Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Pursue love, but be zealous for the spiritual gifts, but especially that you might prophesy.

UST You should seek to love others always. Also, you should eagerly seek that the Holy Spirit specially empowers you, particularly that you might be able to proclaim what God says.

BSB § Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

BLB Earnestly pursue love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you might prophesy.

AICNT Pursue love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

OEB Seek this love earnestly, and strive for spiritual gifts, above all for the gift of preaching.

WEBBE Follow after love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Pursue love and be eager for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

LSV Pursue love, and earnestly seek the spiritual things, and rather that you may prophesy,

FBV Make love your most important objective! But also do your best to gain spiritual gifts, especially the ability to speak God's message.[fn]

14:1 Literally, “prophesy,” but in the sense of telling the good news rather than foretelling the future. The terms “speaks God's message,” “God's prophetic message,” or “speaks for God” are used here.

TCNT Pursue love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but even more that you may prophesy.

T4T You must want to love others more than you want anything else. But you should also eagerly desire the abilities that God’s Spirit gives to believers. And you should desire most of all to have the ability to speak messages that come directly from God [MTY].

LEB Pursue love, and strive for spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

BBE Go after love; still desiring to have the things which the Spirit gives, but most of all that you may have the prophet's power.

Moff No Moff 1COR book available

Wymth Be eager in your pursuit of this Love, and be earnestly ambitious for spiritual gifts, but let it be chiefly so in order that you may prophesy.

ASV Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

DRA Follow after charity, be zealous for spiritual gifts; but rather that you may prophesy.

YLT Pursue the love, and seek earnestly the spiritual things, and rather that ye may prophecy,

Drby Follow after love, and be emulous of spiritual [manifestations], but rather that ye may prophesy.

RV Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

Wbstr Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts , but rather that ye may prophesy.

KJB-1769 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
(Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye/you_all may prophesy. )

KJB-1611 ¶ Follow after charitie, and desire spirituall giftes, but rather that yee may prophesie.
(¶ Follow after charitie, and desire spirituall giftes, but rather that ye/you_all may prophesie.)

Bshps Folowe after loue, and couet spirituall giftes but most chiefelie that ye may prophesie.
(Follow after loue, and couet spirituall giftes but most chiefelie that ye/you_all may prophesie.)

Gnva Followe after loue, and couet spirituall giftes, and rather that ye may prophecie.
(Followe after loue, and couet spirituall giftes, and rather that ye/you_all may prophecie. )

Cvdl Laboure for loue. Couet spirituall giftes, but specially that ye maye prophecye.
(Laboure for love. Couet spirituall giftes, but specially that ye/you_all may prophecye.)

TNT Labour for love and covet spretuall giftes: and most chefly for to prophesye.

Wycl Sue ye charite, loue ye spiritual thingis, but more that ye prophecien.
(Pursue ye/you_all charity, love ye/you_all spiritual things, but more that ye/you_all prophecien.)

Luth Strebet nach der Liebe! Fleißiget euch der geistlichen Gaben, am meisten aber, daß ihr weissagen möget.
(Strebet after the/of_the Liebe! Fleißiget you the/of_the geistlichen Gaben, in/at/on_the meisten but, that you/their/her weissagen möget.)

ClVg Sectamini caritatem, æmulamini spiritualia: magis autem ut prophetetis.
(Sectamini caritatem, æmulamini spiritualia: magis however as prophetetis. )

UGNT διώκετε τὴν ἀγάπην; ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ πνευματικά, μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε.
(diōkete taʸn agapaʸn; zaʸloute de ta pneumatika, mallon de hina profaʸteuaʸte.)

SBL-GNT Διώκετε τὴν ἀγάπην, ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ πνευματικά, μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε.
(Diōkete taʸn agapaʸn, zaʸloute de ta pneumatika, mallon de hina profaʸteuaʸte.)

TC-GNT Διώκετε τὴν ἀγάπην· ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ πνευματικά, μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε.
(Diōkete taʸn agapaʸn; zaʸloute de ta pneumatika, mallon de hina profaʸteuaʸte. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

διώκετε

/be/_pursuing

Connecting Statement:

Here Paul speaks as if he wants the Corinthians to run after and try to capture love. He speaks in this way because he wants them to act in love as persistently as someone who “pursues” someone or something. 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: [Consistently act in] or [Seek after]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τὴν ἀγάπην

¬the love

Connecting Statement:

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind love, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “love.” Paul implies that the object of love is other people. Alternate translation: [loving others]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

ζηλοῦτε δὲ

/be/_being_zealous and

Connecting Statement:

Here, but introduces the next topic that Paul wishes to speak about. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express but and think that Paul is contrasting Pursue love and be zealous for spiritual gifts with another word that introduces a new topic, or you could start a new sentence here. If you use the second alternate translation, you may need to add a period before it. Alternate translation: [and be zealous for] or [Be zealous for]

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

ζηλοῦτε

/be/_being_zealous

Here, to be zealous for something means that one vigorously seeks after it or strongly desires it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express be zealous for with a comparable expression. Alternate translation: [set your heart on] or [seek after]

μᾶλλον

Here, especially could mean: (1) that prophecy is the best gift to be zealous for. Alternate translation: [above all] (2) that prophecy is better than spiritual gifts. Alternate translation: [more than that,]

Parallel 1COR 14:1

Connecting Statement:

Connecting Statement:

Connecting Statement: