If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
If a revelation comes to another sitting by while a prophet is speaking, the first speaker is to stop speaking and yield so that they prophesy one at a time. This taking turns keeps the meeting free from confusion and peaceful and decent and in order, with no two speaking at once, so that all may learn and be comforted. It means the spirits of the prophets remain subject to the prophets, with gifts used intelligently as need arises and not on personal authority or whim, spoken with understanding so hearers know what is said, and with the church responsible for restraining disorder. The silence required is temporary rather than permanent and binds men as well as women, forbidding only speech that is out of order and breeds confusion, such as disruptive questioning and debate, not women praying or prophesying or telling what the Lord has done in orderly submission to proper authority.
Orderly Prophecy in Worship
If anything is revealed to another sitting by while a prophet is speaking, the first speaker is to hold his peace, stop speaking and give way so that the other may speak in turn and prophets speak one at a time. This taking turns prevents two or several speaking at once and keeps the meeting free from confusion, peaceful, decent and in order. In that order all may learn and be comforted, with interruption prevented and silence understood as temporary yielding rather than permanent silence.
The rule expresses submission and order, for the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. Spiritual gifts are to be used intelligently and as need arises, not exercised on personal authority or whim, with spiritual feeling joined to understanding so listeners know what is expressed. The church is responsible for regulating disorder in the use of its gifts.
Such orderly yielding stands against disruptive or sensational displays, including shouting and unscriptural manifestations. In the same order, tongues in church must serve understanding, for they are of little importance unless interpreted so the church may be edified. Prophecy, meaning speaking for God or teaching, builds up the church more directly.
As part of directions for praying when disciples come together in church, prayer is a public act to be spoken aloud like prophesying rather than silent secret communing of one's own spirit with God. All prayers in the place of public meeting where believers and unbelievers come to listen and learn must be intelligible and done to edification, not in an unknown tongue without an interpreter because listeners would not understand and would not be edified. The order included speaking by two or at most by three and by course, one after another in turn, and prophets two or three with the others judging qualifications, in meetings for discussion and debate on church matters and for hearing candidates and electing officers, since God is not the author of confusion.
Context, Gifts, and Women
1 Corinthians 14:30 belongs to connected reasoning about spiritual gifts and charity running through chapters 12 to 14, and artificial chapter divisions can obscure that flow and cause the argument to be missed. The chapter is directed against evils, wrongs, irregularities, disorderly meetings and meaningless noises at Corinth, pointing out errors while urging unity and faithfulness and emphasizing the facts and blessings of spiritual gifts. It gives careful instruction about conduct in the church, calling for worship to be conducted decently and in order, with spiritual feeling joined to understanding so listeners know what is expressed. It corrects abuse of the gifts, including boasting about gifts and uttering words unintelligible to anyone while claiming the gift of tongues to persuade others and to attempt missionary preaching without knowing the language, an abuse to be carefully studied still.
The passage teaches that the gifts of the Spirit are needed for the completeness and unity of the church as a body with Christ as head. Knowing the gifts are coins of highest value from God should silence boasting, keep Christians from exalting self or being puffed up, and lead them to think soberly and humbly about the measure of faith dealt to each. The gift of prophecy is the best of the spiritual gifts because of its purpose and use, and its exercise is to be expected in the closing work that perfects the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus until all come to unity of the faith and the full stature of Christ, since no good thing is withheld from those who walk uprightly. The instruction about prophets in verses 29-32 shows that prophets continued among the apostles after John, so Luke 16:16 does not mean prophecy ended with John.
The required silence is temporary rather than permanent, preventing interruptions and confusion so the meeting proceeds peacefully, decently and in order with all able to learn and be comforted. It applies to men as well as women and prevents several speaking at once, proving there were occasions when it was improper even for men to speak. When a revelation comes to one listening while another prophet is speaking, the first speaker must stop and give way so the message can be heard, expressing order and submission rather than a ban on women ever speaking in religious meetings. It does not forbid women praying, prophesying, or sharing what the Lord has done, but forbids only speaking that is out of order and causes confusion, such as disruptive questioning and debate, with women's speech to be orderly, becoming, and subject to proper authority. An account of a woman conducting public worship by reading sermons, praying, and speaking to the congregation does not explain or apply the instruction about revelations and taking turns.
