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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

1 Corinthians 14:13

So those who have the gift of speaking in a different language should pray that they can also interpret what they say.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Interpretation;   Interpreter;   Language;   Miracles;   Preaching;   Tongues (the Gift);   The Topic Concordance - Prophecy and Prophets;   Tongues;   Understanding;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Church, the;   Language;   Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Interpretation;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gifts of the spirit;   Tongues;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Interpreting of Tongues;   Worship of God;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Tongues, Gift of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Corinthians, First Epistle to the;   Ethics;   Interpretation;   Spiritual Gifts;   Tongues, Gift of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Edification;   Influence;   Interpretation;   Tongues Gift of;   Voice;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Edification;   Tongues, Gift of;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Synagogue;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Teach;   Tongues, Gift of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore the person who speaks in another tongue should pray that he can interpret.
King James Version (1611)
Wherefore let him that speaketh in an vnknowen tongue, pray that he may interprete.
King James Version
Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
English Standard Version
Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.
New American Standard Bible
Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue is to pray that he may interpret.
New Century Version
The one who has the gift of speaking in a different language should pray for the gift to interpret what is spoken.
Amplified Bible
Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may [be gifted to] translate or explain [what he says].
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may translate.
Berean Standard Bible
Therefore, the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.
Contemporary English Version
When we speak languages that others don't know, we should pray for the power to explain what we mean.
Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore someone who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret.
Darby Translation
Wherefore let him that speaks with a tongue pray that he may interpret.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore, let him that speaketh a strange tongue, pray, that he may interprete.
George Lamsa Translation
Thus he who speaks in an unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret it.
Good News Translation
The person who speaks in strange tongues, then, must pray for the gift to explain what is said.
Lexham English Bible
Therefore the one who speaks in a tongue must pray that he may interpret.
Literal Translation
So then, the one speaking in a language, let him pray that he may interpret.
American Standard Version
Wherefore let him that speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
Bible in Basic English
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.
Hebrew Names Version
Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret.
International Standard Version
Therefore, the person who speaks in a tongue should pray for the ability to interpret it.
Etheridge Translation
And let him who speaketh with tongues pray that he may interpret.
Murdock Translation
And let him that speaketh in a tongue, pray that he may interpret.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherfore, let him that speaketh with tongue, pray that he may interprete.
English Revised Version
Wherefore let him that speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
World English Bible
Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Therefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret.
Weymouth's New Testament
Therefore let a man who has the gift of tongues pray for the power of interpreting them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And therfor he that spekith in langage, preie, that he expowne.
Update Bible Version
Therefore let him that speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore, let him that speaketh in an [unknown] language, pray that he may interpret.
New English Translation
So then, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.
New King James Version
Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
New Living Translation
So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said.
New Life Bible
So the man who speaks in special sounds should pray for the gift to be able to tell what they mean.
New Revised Standard
Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Wherefore, he that speaketh with a tongue, let him pray that he may translate;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And therefore he that speaketh by a tongue, let him pray that he may interpret.
Revised Standard Version
Therefore, he who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Wherfore let him that speaketh with tonges praye that he maye interpret also.
Young's Literal Translation
wherefore he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue -- let him pray that he may interpret;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore let him that speaketh wt tunges, praye, that he maye interprete also.
Mace New Testament (1729)
wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue, pray for the gift of interpretation.
THE MESSAGE
So, when you pray in your private prayer language, don't hoard the experience for yourself. Pray for the insight and ability to bring others into that intimacy. If I pray in tongues, my spirit prays but my mind lies fallow, and all that intelligence is wasted. So what's the solution? The answer is simple enough. Do both. I should be spiritually free and expressive as I pray, but I should also be thoughtful and mindful as I pray. I should sing with my spirit, and sing with my mind. If you give a blessing using your private prayer language, which no one else understands, how can some outsider who has just shown up and has no idea what's going on know when to say "Amen"? Your blessing might be beautiful, but you have very effectively cut that person out of it.
Simplified Cowboy Version
If you're gonna pray for the ability to speak in tongues, pray also for the ability to interpret them.

Contextual Overview

6 Brothers and sisters, will it help you if I come to you speaking in different languages? No, it will help you only if I bring you a new truth or some knowledge, prophecy, or teaching. 7 This is true even with lifeless things that make sounds—like a flute or a harp. If the different musical notes are not made clear, you can't understand what song is being played. Each note must be played clearly for you to be able to understand the tune. 8 And in a war, if the trumpet does not sound clearly, the soldiers will not know it is time to prepare for fighting. 9 It is the same with you. If you don't speak clearly in a language people know, they cannot understand what you are saying. You will be talking to the air! 10 It is true that there are many different languages in the world, and they all have meaning. 11 But if I don't understand the meaning of what someone is saying, it will just be strange sounds to me, and I will sound just as strange to them. 12 That's why you who want spiritual gifts so much should prefer those gifts that help the church grow stronger. 13 So those who have the gift of speaking in a different language should pray that they can also interpret what they say. 14 If I pray in a different language, my spirit is praying, but my mind does nothing.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

pray: 1 Corinthians 14:27, 1 Corinthians 14:28, 1 Corinthians 12:10, 1 Corinthians 12:30, Mark 11:24, John 14:13, John 14:14, Acts 1:14, Acts 4:29-31, Acts 8:15

