1 CorinthiensChapitre 14

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Pursue love, and be eager for the spiritual gifts—above all, that you may prophesy.

For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, since no one understands him; in his spirit he utters mysteries.

But the one who prophesies speaks to people, building them up, encouraging and comforting them.

The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up; the one who prophesies builds up the church.

I would like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues—unless he interprets, so that the church may be built up.

But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what good will I do you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

Even lifeless things that make sound—a flute or a harp—if they do not sound distinct notes, how will anyone know what tune is being played?

And if the trumpet sounds an unclear call, who will get ready for battle?

So it is with you: if you do not speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will be speaking into the air.

There are, no doubt, any number of languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning.

But if I do not know what a language means, I will be a foreigner to the speaker, and he a foreigner to me.

So it is with you. Since you are eager for the gifts of the Spirit, strive to excel in ways that build up the church.

Therefore the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

What then shall 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.

For if you give thanks with your spirit alone, how can the outsider say the "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?

You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not built up.

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants when it comes to evil, but in your thinking be mature.

In the Law it is written: "By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord."

So then, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.

So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

But if everyone prophesies, and an unbeliever or an outsider comes in, he is convicted by all and called to account by all.

The secrets of his heart are laid bare, and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring, "God is truly among you."

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, an interpretation. Let everything be done to build up the church.

If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two, or at most three, and each in turn; and let someone interpret.

But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God.

Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.

And if a revelation comes to someone else who is sitting there, let the first one stop speaking.

For you can all prophesy in turn, so that all may learn and all be encouraged.

And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets,

for God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.

The women should keep silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.

If they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.

Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?

If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.

But if anyone refuses to recognize this, he himself is not recognized.

So then, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

But let everything be done decently and in order.

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Résumé2

Chapitre 14

Main Theme: Paul gives guidance on the proper use of spiritual gifts in the church, emphasizing edification and order.

Content: The chapter opens with an exhortation to pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. Paul explains that prophecy is more valuable than speaking in tongues in the assembly because it builds up the church, whereas speaking in tongues without interpretation benefits only the individual. He provides practical guidelines for worship: at most two or three should speak in tongues (with an interpreter), and two or three prophets should speak while the others weigh what is said. Everything must be done with dignity and order, for God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

Key Words/Images:

Edification (οἰκοδομή): The overarching criterion for using spiritual gifts—everything must serve to build up the church.
Prophecy (προφητεία): Speech from God that conveys edification, exhortation, and comfort to the assembly.
Speaking in tongues (γλῶσσα): A spiritual gift in which one speaks mysteries to God; it requires interpretation to benefit the church.
Order (τάξις): Worship should be marked by dignity and order, not chaos, because God is a God of peace.

Contexte historique

Historical and Cultural Context for 1 Corinthians 14

Events and Customs

The chapter offers a unique glimpse into how early Christian worship services were conducted. The description in verse 26—where each person has "a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, an interpretation"—shows a participatory form of worship that differed markedly from both the orderly liturgy of the synagogue and the priest-led rituals of Greek mystery cults. The congregation likely gathered in private homes (such as Gaius’s house, Rom 16:23), where space naturally limited the number of participants and required structure so that everyone could be heard.

The phenomenon of ecstatic speech was well known in antiquity. At the oracle of Apollo in Delphi, the Pythia (the priestess) spoke in unintelligible sounds that had to be interpreted by priests. Followers of the Dionysian cult were known for ecstatic outbursts during their rituals. Paul’s emphasis on order and clarity (verses 33, 40) can partly be understood as an attempt to distance Christian tongues from such pagan phenomena, especially when outsiders might think the congregation was "mad" (verse 23—Greek: μαίνομαι/mainomai, the same word used for Dionysian madness).

Key Terms

Γλῶσσα (glōssa) – "tongue" or "language" – is central to the chapter. The word can mean both the physical organ, a language, and in this context, a spiritual utterance. Paul distinguishes between speaking "with the spirit" (tō pneumati) and "with the mind" (tō noi), a distinction that reflects Greco-Jewish thought about the inner dimensions of human beings.

Βάρβαρος (barbaros) in verse 11 originally referred to anyone who did not speak Greek—the word imitates unintelligible speech ("bar-bar"). For the Corinthians, living in a proud Greco-Roman city, this was a powerful image: without interpretation, even the most spiritual speech becomes as foreign as a barbarian language.

Ἰδιώτης (idiōtēs) in verses 16, 23, and 24 denotes a "layperson" or "uninitiated one"—someone participating in worship without being a fully initiated Christian. This shows that the congregation’s gatherings were open to outsiders, making intelligibility especially important.

Τὸ Ἀμήν (to Amēn) in verse 16 reflects Jewish synagogue practice where the assembly confirmed prayers and blessings with "Amen." This custom was carried over into the early church and assumes that listeners understand what is being said.

Chapter-Specific Insights

In verse 21, Paul quotes freely from Isaiah 28:11–12, a prophetic word stating that God would speak to Israel through foreign tongues (the Assyrians) as a sign of judgment. This illuminates his argument that tongues serve as a sign for unbelievers, not believers. The quotation follows neither the Hebrew text nor the Septuagint exactly, which was common practice in early Jewish and Christian writing, where prophetic words were applied with freedom to new situations.

The musical instruments mentioned in verses 7–8—aulos (flute/oboe), kithara (lyre), and salpinx (trumpet)—were all well known in Corinth. The Isthmian Games, held near the city, included music competitions. The military trumpet was crucial for communication in the Roman army; an unclear signal could mean disaster in battle. These examples from daily life made Paul’s point about clear communication immediately understandable to his listeners.

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Chronologie1