If a revelation comes to another sitting by while a prophet is speaking, the first speaker is to stop speaking and yield so that they prophesy one at a time. This taking turns keeps the meeting free from confusion and peaceful and decent and in order, with no two speaking at once, so that all may learn and be comforted. It means the spirits of the prophets remain subject to the prophets, with gifts used intelligently as need arises and not on personal authority or whim, spoken with understanding so hearers know what is said, and with the church responsible for restraining disorder. The silence required is temporary rather than permanent and binds men as well as women, forbidding only speech that is out of order and breeds confusion, such as disruptive questioning and debate, not women praying or prophesying or telling what the Lord has done in orderly submission to proper authority.
Orderly Prophecy in Worship
If anything is revealed to another sitting by while a prophet is speaking, the first speaker is to hold his peace, stop speaking and give way so that the other may speak in turn and prophets speak one at a time. This taking turns prevents two or several speaking at once and keeps the meeting free from confusion, peaceful, decent and in order. In that order all may learn and be comforted, with interruption prevented and silence understood as temporary yielding rather than permanent silence.
The rule expresses submission and order, for the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. Spiritual gifts are to be used intelligently and as need arises, not exercised on personal authority or whim, with spiritual feeling joined to understanding so listeners know what is expressed. The church is responsible for regulating disorder in the use of its gifts.
Such orderly yielding stands against disruptive or sensational displays, including shouting and unscriptural manifestations. In the same order, tongues in church must serve understanding, for they are of little importance unless interpreted so the church may be edified. Prophecy, meaning speaking for God or teaching, builds up the church more directly.
As part of directions for praying when disciples come together in church, prayer is a public act to be spoken aloud like prophesying rather than silent secret communing of one's own spirit with God. All prayers in the place of public meeting where believers and unbelievers come to listen and learn must be intelligible and done to edification, not in an unknown tongue without an interpreter because listeners would not understand and would not be edified. The order included speaking by two or at most by three and by course, one after another in turn, and prophets two or three with the others judging qualifications, in meetings for discussion and debate on church matters and for hearing candidates and electing officers, since God is not the author of confusion.
Context, Gifts, and Women
1 Corinthians 14:30 belongs to connected reasoning about spiritual gifts and charity running through chapters 12 to 14, and artificial chapter divisions can obscure that flow and cause the argument to be missed. The chapter is directed against evils, wrongs, irregularities, disorderly meetings and meaningless noises at Corinth, pointing out errors while urging unity and faithfulness and emphasizing the facts and blessings of spiritual gifts. It gives careful instruction about conduct in the church, calling for worship to be conducted decently and in order, with spiritual feeling joined to understanding so listeners know what is expressed. It corrects abuse of the gifts, including boasting about gifts and uttering words unintelligible to anyone while claiming the gift of tongues to persuade others and to attempt missionary preaching without knowing the language, an abuse to be carefully studied still.
The passage teaches that the gifts of the Spirit are needed for the completeness and unity of the church as a body with Christ as head. Knowing the gifts are coins of highest value from God should silence boasting, keep Christians from exalting self or being puffed up, and lead them to think soberly and humbly about the measure of faith dealt to each. The gift of prophecy is the best of the spiritual gifts because of its purpose and use, and its exercise is to be expected in the closing work that perfects the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus until all come to unity of the faith and the full stature of Christ, since no good thing is withheld from those who walk uprightly. The instruction about prophets in verses 29-32 shows that prophets continued among the apostles after John, so Luke 16:16 does not mean prophecy ended with John.
The required silence is temporary rather than permanent, preventing interruptions and confusion so the meeting proceeds peacefully, decently and in order with all able to learn and be comforted. It applies to men as well as women and prevents several speaking at once, proving there were occasions when it was improper even for men to speak. When a revelation comes to one listening while another prophet is speaking, the first speaker must stop and give way so the message can be heard, expressing order and submission rather than a ban on women ever speaking in religious meetings. It does not forbid women praying, prophesying, or sharing what the Lord has done, but forbids only speaking that is out of order and causes confusion, such as disruptive questioning and debate, with women's speech to be orderly, becoming, and subject to proper authority. An account of a woman conducting public worship by reading sermons, praying, and speaking to the congregation does not explain or apply the instruction about revelations and taking turns.