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.)

OET (OET-RV) So then, speaking in other languages is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. However in contrast, prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for believers.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
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 So then, the tongues are for a sign, not to the ones believing, but to the unbelievers; but prophecy is not to the unbelievers, but to the ones believing.

UST Therefore, talking in unknown languages signifies that God judges people who do not believe in the Messiah, not people who do believe in the Messiah. On the other hand, proclaiming what God says signifies that God acts kindly toward people who believe in the Messiah, not toward people who do not believe in the Messiah.

BSB § Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

BLB So then, tongues are for a sign, not to those believing, but to the unbelieving; but prophecy is not to the unbelieving, but to the believing.

AICNT Therefore, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.

OEB Therefore the gift of the “tongues” is intended as a sign, not for those who believe in Christ, but for those who do not, while the gift of preaching is intended as a sign, not for those who do not believe in Christ, but for those who do.

WEBBE Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET So then, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers.

LSV so that the tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving; and the prophecy [is] not for the unbelieving, but for the believing.

FBV Speaking in tongues is a sign, not to believers, but those who don't believe. Speaking God's prophetic message is the opposite: it is not for those who don't believe, but for believers.

TCNT So then, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.

T4T If we speak in languages [MTY] that we have not learned, unbelievers who are there will realize that the Spirit of God is truly among us. That will warn them that they need to fear God. But believers do not need such a warning.

LEB So then, tongues are for a sign not to those who believe, but to unbelievers, but prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe.

BBE For this reason tongues are for a sign, not to those who have faith, but to those who have not: but the prophet's word is for those who have faith, and not for the rest who have not.

Moff No Moff 1COR book available

Wymth This shows that the gift of tongues is intended as a sign not to those who believe but to unbelievers, but prophecy is intended not for unbelievers but for those who believe.

ASV Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to them that believe.

DRA Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to believers, but to unbelievers; but prophecies not to unbelievers, but to believers.

YLT so that the tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving; and the prophesy [is] not for the unbelieving, but for the believing,

Drby So that tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers; but prophecy, not to unbelievers, but to those who believe.

RV Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to them that believe.

Wbstr Wherefore languages are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them who believe.

KJB-1769 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

KJB-1611 Wherfore tongues are for a signe, not to them that beleeue, but to them that beleeue not: But prophesying serueth not for them that beleeue not, but for them which beleeue.
(Wherefore tongues are for a signe, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: But prophesying serueth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.)

Bshps Wherfore, tongues are for a signe, not to them that beleue, but to them that beleue not: But prophesiyng serueth not for them that beleue not, but for them which beleue.
(Wherfore, tongues are for a signe, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: But prophesiyng serueth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.)

Gnva Wherefore strange tongues are for a signe, not to them that beleeue, but to them that beleeue not: but prophecying serueth not for them that beleeue not, but for them which beleeue.
(Wherefore strange tongues are for a signe, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophecying serueth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. )

Cvdl Therfore are tunges for a token, not to the that beleue, but to them that beleue not. Contrary wyse, prophecienge, not to them that beleue not, but to them which beleue.
(Therefore are tongues for a token, not to the that believe, but to them that believe not. Contrary wyse, prophecienge, not to them that believe not, but to them which believe.)

TNT Wherfore tonges are for a signe not to them that beleve: but to them that beleve not. Contrary wyse prophesyinge serveth not for them that beleve not: but for them which beleve.
(Wherefore tonges are for a sign not to them that believe: but to them that believe not. Contrary wise prophesyinge serveth not for them that believe not: but for them which believe. )

Wycl Therfor langagis ben in to tokene, not to feithful men, but to men out of the feith; but prophecies ben not to men out of the feith, but to feithful men.
(Therefore langagis been in to tokene, not to faithful men, but to men out of the faith; but prophecies been not to men out of the faith, but to faithful men.)

Luth Darum so sind die Zungen zum Zeichen, nicht den Gläubigen, sondern den Ungläubigen; die Weissagung aber nicht den Ungläubigen, sondern den Gläubigen.
(Therefore so are the Zungen for_the Zeichen, not the Gläubigen, rather the Ungläubigen; the Weissagung but not the Ungläubigen, rather the Gläubigen.)

