1 COR 14:3 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the one
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····NMS
7. the ‹one›
8. the ‹one›
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118656
1. Δέ
2. de
3. But
4. -
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. S
10. Y59
11. 118657
1. προφητεύων
2. profēteuō
3. prophesying
4. prophesying
5. 43950
6. VPPA·NMS
7. prophesying
8. prophesying
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118658
1. ἀνθρώποις
2. anthrōpos
3. to people
4. people
5. 4440
6. N····DMP
7. ˱to˲ people
8. ˱to˲ people
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118659
1. λαλεῖ
2. laleō
3. is speaking
4. speaks
5. 29800
6. VIPA3··S
7. ˓is˒ speaking
8. ˓is˒ speaking
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118660
1. οἰκοδομήν
2. oikodomē
3. building
4. -
5. 36190
6. N····AFS
7. building
8. building
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118661
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118662
1. παράκλησιν
2. paraklēsis
3. exhortation
4. -
5. 38740
6. N····AFS
7. exhortation
8. exhortation
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118663
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118664
1. παραμυθίαν
2. paramuthia
3. consolation
4. -
5. 38890
6. N····AFS
7. consolation
8. consolation
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118665

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 14:1–40 Believers should worship God in an orderly way

In this section Paul instructed the Corinthian believers about how they should worship God together. First, he compared prophecy and tongues. He stressed the value of prophecy for building up the church. Then he said they should conduct their worship services in an orderly and harmonious way. They were not to speak all at once. People who spoke in tongues should have someone to interpret, and women were to remain silent in the assembly.

Here are some other possible section headings:

Good order in worship

The spiritual gifts of prophecy and tongues

Use spiritual gifts to help the church grow

Paragraph 14:1–5

In this paragraph Paul resumed his discussion about spiritual gifts that he began in 12:31. He compared the gift of speaking in tongues and the gift of prophecy. He said that the gift of prophecy is more useful to the church.

14:3a

But he who prophesies speaks to men

But someone who prophesies is speaking to people
But those who declare God’s word, speak to people

But: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as But introduces a contrast to 14:2. The contrast is that those who speak in tongues speak to God, but those who prophesy speak to men. The RSV and NJB indicate this contrast with an English idiom:

On the other hand (NJB)

he who prophesies speaks to men: The phrase he who prophesies speaks to men implies that people who prophesy speak their message in a language that the listeners can understand.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

someone who prophesies speaks to other people (NJB)

those who proclaim God’s message speak to people (GNT)

14:3b

for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.

to strengthen them, to encourage them, and to comfort them.
to build them up in their faith, to give them confidence, and to reassure them.

for their edification: The Greek word that the BSB translates as their edification is more literally “construction.” This is a Greek idiom. It speaks as if a person is a building that is being built.

Here are some other ways to translate this Greek idiom:

to strengthen them spiritually

to build them up in their faith

to help them to believe more firmly

encouragement: When you “encourage” somebody, you give them hope or confidence.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

to encourage them

to give them confidence

In some languages there may be an idiom for this, such as:

so that their hearts/livers are strengthened

If there is an idiom that means the same thing in your language, you can use it here.

and comfort: When you comfort somebody, you give them hope about bad things that have happened.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

consolation

reassurance

In some languages it may be more natural to translate this as a verb. For example:

to comfort them/their hearts

to make them feel better

to reassure them

General Comment on 14:3a-b

One important point in this verse is left implied. This point is that the listeners will be able to understand the one who prophesies. He will speak in a language they know. You may wish to follow the CEV and make this implied information explicit:

But when you prophesy, you will be understood, and others will be helped. They will be encouraged and made to feel better. (CEV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

ὁ & προφητεύων

the_‹one› & prophesying

Paul is speaking of people “prophesying” in general, not of one particular person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this form with a form that refers to people in general. Alternate translation: [anyone who prophesies]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἀνθρώποις

˱to˲_people

Although men is masculine, Paul is using it to refer to anyone, whether man or woman. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express men with a non gendered word or refer to both genders. Alternate translation: [to humans]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

οἰκοδομὴν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ προφητεύων ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ οἰκοδομήν καί παράκλησιν καί παραμυθίαν)

Paul here speaks as if believers were a building that one “builds up.” With this metaphor, he emphasizes that the one prophesying helps other believers become stronger and more mature, just like the one who builds a house makes it strong and complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this figure of speech with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. See how you translated this metaphor in [8:1](../08/01.md). Alternate translation: [for growth] or [for edification]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

παράκλησιν, καὶ παραμυθίαν

exhortation (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ προφητεύων ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ οἰκοδομήν καί παράκλησιν καί παραμυθίαν)

Here, encouragement refers primarily to “encouraging” others to act or think in a specific way. On the other hand, consolation refers primarily to “comforting” others in grief or pain. If your language has words that fit with these distinctions, you could use them here. If your language does not have words that fit with these distinctions, you can use one general word for “exhortation” or encouragement. Alternate translation: [exhortation]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

παράκλησιν, καὶ παραμυθίαν

exhortation (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ προφητεύων ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ οἰκοδομήν καί παράκλησιν καί παραμυθίαν)

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas behind encouragement and consolation, you can express the ideas by using verbs such as “encourage” and “console.” Alternate translation: [encouraging and consoling]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear 1 COR 14:3

SR Greek word order

Section 14:1–40 Believers should worship God in an orderly way

Paragraph 14:1–5

14:3a

14:3b

General Comment on 14:3a-b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 1 COR 14:3

SR Greek word order

Section 14:1–40 Believers should worship God in an orderly way

Paragraph 14:1–5

14:3a

14:3b

General Comment on 14:3a-b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

OET interlinear 1 COR 14:3