1 Corinthians 14:27 kjv
If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
1 Corinthians 14:27 nkjv
If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.
1 Corinthians 14:27 niv
If anyone speaks in a tongue, two?or at the most three?should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
1 Corinthians 14:27 esv
If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret.
1 Corinthians 14:27 nlt
No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say.
1 Corinthians 14 27 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 14:3 | But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding... | Gifts are for edification. |
| 1 Cor 14:5 | ...he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified. | Interpretation essential for church edification. |
| 1 Cor 14:12 | So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. | Zeal for gifts should aim at edification. |
| 1 Cor 14:18-19 | I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. | Preference for understandable speech for instruction. |
| 1 Cor 14:23 | If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? | Disorderly tongues deter unbelievers. |
| 1 Cor 14:26 | When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. | General rule for orderly and edifying use of gifts. |
| 1 Cor 14:33 | For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. | God's character promotes order in assemblies. |
| 14 Cor 14:40 | But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. | Summary command for all church activities. |
| Rom 12:6-8 | Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith... | Variety of gifts given for service. |
| Eph 4:12 | to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. | Purpose of gifts is for building up the church. |
| Col 2:5 | For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. | Good order is commendable in a church. |
| Jas 1:19 | My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. | Encouragement for controlled speech. |
| Titus 1:5 | This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order... | Establishing order in church is a priority. |
| Heb 13:17 | Obey your leaders and submit to their authority, for they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. | Importance of submission to church leadership in maintaining order. |
| Neh 8:8 | They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read. | Prioritizing understanding of spiritual messages. |
| Jer 23:28 | What has straw in common with grain? declares the Lord. Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? | Emphasizing the power and clarity of God's interpreted word. |
| Prov 13:16 | Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly. | Wisdom applies to church conduct. |
| Prov 29:18 | Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. | Implies need for spiritual order and guidance. |
| 2 Tim 3:16-17 | All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness... | Importance of intelligible teaching from God's word. |
| 1 Thes 5:11 | Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. | Mutual edification as a general principle. |
| Acts 2:4 | All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. | The origin of the gift of tongues from the Spirit. |
| Acts 10:46 | For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. | Evidence of speaking in tongues post-Pentecost. |
1 Corinthians 14 verses
1 Corinthians 14 27 Meaning
First Corinthians 14:27 provides specific regulations for the use of the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues within a gathered church assembly. It mandates a limit on the number of speakers (no more than two or three), requires that they speak sequentially rather than simultaneously, and most crucially, stipulates that an interpreter must be present to make the message understandable to the congregation. The core purpose of these rules is to ensure order, intelligibility, and the edification of all present, aligning with Paul's overarching principle that all spiritual gifts should serve to build up the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 14 27 Context
First Corinthians Chapter 14 directly addresses the misuse of spiritual gifts, particularly speaking in tongues and prophecy, within the church at Corinth. The Corinthians, being an enthusiastic but somewhat immature and divided congregation, prioritized ecstatic spiritual expressions over orderly, edifying practices. Their worship gatherings were marked by competition, confusion, and a lack of understanding due to uninterpreted tongues. Paul's broader concern throughout chapters 12-14 is the proper functioning of the church as one body in Christ, where diverse gifts work in harmony for mutual upbuilding. He establishes prophecy as superior to uninterpreted tongues because it directly edifies the hearers, making the mind and understanding central. Historically, Corinth was a wealthy Roman colony known for its cosmopolitanism, moral looseness, and syncretistic religious practices, including various mystery cults that often involved ecstatic utterances, which might have influenced the Corinthian believers' understanding or practice of spiritual gifts. Paul's instructions provide a strong corrective (polemic) against disorder, self-display, and unintelligibility that mirrored the chaotic elements of pagan worship, emphasizing clarity, peace, and love for true Christian worship.
1 Corinthians 14 27 Word analysis
- If anyone speaks (Εἴ τις λαλῇ, Ei tis lalē): "If anyone" implies a conditional permission, not an unconditional command for everyone to speak in tongues. "Speaks" (lalē) is present tense, indicating ongoing action. This phrasing addresses individuals who exercise this specific spiritual gift.
- in a tongue (γλώσσῃ, glōssē): Refers to a divinely inspired utterance, distinct from normal human speech or language learned through study. In 1 Corinthians, it often denotes a spiritual language unintelligible to the natural understanding of the hearers without divine interpretation. It is a spiritual gift from God for various purposes.
- it should be (implicitly from the structure; or from the imperative nature of the next clause): Conveys a normative expectation or divine instruction.
- two or at the most three (δύο ἢ πάντως τρίοι, dyo ē pantōs trioi): A strict numerical limit. "At the most" (pantōs) signifies an absolute maximum, not a suggestion for quantity but for limitation. This directly counters potential chaos from multiple simultaneous speakers and limits the dominance of one gift.
- and each in turn (καὶ ἀνὰ μέρος, kai ana meros): "In turn" (ana meros) explicitly demands sequential speech. It prohibits simultaneous, competitive, or overlapping utterances. This ensures clarity, decency, and order within the assembly, reflecting God's nature.
- and one must interpret (καὶ εἷς διερμηνευέτω, kai heis diermēneuetō): "And one" (heis) emphasizes that there should be an interpreter, though not necessarily the same person who spoke. "Must interpret" (diermēneuetō) is an imperative verb, a command that highlights the non-negotiable requirement for interpretation. Interpretation here means rendering the unintelligible utterance understandable to the congregation, making the message beneficial for all, parallel to prophecy in its function of edification. Without this, the utterance is useless to the church body.
1 Corinthians 14 27 Bonus section
The concept of "interpretation" (διερμηνεία, diermēneia) in this chapter is distinct from "translation." It implies not just rendering words from one language to another, but also conveying the meaning and spiritual import of the message. Some scholars propose it is akin to prophecy, in that the interpreter might receive divine insight into the spiritual content of the tongue and relay it. The passage implies that interpretation transforms the private, unintepreted prayer in tongues (often described as speaking to God, 1 Cor 14:2) into a public message from God to the church, akin to prophecy. The silence command in verse 28 ("if there is no interpreter, let each of them keep silent in church") strongly emphasizes that personal edification from tongues (v. 4) should not disrupt corporate edification. The ultimate concern is always the good of the whole body of Christ, and orderly worship, so that God's presence is evident (v. 25).
1 Corinthians 14 27 Commentary
This verse is pivotal in Paul's instructions on orderly worship, asserting that the spiritual gift of tongues must be strictly regulated in the church assembly. The severe limitation to "two or at the most three" speakers per service, coupled with the demand for sequential delivery, directly addresses the Corinthian propensity for chaotic displays. The non-negotiable requirement for an interpreter underscores the primary function of spiritual gifts: edification. An uninterpreted tongue is like speaking into the air; it provides no understanding and thus no spiritual benefit to the hearers. Therefore, for a tongue utterance to be truly beneficial in the church, it must be interpreted, making its message accessible and building up the collective faith of the community. This ensures that gifts are used for the common good and that the worship gathering remains intelligible and draws unbelievers rather than repelling them with disorder. The passage demonstrates Paul's balanced approach: valuing all legitimate spiritual gifts while emphasizing their proper, edifying application in communal settings.