1 Corinthians 14:19

19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

1 Corinthians 14:19 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
English Standard Version (ESV)
19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
New Living Translation (NLT)
19 But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.
The Message Bible (MSG)
19 But when I'm in a church assembled for worship, I'd rather say five words that everyone can understand and learn from than say ten thousand that sound to others like gibberish.
American Standard Version (ASV)
19 howbeit in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
19 Yet, in order to teach others in church, I would rather say five words that can be understood than ten thousand words in another language.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than 10,000 words in [another] language.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
19 But in the church I would rather speak five words that people can understand than 10,000 words in another language. Then I would be teaching others.

1 Corinthians 14:19 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 14:19

Yet in the church I had rather speak five words
Referring not to the five books of Moses, as Jerom suggests, and much less, as the Papists say, to the five words, "for this is my body"; by the muttering of which they suppose the bread in the Lord's supper to be transubtantiated into the body of Christ; but meaning a very few words, which he chose to speak in the church before the congregation, when and where saints were met together for public worship, for their edification and comfort, and the glory of God; for though at other times, and to other people, he might think fit to make use of his gift in speaking with divers tongues, yet at such a time and place he thought it much more eligible to say ever so few words

with understanding:
so as to be understood by others, as well as himself:

that by my voice I might teach others also;
the doctrines of the Gospel, the mysteries of grace, the duty of men towards God and men, and one another:

than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue;
than to deliver ever so long an oration in a language not understood by them, which could be of no use unto them; for though they might hear his voice, the sound of his words, yet thereby he could not teach and instruct them to their profit, unless they understood the language which he spoke; and therefore five words understood were more likely to be of use than ten thousand spoken in a strange language.

1 Corinthians 14:19 In-Context

17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.
21 In the Law it is written: “With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”

Cross References 1

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