1 Corinthians 14:16
in 1 Corinthians 14Otherwise, if you speak a blessing in spirit, how can someone who is uninstructed say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Else if thou bless with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest?
KJV
Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 14
Commentary
14 notes on this verseHe that occupieth the room of the unlearned - One who is not acquainted with the language in which you speak, sing, or pray. Say Amen - Give his assent and ratification to what he does not understand. It was very frequent in primitive times to express their approbation in the public assemblies by Amen. This practice, soberly and piously conducted, might still be of great use in the Church of Christ.
This site's exposition
if I pray in a tongue
on 1 Corinthians 14:14-17
In a tongue the spirit prays while the mind is unfruitful, so verse 15 keeps both, praying and singing with spirit and with mind. The uninstructed hearer of verses 16 and 17 cannot say Amen to thanks he never understood.
This site's exposition
how can someone who is uninstructed
Uninstructed translates idiotes, a private person without special training, here someone who lacks the gift. In Greek the word carries the article, the Amen, a response the congregation spoke aloud as Israel did in Nehemiah 8:6. Assent needs understanding.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
The confirmation of the prayer comes about when people say "Amen" to it. The words spoken are confirmed in the minds of the hearers by the confession of truth.
This teacher declares that the restitution of all things will take place, when all these, mixing into one letter, shall utter one and the same sound. He imagines that the emblem of this utterance is found in Amen, which we pronounce in concert. The diverse sounds (he adds) are those which give form to that Aeon who is without material substance and unbegotten, and these, again, are the forms which the Lord has called angels, who continually behold the face of the Father.
"Else," saith he, "if thou bless with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest?" "For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified." Observe how again here he brings his stone to the plumb-line every where seeking the edification of the Church. Now by the "unlearned" he means the laymen, and signifies that he also suffers no little loss when he is unable to say the Amen. And what he saith is this: "if thou shalt bless in a barbarian tongue, not knowing what thou sayest, nor able to interpret, the layman cannot respond the Amen. For not hearing the words, 'forever and ever,' which are at the end, he doth not say the Amen." Then again, comforting him concerning this, that he might not seem to hold the gift too cheap; the same kind of remark as he made above, that "he speaketh mysteries," and "speaketh unto God," and "edifieth himself," and "prayeth with the spirit," intending no little comfort from these things, this also he utters here, saying, "for thou indeed givest thanks well," since thou speakest being moved by the Spirit: but the other hearing nothing nor knowing what is said, stands there, receiving no great advantage by it.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Here, secondly, he shows that the gift of prophecy is more valuable than the gift of tongues, even in public prayer, which is when a priest prays in public, where he sometimes says things he does not understand and sometimes things he does understand. In …
When, he says, you sing, if you bless "in the spirit," that is, by a spiritual gift through a tongue, then the one occupying the place of the unlearned, that is, the layman — how will he say "amen" to your prayer? For you spoke …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Otherwise how shall he that filleth the place of a private person - That is, any private hearer. Say Amen - Assenting and confirming your words, as it was even then usual for the whole congregation to do.
He who fills up or occupies the place of the unlearned, that is, as the ancients interpret it, the body of the people, who, in most Christian assemblies, are illiterate; how should they say Amen to prayers in an unknown tongue? How should they declare their consent and concurrence? This is saying Amen, So be it.
Else when thou shall bless with the spirit,....
He informs them that tongues were a sign for unbelievers rather than those that believe; and represents the advantage of prophecy above speaking with tongues, from the different suggestions they would give to the mind of an unbeliever coming into their assemblies,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
We must join with the leader of the prayers and praises of the congregation, and say aloud our responsive "Amen" in assent, as was the usage of the Jewish (De 27:15-26; Ne 8:6) and Christian primitive churches [JUSTIN MARTYR, Apology, 2.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-brackets
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Else - (Ἐπεί Epei). Since; if this is not done; if what is said is not intelligible, how shall the unlearned be able appropriately to express his assent, and join in your devotions? When thou shalt bless - When thou shalt bless God, or give thanks to him. If thou shalt lead the devotions of the people in expressing thanksgiving for mercies and favors. This may refer to a part of public worship, or to the thanks which should be expressed at table, and the invocation of the divine blessing to attend the bounties of his providence. Paul had illustrated his subject by prayer and by singing; be now does it by a reference to the important part of public worship expressed in giving thanks. With the spirit - In the manner referred to above; that is, in an unknown tongue, in such a way that your own “heart” may be engaged in it, but which would be unintelligible to others. He that occupieth the room - Is in the place, or the seat of the unlearned; that is, he who is unlearned. On the meaning of the word “room,” see the note at Luk 14:8. To “fill” a place means to occupy a station, or to be found in a slate or condition. Of the unlearned - (τοῦ ἰδιώτου tou idiōtou. On the meaning of this word, see the note at Act 4:13. Here it means one who was unacquainted with the foreign language spoken by him who gave thanks. It properly denotes a man in “private,” in contradistinction from a man in “public” life; and hence, a man who is ignorant and unlettered, as such people generally were. Say Amen - This word means “truly, verily;” and is an expression of affirmation Joh 3:5 or of assent. Here it means assent. How can he pronounce “the” Amen; how can he express his assent; how can he join in the act of devotion? This “might” have been, and probably “was,” expressed aloud; and there is no impropriety in it. […]
The words behind it
24 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐπεὶ | epei | Otherwise | G1893 → | 26 times |
| ἐὰν | ean | if | G1437 → | 352 times |
| εὐλογῇς | eulogeas | you shall bless | G2127 → | 41 times |
| ἐν | en | in [the] | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| πνεύματι, | pneumati | spirit, | G4151 → | 378 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀναπληρῶν | anapleron | filling | G378 → | |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τόπον | topon | place | G5117 → | |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἰδιώτου | idiotou | uninstructed | G2399 → | 5 times |
| πῶς | pos | how | G4459 → | 103 times |
| ἐρεῖ | erei | will he say | G4483 → | 46 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀμὴν | amen | Amen | G281 → | |
| ἐπὶ | epi | at | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σῇ | sea | your | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| εὐχαριστίᾳ; | eucharistia | thanksgiving? | G2169 → | |
| ἐπειδὴ | epeide | since | G1894 → | 10 times |
| τί | ti | what | G5101 → | 563 times |
| λέγεις | legeis | you say [is that] | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| οἶδεν· | oiden | he knows; |
ἐπεὶOtherwise
epeiG1893 →26 times
ἐὰνif
eanG1437 →352 times
εὐλογῇςyou shall bless
eulogeasG2127 →41 times
ἐνin [the]
enG1722 →2738 times
πνεύματι,spirit,
pneumatiG4151 →378 times
ὁthe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἀναπληρῶνfilling
anapleronG378 →
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
τόπονplace
toponG5117 →
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
ἰδιώτουuninstructed
idiotouG2399 →5 times
πῶςhow
posG4459 →103 times
ἐρεῖwill he say
ereiG4483 →46 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
ἀμὴνAmen
amenG281 →
ἐπὶat
epiG1909 →883 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
σῇyour
seaG4771 →2973 times
εὐχαριστίᾳ;thanksgiving?
eucharistiaG2169 →
ἐπειδὴsince
epeideG1894 →10 times
τίwhat
tiG5101 →563 times
λέγειςyou say [is that]
legeisG3004 →1325 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
οἶδεν·he knows;
oiden
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 11:24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
it leads to
- John 6:53–58
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you.
- 1 Corinthians 11:27–28
Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
- 1 Corinthians 10:3–4
They all ate the same spiritual food
- John 6:53–58
Through
1 Chronicles 16:36Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.” Then all the people said, “Amen!” and “Praise the LORD!”
it leads to
- Psalms 72:18–19
Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Kings 8:15
and said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying,
- Psalms 72:18–19
Through
Nehemiah 8:6Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted, all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 2:8
Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.
- Lamentations 3:41
Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven:
- 1 Timothy 2:8
Through
Revelation 5:14And the four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
it leads to
- Revelation 19:4
And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying: “Amen, Hallelujah!”
- Revelation 19:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book I; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 35; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.