1 Corinthians 14:27, commentary and pictures

Speaking in an unknown tongue is limited to two speakers, or at most three, speaking in turn one after another with one to interpret, so that two or three or many do not speak at once. If there is no interpreter, the speaker is to keep silence in the church, and this silence is conditional upon the lack of interpretation rather than an absolute ban on speaking, singing, praying, or exhorting in a language the assembly understands. Everything is to be done decently and in order for edification, so that speech is intelligible to the hearers, builds up the congregation, and prevents confusion, for without interpretation tongues do not edify the church. The tongue itself is an intelligible human language known to the speaker, which could be spoken where hearers did not understand and was not only for preaching the gospel, but then interpretation was required for it to be understood and to edify. The true gift under the Spirit of God never brings folly or confusion, in contrast to fervent noisy worship left unexplained, uncontrolled shouting and crying, and pouring forth words unintelligible to anyone, and the rule must be carefully studied because the same abuse found in Corinth is found now.

Words, Setting, and Order

The limit is two speakers in an unknown tongue, or at the most three, and that by course, meaning in turn one after another, with one to interpret, so that two or three or many do not speak at once. The order keeps several from speaking at the same time and requires taking turns with interpretation present. Applied to fervent and even noisy worship, the congregation is to pause so a wise person can explain what is being said, making the meeting intelligible as well as heartfelt. Tongues could be spoken when hearers did not understand and were not only for preaching the gospel in other languages, so interpretation was needed for the speech to be understood. Unless interpretation makes the message clear and edifying, tongues are not an important gift for the church.

If there is no interpreter, the speaker is to keep silence in the church. This silence is conditional and limited to speaking in a tongue without interpretation, not an absolute ban on speaking, singing, praying, or exhorting in a language understood by the assembly. Men may still pray, sing, and exhort in their own language, and women may still speak in meetings under the same ordered limit. A speaker in a tongue must speak only when an interpreter is present, otherwise remaining silent so the gift does not fail to edify others.

The rule requires that everything be done decently and in order for edification, so that speech is intelligible to hearers, builds up the congregation, and prevents confusion. Speaking in an unknown tongue in the gathered church is to be limited and orderly, with an interpreter so listeners can understand and be edified, and the same applies to public prayer as well as other speech. Prayer in an unknown tongue without interpretation would not edify the congregation. Gifts are given and used as need arises, not seized or exercised according to personal whim.

The verse belongs to a connected argument across 1 Corinthians 12-14 about spiritual gifts, the body, and love, and separating chapter 14 from the preceding chapters obscures that connection and makes the reasoning harder to follow. The various gifts of the Spirit are needed for the completeness and unity of the church, which is represented as a body, and the teaching also includes praise of love. The instruction is part of teaching that spiritual gifts in exercise belong to the church after Christ's ascension and to the Christian dispensation and were not abolished. Prophecy is the best of all the gifts because of its purpose and use, and its exercise is to be expected in the closing work that develops a people who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Its setting is meetings of church courts for discussion and debate on church matters, not the ordinary regular public service, so chapter 14 treats a different topic from chapter 11. The instruction concerns the gathered public congregation in worship, where believers and unbelievers assemble to listen and learn. Speaking or praying in an unknown tongue must not happen in the public congregation unless someone interprets, because listeners who do not understand what is said are not edified. The restriction proves prayer belongs in public worship and is to be spoken aloud in the assembly with all things done for edification, and prayer in a tongue the congregation does not understand is contrary to Scripture.

Nature, Doctrine, and Application

The gift of tongues is an intelligible human language known to the speaker, not unintelligible speech poured forth to no one. It could be spoken in the congregation when the hearers did not understand, so it was not only for preaching the gospel in other languages, but then someone was to interpret so the speech could be understood and edify. Paul's particular directions for its use to edification assume acquaintance with this spiritual or miraculous gift by experience, in which the Corinthians abounded after conversion from gross immoralities.

The gift of tongues possessed by one person is paired with the gift of interpretation possessed by another person. As foot, hand, ear, and eye are placed in the human body for complete organization and unimpeded action to meet changing experiences, so differing gifts are placed in Christ's body the church. It would not be reasonable and would not be edifying for one speaking in an unknown tongue to interpret the words spoken by himself.

The gift is for special occasions when a person burns to reveal God's love to another who does not use the same language. There is no reason to exercise it when speaker and audience understand the same language. It may yet be given to one individual in such an audience who earnestly desires to know God's message of love but does not know the minister's language, so that person understands all that is said, and that alone is enough to reach that case.

Such gifts are given and used as need arises, not seized or exercised according to personal whim. In all their manifestations they are to be cherished, with special help to learn a foreign language quickly when desired solely for the glory of God, and with power at all times to spread light concerning the things of the kingdom of Christ.

The instruction was given to silence boasting about spiritual gifts and to reprove those who were puffed up. Every gift is received from God, so having a gift gives no ground to exalt self or to glory as if it were not received, but calls for thinking soberly of self according as God has dealt the measure of faith. The church has the duty and responsibility to manage these gifts as stewards and to correct disorder in their use.

The restriction corrects disorder and confusion in the Corinthian meetings and restrains the exercise or claim of supernatural gifts when it causes confusion. Speakers were to take turns rather than interrupt one another, by two or at most by three and by course, meaning in turn one after another, to prevent two or three or many speaking at once, and silence meant stopping while another spoke, not remaining silent permanently. If there is no interpreter, the speaker is to keep silent in the church, and this conditional silence does not mean men may never pray, sing, or exhort in their own language, nor does it mean women may never speak in meetings.

Even men were at times not to speak because speaking would be out of order, so the rule requires orderly speech by women as well as men and does not prohibit orderly female preaching or speaking that edifies, exhorts, and comforts. The command for women to keep silence and ask at home applies only to disruptive speaking in meetings for discussion and debate on church matters, since chapter 14 treats a different topic from chapter 11 which authorizes female preaching. Orderly religious meetings are therefore not closed to women speaking.

Speaking or praying in an unknown tongue must not happen in the public congregation unless someone interprets, because listeners who do not understand what is said are not edified. The limit to two or at most three speakers taken in turn, with one to interpret, applies to public prayer as well as other speech, showing prayer belongs in public worship spoken aloud in the assembly where believers and unbelievers gather to listen and learn, with all things done for edification. Prayer in a tongue the congregation does not understand is contrary to Scripture.

The true gift under the Spirit of God never brings folly or confusion, so modern disorderly manifestations fail this test of order, with only two or at most three speaking by course and with interpretation, and with silence when there is no one to interpret. Fervent and noisy worship is to pause so a wise person can explain what is being said, making the meeting intelligible as well as heartfelt. The rules must be carefully studied because the same abuse found in Corinth is found now, in contrast to pouring forth words unintelligible to anyone and to uncontrolled shouting, crying, and other unscriptural demonstrations, proved as misuse by inability to preach in real languages like Chinese to people who need to hear.

The order of tongue followed by interpretation, by course with one to interpret, can be counterfeited by a Spiritualist speaking medium under foreign aid beyond human power. Such a medium may speak three or four different languages and give interpretations continuously for about half an hour, using the tongue-and-interpretation form to accuse of deception and to challenge to cast out a devil.