1 Corinthians 14:14

Bible in Basic English

For if I make use of tongues in my prayers, my spirit makes the prayer, but not my mind.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For if I pray in another tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

King James Version (1611)
For if I pray in an vnknowen tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my vnderstanding is vnfruitfull.

King James Version
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

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

New American Standard Bible
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive.

New Century Version
If I pray in a different language, my spirit is praying, but my mind does nothing.

Amplified Bible
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive [because it does not understand what my spirit is praying].

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

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

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

Contemporary English Version
For example, if I use an unknown language in my prayers, my spirit prays but my mind is useless.

Complete Jewish Bible
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit does pray, but my mind is unproductive.

Darby Translation
For if I pray with a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Easy-to-Read Version
If I pray in a different language, my spirit is praying, but my mind does nothing.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For if I pray in a strange togue, my spirit prayeth: but mine vnderstading is without fruite.

George Lamsa Translation
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my knowledge is fruitless.

Good News Translation
For if I pray in this way, my spirit prays indeed, but my mind has no part in it.

Lexham English Bible
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unproductive.

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

American Standard Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Hebrew Names Version
For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

International Standard Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is not productive.

Etheridge Translation
For if I am praying in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my mind is without fruit.

Murdock Translation
For if I should pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is without fruits.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For yf I pray with tongue, my spirite prayeth, but my vnderstanding is without fruite.

English Revised Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

World English Bible
For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my Spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Weymouth's New Testament
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is barren.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For if Y preye in tunge, my spirit preieth; myn vndurstondyng is with outen fruyt.

Update Bible Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Webster's Bible Translation
For if I pray in an [unknown] language, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

New English Translation
If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive.

New King James Version
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

New Living Translation
For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don't understand what I am saying.

New Life Bible
If I pray in special sounds, my spirit is doing the praying. My mind does not understand.

New Revised Standard
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unproductive.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, if I am praying in a tongue, my spirit, is praying, but, my mind, is unfruitful.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth: but my understanding is without fruit.

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

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
If I praye with tonge my sprete prayeth: but my mynde is with out frute.

Young's Literal Translation
for if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit doth pray, and my understanding is unfruitful.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf I praye with tunges, my sprete prayeth, but my vnderstodinge bryngeth no man frute.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit indeed prays, but my meaning is of no benefit to others.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Praying in tongues is your spirit praying, not your conscious mind.

Contextual Overview

⁶ But, now, my brothers, if I come to you using tongues, what profit will it be to you, if I do not give you a revelation, or knowledge, or the word of the prophet, or teaching? ⁷ Even things without life, having a voice, such as a music-pipe or other instrument, if they do not give out different sounds, who may be certain what is being played? ⁸ For if the war-horn gives out an uncertain note, who will get ready for the fight? ⁹ So if you, in using a strange tongue, say words which have no sense, how will anyone take in what you are saying? for you will be talking to the air. ¹⁰ There are, it may be, a number of different voices in the world, and no voice is without sense. ¹¹ But if the sense of the voice is not clear to me, I am like a man from a strange country to him who is talking, and he will be the same to me. ¹² So if you are desiring the things which the Spirit gives, let your minds be turned first to the things which are for the good of the church. ¹³ For this reason, let the man who has the power of using tongues make request that he may, at the same time, be able to give the sense. ¹⁴ For if I make use of tongues in my prayers, my spirit makes the prayer, but not my mind.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

my spirit: 1 Corinthians 14:2, 1 Corinthians 14:15, 1 Corinthians 14:16, 1 Corinthians 14:19

but: That is, "not productive of any benefit to others.

Reciprocal: Psalms 47:7 - sing Romans 1:9 - with 1 Corinthians 14:4 - edifieth himself Ephesians 4:12 - the edifying

Cross-References

Genesis 12:5
And Abram took Sarai, his wife, and Lot, his brother's son, and all their goods and the servants which they had got in Haran, and they went out to go to the land of Canaan.

