14:22 nlt
So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers.
1 Corinthians 14 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Corinthians 14:23 | If, however, the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues... | Contextual continuation |
| 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 | But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an unbeliever comes in, he is convinced by all, he is judged by all. What is in his heart is made manifest... | Contrasting prophecy's effect |
| Acts 2:4 | And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. | Pentecost, tongues event |
| 1 Corinthians 14:2 | For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, and in the Spirit he utters mysteries. | Nature of speaking in tongues |
| 1 Corinthians 14:4 | The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but one who prophesies builds up the church. | Individual vs. corporate benefit |
| 1 Corinthians 14:5 | Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless indeed he interprets... | Preferential order of gifts |
| 1 Corinthians 14:9 | So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. | Goal of spiritual gifts |
| 1 Corinthians 14:11 | But if I do not know the meaning of the sound, I will be a foreigner to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks will be a foreigner to me. | Need for intelligibility |
| 1 Corinthians 14:14 | For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. | Distinction between spirit and mind |
| 1 Corinthians 14:19 | ...in church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. | Importance of understanding |
| Romans 11:34 | For who has understood the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? | God's inscrutable knowledge |
| Hebrews 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of espírito, of joints and of marrow, and discerning thoughts and intentions of the heart. | God's word's penetrative power |
| John 6:44 | No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. | Divine drawing to salvation |
| John 16:8 | And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: | Role of the Holy Spirit |
| Isaiah 28:11-12 | Indeed, the Lord will speak to this people through stammering lips and in a foreign tongue, he will speak to this people. To whom he said, “This is the resting place, give rest to the weary,” and, “This is the place of repose,” but they would not listen. | Prophecy of judgment/sign |
| Jeremiah 5:21 | “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people! They have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear! | Unwillingness to understand |
| Mark 4:11-12 | And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those outside everything is in parables, in order that ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ | Purpose of parables |
| 1 Peter 1:10-12 | Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to come to you searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. | Prophets understood glimpses |
| Psalm 19:1 | The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. | General revelation |
| Ephesians 3:10 | so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to principalities and powers in the heavenly places. | Church revealing God's wisdom |
1 Corinthians 14 verses
1 Corinthians 14 22 Meaning
The verse states that "tongues" (glossolalia) are not a sign for believers, but for unbelievers. Speaking in tongues is primarily intended to reveal the hidden thoughts and desires of an unbeliever's heart to them, leading them to recognize God's presence and judgment, ultimately causing them to worship God.
1 Corinthians 14 22 Context
First Corinthians chapter 14 deals with the proper use of spiritual gifts, specifically prophecy and speaking in tongues, within the corporate worship of the church. Paul is addressing divisions and disruptions that arose from the Corinthians' enthusiastic but often uncontrolled exercise of these gifts. Verse 22 is part of Paul's argument that the primary purpose and intended effect of speaking in tongues, especially in the presence of outsiders, is to convict them of sin and draw them to God, leading them to worship. He contrasts this with prophecy, which he argues is more beneficial for the edification of believers, particularly in bringing conviction and revelation to unbelievers present.
1 Corinthians 14 22 Word Analysis
Οὕτως (houtōs): Thus, so, in this way.
- Significance: Introduces a consequence or a manner in which something occurs, linking the prior discussion of tongues to this specific effect.
μὲν (men): On the one hand, indeed (part of a correlative structure often paired with "de" (but)).
- Significance: Marks the initial statement about tongues as a sign for unbelievers, setting it apart from a subsequent contrasting point.
αἱ γλῶσσαι (hai glōssai): The tongues.
- Root: γλῶσσα (glōssa) - tongue, language.
- Significance: Refers to the spiritual gift of speaking in unknown languages (glossolalia), as discussed throughout the chapter. The plural form suggests the practice rather than a single instance.
οὐκ (ouk): Not.
- Significance: Negates the subsequent statement about their primary effect on believers.
ἀνθρώποις (anthrōpois): To men, for men (dative plural of ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos - man, human being).
- Significance: Denotes people in general, but in context, likely refers specifically to believers within the church community.
ἀλλ’ (all’): But, rather.
- Significance: Introduces the contrast, indicating that while tongues may not be for believers in the sense of being intelligible or building them up directly, they serve another purpose for unbelievers.
πιστοῖς (pistois): To believers, for believers (dative plural of πιστός (pistos) - faithful, believing).
