1 Corinthians 14:17

17 You may be thanking God in a good way, but the other person is not helped.

1 Corinthians 14:17 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 14:17

For thou verily givest thanks well
In very proper words, and pertinent expressions, with great affection and devotion, suitable to the service;

but the other is not edified;
the rest of the people, who do not understand the language in which thanks are given; "thy friend", as the Syriac version reads it; or thy next neighbour, he that stands by thee, receives no manner of profit by it, because he does not understand what is said.

1 Corinthians 14:17 In-Context

15 So what should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

16 If you praise God with your spirit, those persons there without understanding cannot say amenn to your prayer of thanks, because they do not know what you are saying.

17 You may be thanking God in a good way, but the other person is not helped.

18 I thank God that I speak in different kinds of languages more than all of you.

19 But in the church meetings I would rather speak five words I understand in order to teach others than thousands of words in a different language.