ClVg Itaque linguæ in signum sunt non fidelibus, sed infidelibus: prophetiæ autem non infidelibus, sed fidelibus.[fn]
(Itaque linguæ in signum are not/no fidelibus, but infidelibus: prophetiæ however not/no infidelibus, but fidelibus. )

14.22 Itaque linguæ in signum. Id est sermones Dei incognita lingua et peregrina obscuri sunt ne videantur a perfidis, ut cum audiuntur, signum sit quia propter perfidiam factum est ne audientes intelligant: hoc utique fit infidelibus quibus teguntur sensus, fidelibus autem convenit prophetia et non lingua incognita.

14.22 Itaque linguæ in signum. That it_is sermones of_God incognita lingua and peregrina obscuri are not videantur from perfidis, as when/with audiuntur, signum let_it_be because propter perfidiam done it_is not hearing intelligant: this utique fit infidelibus to_whom teguntur sensus, fidelibus however convenit prophetia and not/no lingua incognita.

UGNT ὥστε αἱ γλῶσσαι εἰς σημεῖόν εἰσιν, οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις; ἡ δὲ προφητεία, οὐ τοῖς ἀπίστοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν.
(hōste hai glōssai eis saʸmeion eisin, ou tois pisteuousin, alla tois apistois; haʸ de profaʸteia, ou tois apistois, alla tois pisteuousin.)

SBL-GNT ὥστε αἱ γλῶσσαι εἰς σημεῖόν εἰσιν οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις, ἡ δὲ προφητεία οὐ τοῖς ἀπίστοις ἀλλὰ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν.
(hōste hai glōssai eis saʸmeion eisin ou tois pisteuousin alla tois apistois, haʸ de profaʸteia ou tois apistois alla tois pisteuousin.)

TC-GNT Ὥστε αἱ γλῶσσαι εἰς σημεῖόν εἰσιν, οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις· ἡ δὲ προφητεία, οὐ τοῖς ἀπίστοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν.
(Hōste hai glōssai eis saʸmeion eisin, ou tois pisteuousin, alla tois apistois; haʸ de profaʸteia, ou tois apistois, alla tois pisteuousin. )

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

UTN uW Translation Notes:

εἰς σημεῖόν εἰσιν

for /a/_sign are

Connecting Statement:

Here, sign could be: (1) a negative indication of God’s judgment or wrath. This would fit with what the quotation from Isaiah in the last verse suggests. Alternate translation: “are an indication of God’s judgment” (2) a positive indication of what convicts or impresses people. This would fit with what “signs” means in 1:22, but it does not fit well with the next two verses (See: 14:23–24). Alternate translation: “are impressive” or “are convicting”

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

σημεῖόν & οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις & οὐ τοῖς ἀπίστοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν

/a/_sign & not ˱to˲_the_‹ones› believing but ˱to˲_the unbelievers & not ˱to˲_the unbelievers but ˱to˲_the_‹ones› believing

Connecting Statement:

If your language would naturally put those whom the signs are to before those whom they are not to, you could rearrange the clauses so that the not clause is second. Alternate translation: “a sign to the unbelievers, not to those who believe … is to those who believe, not to the unbelievers”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἡ & προφητεία, οὐ

¬the & prophecy not

Here Paul omits some words that your language may require to make a complete thought. The Corinthians could have inferred: (1) the words “is for a sign,” since Paul used these words in the first half of the verse. Alternate translation: “prophecy is for a sign, not” (2) the word “is,” since Paul’s language often implies “is” when there is no verb. See the ULT.

ἡ & προφητεία, οὐ

¬the & prophecy not

If Paul implies “is for a sign” here, then “sign” could mean what it meant earlier in the verse, but it more likely means something different. “Sign” could be: (1) a positive indication of what convicts or impresses people. Alternate translation: “prophesy is impressive, not” or “prophecy is convicting, not” (2) a negative indication of God’s judgment or wrath. Alternate translation: “prophecy is an indication of God’s judgment, not”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἡ & προφητεία

¬the & prophecy

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind prophecy, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “prophesy.” Alternate translation: “what people prophesy”

Parallel 1COR 14:22

Connecting Statement:

Connecting Statement: