Lectionary Calendar
Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

1 Corinthians 14:14

For, if I am praying in a tongue, my spirit, is praying, but, my mind, is unfruitful.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Interpretation;   Language;   Man;   Preaching;   Tongues (the Gift);   The Topic Concordance - Prophecy and Prophets;   Tongues;   Understanding;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prayer, Public;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Humanity, humankind;   Tongues;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mind/reason;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Worship of God;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Tongues, Gift of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Corinthians, First Epistle to the;   Ethics;   Prayer;   Psychology;   Spirit;   Spiritual Gifts;   Tongues, Gift of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Acts of the Apostles;   Edification;   Holy Spirit;   Mind;   Prayer;   Tongues Gift of;   Voice;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Edification;   Tongues, Gift of;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Unfruitful;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Synagogue;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ignorance;   Prayer;   Spiritual Gifts;   Tongues, Gift of;  

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.
Bible in Basic English
For if I make use of tongues in my prayers, my spirit makes the prayer, but not my mind.
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.
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, brethren - if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit, you, except I speak, unto you, either by way of revelation, or knowledge, or prophesying, or teaching? 7 In like manner, the things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, if, a distinction in the sounds, they do not give, how shall it be known, what is being piped or harped? 8 For, if also, an uncertain sound, a trumpet, should give, who shall prepare himself for battle? 9 So, also, ye, through means of the tongue, except ye give intelligible discourse, how shall it be known what is being spoken? for ye will be speaking, to the air. 10 There may happen to be so many kinds of languages in the world, and, not one, unspoken: - 11 If, then, I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be, unto him that is speaking, a foreigner, and, he that is speaking, shall be, in my case, a foreigner. 12 So, ye, also - since ye are, envious, of spirits, unto the upbuilding of the assembly, seek to be pre-eminent. 13 Wherefore, he that speaketh with a tongue, let him pray that he may translate; 14 For, if I am praying in a tongue, my spirit, is praying, but, my mind, is unfruitful.

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, with all the goods that they bad gathered and the souls that they had gained in Haran, - and they came forth to go towards the land of Canaan, and came in to the land of Canaan.
Genesis 12:16
and with Abram, dealt he well for her sake, - so that he came to have flocks and herds and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses and camels.
Genesis 13:8
So then Abram said unto Lot Pray let not cause of strife arise betwixt me and thee, or betwixt my herdmen and thy herdmen; for brethren, are we.
Genesis 14:1
And it came to pass, in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, - Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goim,
Genesis 14:2
that they made war, with Bera, king of Sodom, and with Birsha, king of Gomorrah, - Shinab, king of Admah, and Shemeber, king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela - the same, is Zoar.
Genesis 14:3
All these, joined together in the valley of the open fields, the same, is the Salt Sea.
Genesis 14:5
and in the fourteenth year, had Chedorlaomer come in and the kings who were with him, so they smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, - and the Emim, in Shaveh-kiriathaim;
Genesis 14:11
And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went their way.
Genesis 14:12
And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son with his goods, and went their way, - he, being a dweller in Sodom.
Genesis 15:3
And Abram said - Lo, to me, hast thou not given seed, -

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile