1 Corinthians 14 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialpurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

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Pursue love — and prefer prophecy 14:1–5

vv. 1–4 — two speakers compared: the Godward tongue, the manward prophet

Pursue love,independent — the hinge from ch. 13 — the hunter's verb

and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts,independent — gifts sought within love — read as imperative

but rather that you may prophesy.content — ἵνα-object of ζηλοῦτε — the corrective preference

For the one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to people but to God;cause — first ground — the tongue is Godward

for no one understands,cause — ἀκούει as 'comprehends,' not mere hearing

but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.independent — real mysteries — yet unshared

But the one who prophesies speaks to people — building up and encouragement and comfort.cause — the counterpart ground — the edifying triad

The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself,cause — the antithesis crystallized — self

but the one who prophesies builds up the church.cause — church — the criterion for the whole chapter

v. 5 — the ranking, with its interpretation exception

Now I wish you all to speak in tongues,independent — tongues affirmed, not banned

but rather that you would prophesy;content — the corrective ἵνα — v. 1 restated

and greater is the one who prophesies than the one who speaks in tongues,independent — verbless comparison — greater in usefulness

unless he interprets,conditional — ἐκτὸς εἰ μή — a doubled colloquial 'unless'; backward exception, so anchored

so that the church may receive building up.purpose — the goal that levels the ranking

Unintelligible sound profits no one 14:6–12

But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues,conditional — protasis — Paul himself the test case; leans on the question below

what will I profit you,independent — the profit test — expecting 'nothing'

unless I speak to you either in revelation or in knowledge or in prophecy or in teaching?conditional — ἐὰν μή — the four intelligible modes; backward exception, so anchored

vv. 7–9 — the instrument analogies: flute, harp, trumpet

Likewise the lifeless things giving sound, whether flute or harp —participial — suspended topic (casus pendens) — leans on its protasis below

if they give no distinction in the notes,conditional — protasis — undifferentiated sound

how will what is played on the flute or the harp be known?independent — the πῶς-question — no tune without distinct notes

For indeed, if the trumpet gives an indistinct call,conditional — protasis — the war-trumpet, stakes raised

who will prepare for battle?independent — no one musters to an unclear signal

So also you — unless you give an intelligible word through the tongue,conditional — the application protasis — οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς fronted

how will what is spoken be known?independent — the analogies' πῶς turned on speech

For you will be speaking into the air.cause — the verdict — a futile periphrastic future

vv. 10–12 — the world's languages: meaning requires sharing

There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world,independent — εἰ τύχοι — a rare NT optative, 'it may be'

and none is without meaning;independent — verbless — every real language signifies

If then I do not know the meaning of the language,conditional — protasis — δύναμις as semantic 'force'

I will be a foreigner to the one speaking,independent — the barbarian pair — 'bar-bar,' unintelligible babble

and the one speaking a foreigner to me.independent — the mirror limb — ἔσται understood

So also you —independent — the subject held, resumed by ζητεῖτε

since you are zealous for spirits,cause — ἐπεί — zeal affirmed; πνευμάτων as the gifts (cf. v. 32)

seek, for the building up of the church,independent — the main clause resumed — the goal fronted

that you may abound.content — ἵνα-object of ζητεῖτε — abundance measured by edification

Praying with the spirit and with the mind 14:13–19

vv. 13–15 — the resolve: both faculties engaged

Therefore let the one who speaks in a tongue prayindependent — διό — the inference from vv. 6–12

that he may interpret.content — ἵνα-object of the prayer — the complementary gift

For if I pray in a tongue,conditional — protasis — leans on the pair below

my spirit prays,independent — the spirit genuinely active

but my mind is unfruitful.independent — the deficit — the νοῦς bears no fruit for others

What then is it?independent — the deliberative question

I will pray with the spirit,independent — the resolve — volitive future

but I will also pray with the mind;independent — the both/and

I will sing with the spirit,independent — the resolve extended to song

but I will also sing with the mind.independent — spirit and mind together

vv. 16–19 — the outsider's Ἀμήν, and Paul's five words

Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit only,conditional — ἐπεὶ ἐάν — 'for otherwise'; protasis leans forward

how will the one who fills the place of the outsider say the 'Amen' at your thanksgiving,independent — the ἰδιώτης — the quoted Ἀμήν, the congregation's assent

since he does not know what you are saying?cause — ἐπειδή — the comprehension gap

