1 COR 14:4 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. S
10. Y59
11. 118666
1. λαλῶν
2. laleō
3. speaking
4. speaking
5. 29800
6. VPPA·NMS
7. speaking
8. speaking
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118667
1. γλώσσῃ
2. glōssa
3. in +a tongue
4. -
5. 11000
6. N····DFS
7. ˱in˲ ˓a˒ tongue
8. ˱in˲ ˓a˒ tongue
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118668
1. ἑαυτόν
2. heautou
3. himself
4. -
5. 14380
6. R···3AMS
7. himself
8. himself
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118669
1. οἰκοδομεῖ
2. oikodomeō
3. is building
4. -
5. 36180
6. VIPA3··S
7. ˓is˒ building
8. ˓is˒ building
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118670
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the one
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····NMS
7. the ‹one›
8. the ‹one›
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118671
1. δέ
2. de
3. but
4. but
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118672
1. προφητεύων
2. profēteuō
3. prophesying
4. prophesy
5. 43950
6. VPPA·NMS
7. prophesying
8. prophesying
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118673
1. ἐκκλησίαν
2. ekklēsia
3. +the assembly
4. assembly
5. 15770
6. N····AFS
7. ˓the˒ assembly
8. ˓the˒ assembly
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118674
1. οἰκοδομεῖ
2. oikodomeō
3. is building
4. -
5. 36180
6. VIPA3··S
7. ˓is˒ building
8. ˓is˒ building
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118675

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.

14:4a

The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself,

The person who speaks in an unknown tongue strengthens himself,
When people speak in unknown/miraculous languages they build themselves up in their faith.

The one…himself: The words one and himself refer to any person, either male or female. In some languages it may be better to translate this as a plural. For example:

those who speak in a tongue edify themselves

The one who speaks in a tongue: The phrase speaks in a tongue is the same as the phrase in 14:2a and you should translate it in the same way.

edifies himself: The Greek word that the BSB translates as edifies is more literally “constructs.” It is the same word that was translated as “edification” in 14:3b. 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 idiom:

strengthens himself spiritually

builds himself up in his faith

helps himself to believe more firmly

There is some implied information here. He edifies only himself because nobody else can understand him. You may wish to make this implied information explicit. For example:

When somebody speaks in a tongue, others do not understand him, and he edifies only himself.

14:4b

but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

but the person who prophesies strengthens the people in the church.
When people declare God’s word they build up the group of believers in their faith.

but: The Greek word that the BSB translates as but indicates a contrast with 14:4a.

the one who prophesies edifies the church: The word prophesies is the same as in 14:1c and you should translate it in the same way. The word edifies is the same as in 14:4a and you should translate it in the same way.

There is some implied information here. He is able to edify the church because people understand what he is saying. You may wish to make this implied information explicit. For example:

When somebody prophesies, everybody understands him, and he edifies the whole church.

church: The word church refers to the community of believers, not to the building where they meet.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

the group of believers

the Christian group

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ & ὁ & προφητεύων

the_‹one› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ ἑαυτόν οἰκοδομεῖ ὁ δέ προφητεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ)

Here, just as in [14:2–3](../14/02.md), Paul is speaking of people “prophesying” and people “speaking in tongues” in general, not of two particular people. 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 speaks in a tongue … anyone who prophesies]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἑαυτὸν οἰκοδομεῖ & ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ ἑαυτόν οἰκοδομεῖ ὁ δέ προφητεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ)

Just as in [14:3](../14/03.md), Paul here speaks as if believers were a building that one builds up. With this metaphor, he emphasizes that The one speaking in a tongue helps himself or herself become stronger and more mature, while 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. Alternate translation: [helps himself grow … helps the church grow] or [edifies himself … edifies the church]

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

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. The one
2. -
3. 35880
4. S
5. ho
6. R-····NMS
7. the ‹one›
8. the ‹one›
9. S
10. Y59
11. 118666
1. speaking
2. speaking
3. 29800
5. laleō
6. V-PPA·NMS
7. speaking
8. speaking
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118667
1. in +a tongue
2. -
3. 11000
5. glōssa
6. N-····DFS
7. ˱in˲ ˓a˒ tongue
8. ˱in˲ ˓a˒ tongue
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118668
1. himself
2. -
3. 14380
5. heautou
6. R-···3AMS
7. himself
8. himself
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118669
1. is building
2. -
3. 36180
5. oikodomeō
6. V-IPA3··S
7. ˓is˒ building
8. ˓is˒ building
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118670
1. but
2. but
3. 11610
5. de
6. C-·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118672
1. the one
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. R-····NMS
7. the ‹one›
8. the ‹one›
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118671
1. prophesying
2. prophesy
3. 43950
5. profēteuō
6. V-PPA·NMS
7. prophesying
8. prophesying
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118673
1. +the assembly
2. assembly
3. 15770
5. ekklēsia
6. N-····AFS
7. ˓the˒ assembly
8. ˓the˒ assembly
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118674
1. is building
2. -
3. 36180
5. oikodomeō
6. V-IPA3··S
7. ˓is˒ building
8. ˓is˒ building
9. -
10. Y59
11. 118675

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 14:4

SR Greek word order

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

Paragraph 14:1–5

14:4a

14:4b

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

OET interlinear 1 COR 14:4

SR Greek word order

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

Paragraph 14:1–5

14:4a

14:4b

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

OET interlinear 1 COR 14:4