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14 If[a] I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. 15 What should I do?[b] I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praises with my spirit, but I will also sing praises with my mind. 16 Otherwise, if you are praising God with your spirit, how can someone without the gift[c] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:14 tc ‡ Most witnesses, including some significant ones (א A Ds Ψ 048 M lat sy bo), have γάρ (gar, “for”) here, while an equally impressive array of witnesses lack the conjunction (P46 B F G 0243 1739 1881 sa). This conjunction was frequently added by scribes in epistolary literature as a clarifying word, making the connection with the preceding more explicit. As such, it has the earmarks of being a motivated reading and thus should be rejected. NA28 places the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
  2. 1 Corinthians 14:15 tn Grk “what then is it?”
  3. 1 Corinthians 14:16 tn Grk “how can someone who fills the place of the unlearned say ‘Amen.’”

14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,(A) but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit,(B) but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing(C) with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,[a] say “Amen”(D) to your thanksgiving,(E) since they do not know what you are saying?

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:16 The Greek word for inquirer is a technical term for someone not fully initiated into a religion; also in verses 23 and 24.