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
1
Διώκετε τὴν ἀγάπην,independent — the hinge from ch. 13 — the hunter's verb
ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ πνευματικά,independent — gifts sought within love — read as imperative
μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε.content — ἵνα-object of ζηλοῦτε — the corrective preference
2
ὁ γὰρ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ ἀλλὰ θεῷ·cause — first ground — the tongue is Godward
οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀκούει,cause — ἀκούει as 'comprehends,' not mere hearing
πνεύματι δὲ λαλεῖ μυστήρια·independent — real mysteries — yet unshared
3
ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ οἰκοδομὴν καὶ παράκλησιν καὶ παραμυθίαν.cause — the counterpart ground — the edifying triad
4
ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ ἑαυτὸν οἰκοδομεῖ·cause — the antithesis crystallized — self
ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ.cause — church — the criterion for the whole chapter
v. 5 — the ranking, with its interpretation exception
5
θέλω δὲ πάντας ὑμᾶς λαλεῖν γλώσσαις,independent — tongues affirmed, not banned
μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε·content — the corrective ἵνα — v. 1 restated
μείζων δὲ ὁ προφητεύων ἢ ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσαις,independent — verbless comparison — greater in usefulness
ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ διερμηνεύῃ,conditional — ἐκτὸς εἰ μή — a doubled colloquial 'unless'; backward exception, so anchored
ἵνα ἡ ἐκκλησία οἰκοδομὴν λάβῃ.purpose — the goal that levels the ranking
Unintelligible sound profits no one 14:6–12
6
Νῦν δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς γλώσσαις λαλῶν,conditional — protasis — Paul himself the test case; leans on the question below
τί ὑμᾶς ὠφελήσω,independent — the profit test — expecting 'nothing'
ἐὰν μὴ ὑμῖν λαλήσω ἢ ἐν ἀποκαλύψει ἢ ἐν γνώσει ἢ ἐν προφητείᾳ ἢ ἐν διδαχῇ;conditional — ἐὰν μή — the four intelligible modes; backward exception, so anchored
vv. 7–9 — the instrument analogies: flute, harp, trumpet
7
ὅμως τὰ ἄψυχα φωνὴν διδόντα, εἴτε αὐλὸς εἴτε κιθάρα,participial — suspended topic (casus pendens) — leans on its protasis below
ἐὰν διαστολὴν τοῖς φθόγγοις μὴ δῷ,conditional — protasis — undifferentiated sound
πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ αὐλούμενον ἢ τὸ κιθαριζόμενον;independent — the πῶς-question — no tune without distinct notes
8
καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν ἄδηλον σάλπιγξ φωνὴν δῷ,conditional — protasis — the war-trumpet, stakes raised
τίς παρασκευάσεται εἰς πόλεμον;independent — no one musters to an unclear signal
9
οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς διὰ τῆς γλώσσης ἐὰν μὴ εὔσημον λόγον δῶτε,conditional — the application protasis — οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς fronted
πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ λαλούμενον;independent — the analogies' πῶς turned on speech
ἔσεσθε γὰρ εἰς ἀέρα λαλοῦντες.cause — the verdict — a futile periphrastic future
vv. 10–12 — the world's languages: meaning requires sharing
10
τοσαῦτα εἰ τύχοι γένη φωνῶν εἰσιν ἐν κόσμῳ,independent — εἰ τύχοι — a rare NT optative, 'it may be'
καὶ οὐδὲν ἄφωνον·independent — verbless — every real language signifies
11
ἐὰν οὖν μὴ εἰδῶ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς φωνῆς,conditional — protasis — δύναμις as semantic 'force'
ἔσομαι τῷ λαλοῦντι βάρβαροςindependent — the barbarian pair — 'bar-bar,' unintelligible babble
καὶ ὁ λαλῶν ἐν ἐμοὶ βάρβαρος.independent — the mirror limb — ἔσται understood
12
οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς,independent — the subject held, resumed by ζητεῖτε
ἐπεὶ ζηλωταί ἐστε πνευμάτων,cause — ἐπεί — zeal affirmed; πνευμάτων as the gifts (cf. v. 32)
πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ζητεῖτεindependent — the main clause resumed — the goal fronted
ἵνα περισσεύητε.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
13
διὸ ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ προσευχέσθωindependent — διό — the inference from vv. 6–12