For you indeed give thanks well,cause — the concession — μέν answered by ἀλλά

but the other is not built up.independent — the one test failed — no edification reaches the hearer

I thank God:independent — personal testimony — the preference is not sour grapes

I speak in tongues more than all of you;content — asyndetic content of the thanks

but in church I would rather speak five words with my mind,independent — the counter — ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ fronted, the setting decisive

that I might instruct others also,purpose — the aim — catechesis

than ten thousand words in a tongue.comparative — the hyperbolic ratio — 5 : 10,000

Tongues a sign for unbelievers, prophecy for believers 14:20–25

vv. 20–22 — Isaiah's tongues: a sign that hardens

Brothers, do not be children in your thinking;independent — the maturity appeal opens the sign argument

rather, be infants in evil,independent — νηπιάζετε — the one realm for babyhood

but in your thinking be mature.independent — τέλειοι — adult discernment

In the Law it is written:independent — the citation formula — Isaiah cited as 'the Law'

'By people of other tongues and by the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people,content — Isa 28:11 — judgment speech in alien tongues

and even so they will not listen to me,'content — Isa 28:12 — the sign that still is not heeded

says the Lord.content — the oracle's seal

So then tongues are for a sign — not to those who believe but to the unbelievers;independent — the inference — a sign of judgment, per Isaiah

but prophecy — not for the unbelievers but for those who believe.independent — the mirror limb — εἰσιν understood

vv. 23–25 — two scenarios: madness, or worship

If then the whole church comes together in the same placeconditional — the scenario protasis — the assembly gathered

and all speak in tongues,conditional — the protasis extended — wall-to-wall tongues

and outsiders or unbelievers come in,conditional — the visitors enter

will they not sayindependent — οὐκ expects 'yes'

that you are mad?content — the outsider's verdict — μαίνεσθε

But if all prophesy,conditional — the counter-scenario

and some unbeliever or outsider comes in,conditional — the same visitor, a different meeting

he is convicted by all,independent — prophecy's exposure begins

he is examined by all,independent — the judicial sifting of the heart (cf. 2:15)

the secrets of his heart become manifest,independent — the hidden brought into the open

and so, falling on his face, he will worship God,independent — prostration — the internal participle kept in line

declaringparticipial — the confessing posture of the worship

'God is really among you.'content — the confession — echoing Isa 45:14, God among his people

Order in the assembly: tongues and prophets regulated 14:26–33

vv. 26–28 — every contribution for building up; tongues limited

What then is it, brothers?independent — the deliberative formula of v. 15, turned to practice

When you come together,conditional — ὅταν — temporal, protasis-like; leans on the catalogue below

each one has a psalm,independent — the catalogue opens — broad participation

has a teaching,phrase modifier — the catalogue — ἔχει repeated

has a revelation,phrase modifier — the catalogue continues

has a tongue,phrase modifier — tongues among the contributions

has an interpretation.phrase modifier — and its rendering — the catalogue's close

Let all things be done for building up.independent — the master rule of the section

If anyone speaks in a tongue,conditional — εἴτε — the first case taken up; leans on the rules below

let it be by two or at most three,independent — verbless rule — the numerical cap

and in turn,independent — ἀνὰ μέρος — never simultaneous

and let one interpret.independent — the required interpreter

But if there is no interpreter,conditional — the fallback protasis

let him keep silent in church,independent — σιγάτω — the first of the chapter's three context-bound silences

and let him speak to himself and to God.independent — the private, Godward outlet preserved

vv. 29–33 — prophets: weighed, yielding, under the God of peace

And let two or three prophets speak,independent — the parallel cap for prophecy

and let the others weigh what is said.independent — διακρινέτωσαν — communal discernment (cf. 12:10)

But if a revelation comes to another who is sitting,conditional — protasis — fresh revelation to one seated

let the first be silent.independent — the second silence — yielding the floor

For you can all prophesy one by one,cause — the ground for yielding — καθ' ἕνα, one at a time

so that all may learnpurpose — the learning aim

and all may be encouraged.purpose — the encouraging aim — παρακαλέω echoing v. 3

And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets,independent — the maxim — inspiration under self-control, no ecstatic compulsion

for God is not a God of disorder but of peace.cause — the theological bedrock — genitives of quality