Reciprocal: 1 Corinthians 14:5 - except

Cross-References

Genesis 10:16
Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,
Genesis 14:24
The only thing I will accept is the food that my young men have eaten, but you should give the other men their share. Take what we won in battle and give some to Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. These men helped me in the battle."
Genesis 39:14
She called to the men outside and said, "Look! This Hebrew slave was brought here to make fun of us. He came in and tried to attack me, but I screamed.
Genesis 40:15
I was kidnapped and taken from the land of my people, the Hebrews. I have done nothing wrong! I should not be in prison."
Genesis 41:12
There was a young Hebrew man in prison with us. He was a servant of the commander of the guards. We told him our dreams, and he explained them to us. He told us the meaning of each dream,
Genesis 43:32
The servants seated Joseph at a table by himself. His brothers were at another table by themselves, and the Egyptians were at a table by themselves. The Egyptians believed that it was wrong for them to eat with Hebrews.
Exodus 2:6
The king's daughter opened the basket and saw a baby boy. The baby was crying and she felt sorry for him. Then she noticed that it was one of the Hebrew babies.
Exodus 2:11
Moses grew and became a man. He saw that his own people, the Hebrews, were forced to work very hard. One day he saw an Egyptian man beating a Hebrew man.
Numbers 21:21
The Israelites sent some men to King Sihon of the Amorites. The men said to the king,
1 Samuel 4:12
One of the men who ran from the battle was a man from the tribe of Benjamin. He tore his clothes and put dust on his head to show his great sadness.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue,.... The Hebrew, or any other, the gift of speaking with which is bestowed upon him:

pray that he may interpret; that he may have also the gift of interpretation of tongues; for as has been before hinted, these two gifts were distinct; and a man might have the one, and not the other; a man might speak in an unknown tongue, so as to understand himself, what he said, and be edified, and yet not be capable of translating it at once into the common language of the people; and if he could not do this, he would not excel in his gift to the edification of the church; whereas if he could interpret he would, and therefore, above all things, he should pray to the Father of lights, the giver of every good and perfect gift, that he might be furnished with this also.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Pray that he may interpret - Let him ask of God ability that he may explain it clearly to the church. It would seem probable that the power of speaking foreign languages, and the power of conveying truth in a clear and distinct manner, were not always found in the same person, and that the one did not of necessity imply the other. The truth seems to have been, that these extraordinary endowments of the Holy Spirit were bestowed upon people in some such way as “ordinary” talents and mental powers are now conferred; and that they became in a similar sense the “characteristic mental endowments of the individual,” and of course were subject to the same laws, and liable to the same kinds of abuse, as mental endowments are now. And as it now happens that one man may have a special faculty for acquiring and expressing himself in a foreign language who may not be by any means distinguished for clear enunciation, or capable of conveying his ideas in an interesting manner to a congregation, so it was then.

The apostle, therefore, directs such, if any there were, instead of priding themselves on their endowments, and instead of always speaking in an unknown tongue, which would he useless to the church, to “pray” for the more useful gift of being able to convey their thoughts in a clear and intelligible manner in their vernacular tongue. This would be useful. The truths, therefore, that they had the power of speaking with eminent ability in a foreign language, they ought to desire to be able to “interpret” so that they would be intelligible to the people whom they addressed in the church. This seems to me to be the plain meaning of this passage, which has given so much perplexity to commentators. Macknight renders it, however, “Let him who prayeth in a foreign language, pray so as some one may interpret;” meaning that he who prayed in a foreign language was to do it by two or three sentences at a time, so that he might be followed by an interpreter. But this is evidently forced. In order to this, it is needful to suppose that the phrase ὁ λαλῶν ho lalōn , “that speaketh,” should be rendered, contrary to its obvious and usual meaning, “who prays,” and to supply τις tis, “someone,” in the close of the verse. The obvious interpretation is that which is given above; and this proceeds only on the supposition that the power of speaking foreign languages and the power of interpreting were not always united in the same person - a supposition that is evidently true, as appears from 1 Corinthians 12:10.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 14:13. Pray that he may interpret. — Let him who speaks or reads the prophetic declarations in the Old Testament, in that tongue in which they were originally spoken and written, pray to God that he may so understand them himself, and receive the gift of interpretation, that he may be able to explain them in all their depth and latitude to others.


 
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