ἵνα διερμηνεύῃ.content — ἵνα-object of the prayer — the complementary gift
14
ἐὰν γὰρ προσεύχωμαι γλώσσῃ,conditional — protasis — leans on the pair below
τὸ πνεῦμά μου προσεύχεται,independent — the spirit genuinely active
ὁ δὲ νοῦς μου ἄκαρπός ἐστιν.independent — the deficit — the νοῦς bears no fruit for others
15
τί οὖν ἐστιν;independent — the deliberative question
προσεύξομαι τῷ πνεύματι,independent — the resolve — volitive future
προσεύξομαι δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ·independent — the both/and
ψαλῶ τῷ πνεύματι,independent — the resolve extended to song
ψαλῶ δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ.independent — spirit and mind together
vv. 16–19 — the outsider's Ἀμήν, and Paul's five words
16
ἐπεὶ ἐὰν εὐλογῇς πνεύματι,conditional — ἐπεὶ ἐάν — 'for otherwise'; protasis leans forward
ὁ ἀναπληρῶν τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου πῶς ἐρεῖ τὸ Ἀμὴν ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ,independent — the ἰδιώτης — the quoted Ἀμήν, the congregation's assent
ἐπειδὴ τί λέγεις οὐκ οἶδεν;cause — ἐπειδή — the comprehension gap
17
σὺ μὲν γὰρ καλῶς εὐχαριστεῖς,cause — the concession — μέν answered by ἀλλά
ἀλλ' ὁ ἕτερος οὐκ οἰκοδομεῖται.independent — the one test failed — no edification reaches the hearer
18
εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ,independent — personal testimony — the preference is not sour grapes
πάντων ὑμῶν μᾶλλον γλώσσαις λαλῶ·content — asyndetic content of the thanks
19
ἀλλ' ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ θέλω πέντε λόγους τῷ νοΐ μου λαλῆσαι,independent — the counter — ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ fronted, the setting decisive
ἵνα καὶ ἄλλους κατηχήσω,purpose — the aim — catechesis
ἢ μυρίους λόγους ἐν γλώσσῃ.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
20
Ἀδελφοί, μὴ παιδία γίνεσθε ταῖς φρεσίν,independent — the maturity appeal opens the sign argument
ἀλλὰ τῇ κακίᾳ νηπιάζετε,independent — νηπιάζετε — the one realm for babyhood
ταῖς δὲ φρεσὶν τέλειοι γίνεσθε.independent — τέλειοι — adult discernment
21
ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γέγραπταιindependent — the citation formula — Isaiah cited as 'the Law'
ὅτι Ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ ἐν χείλεσιν ἑτέρων λαλήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ,content — Isa 28:11 — judgment speech in alien tongues
καὶ οὐδ' οὕτως εἰσακούσονταί μου,content — Isa 28:12 — the sign that still is not heeded
λέγει κύριος.content — the oracle's seal
22
ὥστε αἱ γλῶσσαι εἰς σημεῖόν εἰσιν οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις,independent — the inference — a sign of judgment, per Isaiah
ἡ δὲ προφητεία οὐ τοῖς ἀπίστοις ἀλλὰ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν.independent — the mirror limb — εἰσιν understood
vv. 23–25 — two scenarios: madness, or worship
23
ἐὰν οὖν συνέλθῃ ἡ ἐκκλησία ὅλη ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸconditional — the scenario protasis — the assembly gathered
καὶ πάντες λαλῶσιν γλώσσαις,conditional — the protasis extended — wall-to-wall tongues
εἰσέλθωσιν δὲ ἰδιῶται ἢ ἄπιστοι,conditional — the visitors enter
οὐκ ἐροῦσινindependent — οὐκ expects 'yes'
ὅτι μαίνεσθε;content — the outsider's verdict — μαίνεσθε
24
ἐὰν δὲ πάντες προφητεύωσιν,conditional — the counter-scenario
εἰσέλθῃ δέ τις ἄπιστος ἢ ἰδιώτης,conditional — the same visitor, a different meeting
ἐλέγχεται ὑπὸ πάντων,independent — prophecy's exposure begins
ἀνακρίνεται ὑπὸ πάντων,independent — the judicial sifting of the heart (cf. 2:15)
25
τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ φανερὰ γίνεται,independent — the hidden brought into the open
καὶ οὕτως πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον προσκυνήσει τῷ θεῷ,independent — prostration — the internal participle kept in line
ἀπαγγέλλωνparticipial — the confessing posture of the worship
ὅτι Ὄντως ὁ θεὸς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστιν.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
26
Τί οὖν ἐστιν, ἀδελφοί;independent — the deliberative formula of v. 15, turned to practice
ὅταν συνέρχησθε,conditional — ὅταν — temporal, protasis-like; leans on the catalogue below