As in all the churches of the saints,comparative — the 33b crux — here kept with v. 33 (peace as catholic practice); many editors read it forward with v. 34

The women silent in the assemblies 14:34–36

the women are to keep silence in the churches,independent — the third σιγάτω — context-bound, like vv. 28 and 30 (cf. 11:5); vv. 34–35 are text-critically disputed — Western witnesses place them after v. 40, and many judge them an interpolation

for it is not permitted to them to speak;cause — the ground — λαλεῖν read as the regulated, evaluative speech of v. 29

rather, let them be in submission,independent — the positive counterpart — ὑποτάσσω as in v. 32

as the Law also says.comparative — the warrant — likely the created order of Gen 2–3 (cf. 11:8–9)

But if they wish to learn anything,conditional — protasis — the legitimate desire provided for

let them ask their own husbands at home;independent — the orderly alternative — ἴδιοι ἄνδρες suggests wives in view

for it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.cause — the verdict — a culturally weighted judgment of propriety

Or did the word of God go out from you,independent — the rebuke — Corinth is not the gospel's source

or did it reach you only?independent — nor its sole address — the common order of the churches binds

A command of the Lord — all decently and in order 14:37–40

If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual,conditional — protasis — the self-estimate put to the test

let him acknowledge what I write to you —independent — the test of true spirituality — proleptic object before its ὅτι

that it is the Lord's command.content — apostolic word as dominical ἐντολή, not opinion

But if anyone disregards this,conditional — protasis — the wordplay set up

he is disregarded.independent — the divine passive — reading ἀγνοεῖται (NA28) over the variant ἀγνοείτω

So then, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy,independent — the summary — v. 1 resumed

and do not forbid speaking in tongues;independent — the guardrail — tongues regulated, never banned

But let all things be done decently and in order.independent — the closing maxim — τάξις against the ἀκαταστασία of v. 33

Analysis. 1 Corinthians 14 reads as one long argument carried by imperatives and conditions: purple main-clause commands (Διώκετε, ζηλοῦτε, ζητεῖτε, προσευχέσθω, the three σιγάτω-silences, the double γινέσθω) form the spine, and nearly every turn is set up by an olive protasis leaning forward on the clause below it — Paul's hypothetical coming (v. 6), the flute, harp, and war-trumpet (vv. 7–8), the unshared language (v. 11), tongue-prayer (v. 14), the unshared blessing (v. 16), the two assembly scenarios (vv. 23–24), and the case-law of vv. 27–30 and 35–38. Verses 2–4 hang as a γάρ-column beneath μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε, grounding the preference for prophecy in the one criterion of edification; v. 21 is a three-line Isaiah catena (Isa 28:11–12) suspended from the single word γέγραπται, from which the ὥστε of v. 22 draws tongues' function as a judgment-sign to unbelievers; v. 26 carries the ἕκαστος-catalogue as a hanging list under one ἕκαστος, closed by πάντα πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν γινέσθω. Choices the layout takes a side on: ζηλοῦτε (v. 1) is imperative, not indicative; ἀκούει (v. 2) is 'understands,' not merely 'hears'; the ἵνα-clauses of vv. 1, 5, 12, 13 are read as objects of their verbs of desiring/praying rather than pure purpose; the ἐκτὸς εἰ μή of v. 5 is a backward-leaning exception on μείζων and so carries an anchor; Ὡς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῶν ἁγίων (v. 33b) is kept with v. 33 — peace as catholic practice — though many editors read it forward with v. 34; vv. 34–35 are printed in their traditional position with the Western transposition (after v. 40) and the interpolation debate flagged in the tags, and λαλεῖν there is taken as the regulated, evaluative speech of vv. 29–33 rather than absolute silence (cf. 11:5); v. 38 reads ἀγνοεῖται ('he is disregarded' — a divine passive) over the variant ἀγνοείτω; and ὅταν συνέρχησθε (v. 26) is typed as a protasis-like conditional for want of a temporal key.