1 Corinthians 14:3

3 But those who prophesy are speaking to people to give them strength, encouragement, and comfort.

1 Corinthians 14:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 14:3

But he that prophesieth
Preaches, prays, or sings, in a language understood by the common people:

speaketh unto men to edification;
to the building of them up in Christ, and on their most holy faith, so that they grow up as an holy temple to the Lord: and exhortation; to the more vigorous exercise of grace, and the more cheerful and fervent discharge of duty:

and comfort;
of distressed minds, either through the temptations of Satan, or divine desertions, or inward corruptions, or outward afflictions; for all which ends and purposes the Scriptures are written, and gifts are bestowed on men to explain them; and which ends are answered when God gives a blessing to the word; but can never be expected, if delivered in a language not understood. This bears hard upon the Papists performing any part of divine worship in a language unintelligible to the common people.

1 Corinthians 14:3 In-Context

1 You should seek after love, and you should truly want to have the spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

2 I will explain why. Those who have the gift of speaking in different languagesn are not speaking to people; they are speaking to God. No one understands them; they are speaking secret things through the Spirit.

3 But those who prophesy are speaking to people to give them strength, encouragement, and comfort.

4 The ones who speak in different languages are helping only themselves, but those who prophesy are helping the whole church.

5 I wish all of you had the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages, but more, I wish you would prophesy. Those who prophesy are greater than those who can only speak in different languages -- unless someone is there who can explain what is said so that the whole church can be helped.