ἕκαστος ψαλμὸν ἔχει,independent — the catalogue opens — broad participation
διδαχὴν ἔχει,phrase modifier — the catalogue — ἔχει repeated
ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει,phrase modifier — the catalogue continues
γλῶσσαν ἔχει,phrase modifier — tongues among the contributions
ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει·phrase modifier — and its rendering — the catalogue's close
πάντα πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν γινέσθω.independent — the master rule of the section
27
εἴτε γλώσσῃ τις λαλεῖ,conditional — εἴτε — the first case taken up; leans on the rules below
κατὰ δύο ἢ τὸ πλεῖστον τρεῖς,independent — verbless rule — the numerical cap
καὶ ἀνὰ μέρος,independent — ἀνὰ μέρος — never simultaneous
καὶ εἷς διερμηνευέτω·independent — the required interpreter
28
ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ διερμηνευτής,conditional — the fallback protasis
σιγάτω ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ,independent — σιγάτω — the first of the chapter's three context-bound silences
ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαλείτω καὶ τῷ θεῷ.independent — the private, Godward outlet preserved
vv. 29–33 — prophets: weighed, yielding, under the God of peace
29
προφῆται δὲ δύο ἢ τρεῖς λαλείτωσαν,independent — the parallel cap for prophecy
καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι διακρινέτωσαν·independent — διακρινέτωσαν — communal discernment (cf. 12:10)
30
ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλῳ ἀποκαλυφθῇ καθημένῳ,conditional — protasis — fresh revelation to one seated
ὁ πρῶτος σιγάτω.independent — the second silence — yielding the floor
31
δύνασθε γὰρ καθ' ἕνα πάντες προφητεύειν,cause — the ground for yielding — καθ' ἕνα, one at a time
ἵνα πάντες μανθάνωσινpurpose — the learning aim
καὶ πάντες παρακαλῶνται.purpose — the encouraging aim — παρακαλέω echoing v. 3
32
καὶ πνεύματα προφητῶν προφήταις ὑποτάσσεται,independent — the maxim — inspiration under self-control, no ecstatic compulsion
33
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀκαταστασίας ὁ θεὸς ἀλλὰ εἰρήνης.cause — the theological bedrock — genitives of quality
Ὡς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῶν ἁγίων,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
34
αἱ γυναῖκες ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις σιγάτωσαν,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
οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτρέπεται αὐταῖς λαλεῖν·cause — the ground — λαλεῖν read as the regulated, evaluative speech of v. 29
ἀλλὰ ὑποτασσέσθωσαν,independent — the positive counterpart — ὑποτάσσω as in v. 32
καθὼς καὶ ὁ νόμος λέγει.comparative — the warrant — likely the created order of Gen 2–3 (cf. 11:8–9)
35
εἰ δέ τι μαθεῖν θέλουσιν,conditional — protasis — the legitimate desire provided for
ἐν οἴκῳ τοὺς ἰδίους ἄνδρας ἐπερωτάτωσαν·independent — the orderly alternative — ἴδιοι ἄνδρες suggests wives in view
αἰσχρὸν γάρ ἐστιν γυναικὶ λαλεῖν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ.cause — the verdict — a culturally weighted judgment of propriety
36
ἢ ἀφ' ὑμῶν ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξῆλθεν,independent — the rebuke — Corinth is not the gospel's source
ἢ εἰς ὑμᾶς μόνους κατήντησεν;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
37
Εἴ τις δοκεῖ προφήτης εἶναι ἢ πνευματικός,conditional — protasis — the self-estimate put to the test
ἐπιγινωσκέτω ἃ γράφω ὑμῖνindependent — the test of true spirituality — proleptic object before its ὅτι
ὅτι κυρίου ἐστὶν ἐντολή·content — apostolic word as dominical ἐντολή, not opinion
38
εἰ δέ τις ἀγνοεῖ,conditional — protasis — the wordplay set up
ἀγνοεῖται.independent — the divine passive — reading ἀγνοεῖται (NA28) over the variant ἀγνοείτω
39
ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου, ζηλοῦτε τὸ προφητεύειν,independent — the summary — v. 1 resumed
καὶ τὸ λαλεῖν μὴ κωλύετε γλώσσαις·independent — the guardrail — tongues regulated, never banned
40
πάντα δὲ εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τάξιν γινέσθω.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.