What does 1 Corinthians 14:16 mean? (2024)

FAQs

What does 1 Corinthians 14:16 mean? ›

Those who don't understand the words cannot be encouraged by the expression of thanks, and they cannot amplify it by agreeing. It becomes meaningless for them. The word "outsider" in this verse most likely refers to everyone listening who does not understand what it being said in the unknown language.

To do everything in love means that we do not dishonor others, brag, or become easily angered. To do everything in love means to rejoice in the truth of God, reject evil, and to trust and hope in Him. Believers can make choices each day out of love that result in being patient, kind, and forgiving.

1 Corinthians 14 concludes Paul's teaching on the spiritual gifts begun in chapter 12. Between them, chapter 13 declared that Christlike love matters most of all. The gift of prophecy is better than the display of the gift of tongues in worship services unless someone with the gift of interpreting tongues is available.

To bring yourself down into your heart in that moment simply let go, accept that your mind is where it is, and imagine God down in your body. That doesn't mean it's all emotion though, either. God loves emotions and often speaks through them, but prayer isn't primarily an emotional experience. It's a relational one.

This passage speaks about this same tension. Our natural selves don't embrace the truth of the spirit. In fact, spiritual truth is foolishness to some of our natural instincts. As followers of Jesus, we are given the Holy Spirit, and with that comes the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is the mind of real truth.

16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say "Amen" to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 16 For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don't understand you praise God along with you?

Bible Meaning of 1 Corinthians 16:14

In this verse, Paul was signifying, that the whole of their obedience to Christ, their observation of, and subjection to all His ordinances and commands, should spring from, and be done in love to Him.

“Let all that you do be done in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:14. God values love more than anything else. As we live to serve Him, nothing is more important than making sure that all that we do is done with love. Colossians 3:14 says, “Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”

Paul's response is that praying to God without knowing what is being said makes the experience only a spiritual one and not mentally engaging. For those who listen to unintelligible words, it is neither spiritual nor intellectual. It is meaningless.

For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

Can God hear your prayers in your thoughts? ›

The simple answer is yes, God hears your prayers. An ever-present, all-knowing God will hear every word from your mouth, thought in your mind and whisper of your heart. But there are some things that might affect whether He answers.

There's nothing wrong with silent prayer. On the contrary, the Bible depicts Hannah being judged by others (a priest, no less) as she prayed silently—but her prayer was heard and answered by God (see 1 Samuel 1). Still, there are some good reasons to pray aloud, even when no one but God is around to hear you.

He's the Spirit of truth, and without Him, we can never correctly understand the Bible (John 14:17). without the Holy Spirit, we can never correctly understand the Bible. This point is so important, I'll repeat it: without the Holy Spirit, we can never correctlyunderstand the Bible.

Jesus identifies the Holy Spirit as: “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.” (John 14:17). This means unbelievers do not have the Holy Spirit. However, many unbelievers have Paul's “fruit of the Spirit.” They are loving; peaceful; long-suffering; and faithful.

To know God's WAYS is to know Who He is; to know God's Acts is to know what He does. Many people only know God's acts, not His Ways. They know Him superficially – not intimately.

1 Corinthians 16:14 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God's love for us].

we see the will of God done in the spirit, But in that change which is promised to the righteous there, Let thy will be done as in heaven, so in earth; that is, as the spirit does not resist God, so let the body not resist the spirit.

1 Corinthians 16:14 Everything should be done in love.

Praying for the will of God to be done in and through our lives on earth, as it is in heaven, means that we are willing to go through whatever might prevent that purpose from being accomplished. Our prayer is that we want to be so aligned with the will and purpose of God that we ask God to empower us to accomplish it.