Focused Passage

1 Corinthians 14:1-5

Pursue Love, Desire Gifts, and Let All Things Be Done for Edification and Order

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.

3 But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.

4 The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

5 I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Earnestly pursue Διώκετε G1377 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular love ἀγάπην G26 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular and δὲ G1161 Conjunction eagerly desire ζηλοῦτε G2206 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural spiritual gifts πνευματικά G4152 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural - δὲ G1161 Conjunction especially μᾶλλον G3123 Adverb [the gift] ἵνα G2443 Conjunction of prophecy προφητεύητε G4395 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Verse 2

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction he who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular speaks λαλῶν G2980 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular in a tongue γλώσσῃ G1100 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb does not speak λαλεῖ G2980 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to men ἀνθρώποις G444 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction to God Θεῷ G2316 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular Indeed γὰρ G1063 Conjunction no one οὐδεὶς G3762 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular understands [him] ἀκούει G191 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction he utters λαλεῖ G2980 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular mysteries μυστήρια G3466 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural in the Spirit πνεύματι G4151 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Verse 3

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction he who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular prophesies προφητεύων G4395 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular speaks λαλεῖ G2980 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to men ἀνθρώποις G444 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural [for their] edification οἰκοδομὴν G3619 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - καὶ G2532 Conjunction encouragement παράκλησιν G3874 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction comfort παραμυθίαν G3889 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 4

Original words

The [one who] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular speaks λαλῶν G2980 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular in a tongue γλώσσῃ G1100 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular edifies οἰκοδομεῖ G3618 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular himself ἑαυτὸν G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular but δὲ G1161 Conjunction the [one who] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular prophesies προφητεύων G4395 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular edifies οἰκοδομεῖ G3618 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [the] church ἐκκλησίαν G1577 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 5

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction I wish that Θέλω G2309 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular all πάντας G3956 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural of you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural could speak λαλεῖν G2980 Verb - Present Infinitive Active in tongues γλώσσαις G1100 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural but δὲ G1161 Conjunction {I would} rather μᾶλλον G3123 Adverb have ἵνα G2443 Conjunction you prophesy προφητεύητε G4395 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural - δὲ G1161 Conjunction He who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular prophesies προφητεύων G4395 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular [is] greater μείζων G3173 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - Comparative than G2228 Conjunction [one who] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular speaks λαλῶν G2980 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular in tongues γλώσσαις G1100 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural unless ἐκτὸς G1622 Adverb . . . εἰ G1487 Conjunction . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb he interprets διερμηνεύῃ G1329 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular so that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular church ἐκκλησία G1577 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular may be λάβῃ G2983 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular edified οἰκοδομὴν G3619 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.