Genesis 12:16
And because of her, he was good to Abram, and he had sheep and oxen and asses, and men-servants and women-servants, and camels.

Genesis 13:8
Then Abram said to Lot, Let there be no argument between me and you, and between my herdmen and your herdmen, for we are brothers.

Genesis 14:1
Now in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goiim,

Genesis 14:2
They made war with Bera, king of Sodom, and with Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, and Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (which is Zoar).

Genesis 14:3
All these came together in the valley of Siddim (which is the Salt Sea).

Genesis 14:5
And in the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings who were on his side, overcame the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,

Genesis 14:11
And the four kings took all the goods and food from Sodom and Gomorrah and went on their way.

Genesis 14:12
And in addition they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who was living in Sodom, and all his goods.

Genesis 15:3
And Abram said, You have given me no child, and a servant in my house will get the heritage.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For if I pray in an unknown tongue,.... In the Hebrew tongue, which the greatest part of the Jewish doctors insisted a upon should be only used in prayer; which notion might be borrowed from them, and now greatly prevailed in the church at Corinth; and the custom was used by such as had the gift of speaking that language, even though the body and bulk of the people understood it not:

my spirit prayeth; I pray with my breath vocally; or else with affection and devotion, understanding what I say myself, and so am edified; or rather with the gift of the Spirit bestowed on me:

but my understanding is unfruitful; that is, what I say with understanding to myself is unprofitable to others, not being understood by them.

a Vid. Trigland. de Sect. Kar. c. 10. p. 172, 173.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For if I pray ... - The reference to prayer here, and to singing in 1 Corinthians 14:15, is designed to illustrate the propriety of the general sentiment which he is defending, that public worship should be conducted in a language that would be intelligible to the people. However well meant it might be, or however the “heart” might be engaged in it, yet unless it was intelligible, and the understanding could join in it, it would be vain and profitless.

My spirit prayeth - The word spirit here (πνεῦμα pneuma) has been variously understood. Some have understood it of the Holy Spirit - the Spirit by which Paul says he was actuated. Others of the “spiritual gift,” or that spiritual influence by which he was endowed. Others of the mind itself. But it is probable that the word “spirit” refers to the “will;” or to the mind, as the seat of the affections and emotions; that is, to the heart, desires, or intentions. The word “spirit” is often used in the Scriptures as the seat of the affections, and emotions, and passions of various kinds; see Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit;” Luke 10:21, “Jesus rejoiced in spirit.” So it is the seat of ardor or fervor Luke 1:17; Acts 18:25; Romans 12:11; of grief or indignation; Mark 3:12; John 11:33; John 13:21; Acts 17:16. It refers also to feelings, disposition, or temper of mind, in Luke 9:55; Romans 8:15. Here it refers, it seems to me. to the heart, the will, the disposition, the feelings, as contradistinguished from the understanding; and the sense is, “My feelings find utterance in prayer; my heart is engaged in devotion; my prayer will be acceptable to God, who looks upon the feelings of the heart, and I may have true enjoyment; but my understanding will be unfruitful, that is, will not profit others. What I say will not he understood by them; and of course, however much benefit I might derive from my devotions, yet they would be useless to others.”

But my understanding - (ὁ δὲ νοῦς μου ho de nous mou). My intellect, my mind; my mental efforts and operations.

Is unfruitful - Produces nothing that will be of advantage to them. It is like a barren tree; a tree that bears nothing that can be of benefit to others. They cannot understand what I say, and of course, they cannot be profited by what I utter.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 14:14. For if I pray in an unknown tongue — If my prayers are composed of sentences and sayings taken out of the prophets, c., and in their own language-my spirit prayeth, my heart is engaged in the work, and my prayers answer all the purpose of prayers to myself but my understanding is unfruitful to all others, because they do not understand my prayers, and I either do not or cannot interpret them. See the note on 1 Corinthians 14:19.