- Significance: Specifies the group for whom speaking in tongues is not the primary sign or source of building up, contrasting with their role for unbelievers.
ἀλλ’ (all’): But, rather.
- Significance: Again, introduces the primary intended function of tongues, for a different audience.
ἀπίστοις (apistois): To unbelievers, for unbelievers (dative plural of ἄπιστος (apistos) - unbelieving, faithless).
- Significance: Identifies the specific audience for whom the gift of tongues serves as a significant sign.
οὐχ (ouch): Not.
- Significance: Continues the negative framing for the first part of the contrast.
μὲν (men): Indeed, on the one hand.
- Significance: Connects back to the "men...all'" structure, emphasizing that tongues are not for the believers' direct benefit, but their other function.
πνεῦμα (pneuma): Spirit (neuter singular of πνεῦμα (pneuma) - spirit, wind, breath).
- Significance: Refers to the divine Spirit of God, through whom spiritual gifts operate, and also potentially the spirit of a person. In this context, it is what inspires the utterance.
τὸ (to): The.
- Significance: Article specifying the Spirit.
αὐτῶν (autōn): Their (genitive plural of αὐτός (autos) - self, him, her, it, them).
- Significance: Possessive pronoun referring back to the "unbelievers."
τὰ κρυπτὰ (ta krupta): The hidden things, the secret things (neuter plural of κρυπτός (kruptos) - hidden, secret).
- Significance: Refers to what is concealed in the human heart—thoughts, intentions, secrets.
τῆς καρδίας (tēs kardias): Of the heart (genitive singular of καρδία (kardia) - heart).
- Significance: The "heart" is the seat of thoughts, emotions, intentions, and will in biblical thought. This indicates the penetrative nature of the gift.
φανερὰ (phanera): Manifest, evident, revealed (neuter plural of φανερός (phaneros) - manifest, evident).
- Significance: The hidden things become apparent, known.
γίνεται (ginetai): Is made, becomes, happens (3rd person singular present indicative middle of γίνομαι (ginomai) - to become, to be made).
- Significance: Indicates the outcome or result of the encounter with the gift of tongues, which is revelation.
Word Group Analysis: The core of the verse contrasts the effect of tongues for believers ("not for men, but for unbelievers") with their intended purpose when used in the context of unbelievers' presence. The phrase "the hidden things of the heart become manifest" highlights how the supernatural utterance, while perhaps unintelligible to the speaker and hearers without interpretation, exposes inner realities that would otherwise remain concealed. This points to a divinely orchestrated revelation of truth to the outsider.
1 Corinthians 14 22 Bonus Section
The statement that tongues are a sign for unbelievers echoes Isaiah 28:11-12, where God threatens to speak to Israel through "stammering lips and another tongue" as a judgment for their rejection of His prophets. This prophetic utterance, foreign and difficult to understand, was a sign of their impending exile and divine displeasure. Paul re-purposes this concept, suggesting that while speaking in tongues can be a sign of judgment for the resistant, it can also be a sign of God's penetrating revelation to the receptive unbeliever present in the assembly. The underlying principle is that divine utterance in an unfamiliar form can serve as a divine communication, whether as judgment or as convicting truth. Furthermore, this passage highlights the dynamic nature of spiritual gifts and their varied effects depending on the context and the individual receiving them. While the Corinthians might have seen tongues solely as an expression of spiritual exuberance, Paul roots their usage in their intended divine function, prioritizing the clarity and edification of the entire community.
1 Corinthians 14 22 Commentary
Speaking in tongues, when uninterpreted, does not directly instruct or edify believers. Its purpose in relation to unbelievers is to serve as a supernatural sign that God is at work. This sign is not one of praise or orderly worship but of conviction. It reveals the inner state of the unbeliever—their secret thoughts, their alienation from God. When someone speaking in tongues reveals these hidden aspects, it confronts the unbeliever with a reality beyond their own understanding, making them aware of God's presence and judgment, and potentially leading them to repentance and worship. This is akin to the role of God's Word itself, which is described as piercing to the heart (Hebrews 4:12). In essence, the gift of tongues acts as a powerful, albeit potentially chaotic without interpretation, sign that uncovers spiritual need and prompts divine recognition. It functions as a catalyst for the unbeliever's engagement with God, rather than the primary tool for the church's building up.