1 Corinthians 14:25
in 1 Corinthians 14and the secrets of his heart will be made known. So he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is truly among you!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.
KJV
And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 14
Commentary
15 notes on this verseLet Marcion then exhibit, as gifts of his god, some prophets, such as have not spoken by human sense, but with the Spirit of God, such as have both predicted things to come, and have made manifest the secrets of the heart; let him produce a psalm, a vision, a prayer -only let it be by the Spirit, in an ecstasy, that is, in a rapture, whenever an interpretation of tongues has occurred to him; let him show to me also, that any woman of boastful tongue in his community has ever prophesied from amongst those specially holy sisters of his.
This site's exposition
if the whole church comes together
on 1 Corinthians 14:23-25
If everyone speaks in tongues, a visiting outsider will say the church is out of its mind. Under prophecy the same outsider is convicted, the secrets of his heart made known, and he falls facedown and worships God.
This site's exposition
the secrets of his heart will be made known
Prophecy makes the secrets of the heart known, the way Jesus told the Samaritan woman her own story in John 4. Falling facedown was the posture of worship before God. Matthew Henry sees here plain preaching doing its work on an unbeliever's conscience.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
But prophecy is not for a sign merely, but is also suitable and useful for faith and for profit unto both classes. And this, if not directly, yet in the sequel he more clearly explained, saying, "he is reproved by all. For, if all prophesy," saith he, "and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved by all; he is judged by all; and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed." So that not in this only is prophecy greater, in its availing with each class, but also in its attracting the more shameless of the unbelievers. For it was not the same wonder, when Peter convicted Sapphira, which was a work of prophecy, and when he spake with tongues: but in the former case all shrank into themselves; whereas, when he spake with tongues, he got the credit of being even beside himself. This then he doth in respect of the tongues, showing that they not only deprive of glory, but also bring shame upon those who have them in the eyes of the unbelievers. But prophecy, on the contrary, is both free from reproach among the unbelievers, and hath very great credit and usefulness. For none will say in regard to prophesying, "they are mad;" nor will any one deride them that prophesy; but, on the contrary, will be astonished at and admire them. For "he is reproved by all," i. e., the things which he hath in his heart, are brought forward and shown unto all: now it is not the same thing for any one to come in and see one speaking in Persian and another in Syriac, and to come in and hear the secrets of his own mind; as whether he cometh in as a tempter and with evil mind, or sincerely; or that such and such a thing hath been done by him, and such another designed. For this is much more awful and more profitable than the other. […]
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 261 · Written before 458.
proposed
Note that here the Holy Spirit is directly called God.
When he sees that God is being praised and that Christ is being adored and that nothing is disguised or being done in secret, as happens among pagans, he will understand clearly that this is true religion.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Do you see how prophecy is more useful, how, by revealing the secrets of the heart, it compels the unbeliever to acknowledge God, to fall down and worship, and to confess: "Truly God is among you"? God did something similar with Nebuchadnezzar as well. For …
How this good follows from the gift of prophecy is mentioned when he says: the secrets of his heart. This can be understood in three ways: in one way, and this is literal, that some in the early Church had the grace to know the …
7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
The secrets of his heart are made manifest - Laid open, clearly described; in a manner which to him is most astonishing and utterly unaccountable. How many instances of it are seen at this day!
Note, Religious exercises in Christian assemblies should be such as are fit to edify the faithful, and convince, affect, and convert unbelievers. The ministry was not instituted to make ostentation of gifts and parts, but to save souls.
And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest,....
He blames them for the disorder and confusion they had brought into the assembly, by their vanity and ostentation of their gifts; and directs them in using the gifts both of tongues and prophecy,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest - Made manifest to himself in a surprising and remarkable manner. He shall be led to see the “real” designs and motives of his heart. His conscience would be awakened; he would recall his former course of life; he would see that it was evil; and the present state of his heart would be made known to himself. It is possible that he would “suppose that the speaker was aiming directly at him, and “revealing” his feelings to others; for such an effect is often produced.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Rather, as the Greek is, "He will worship God, announcing," that is, openly avowing then and there, "that God is in you of a truth," and by implication that the God who is in you is of a truth the God.
And thus are the secrets of his heart - As these, who were the prophets or teachers, had often the discernment of spirits, they were able in certain cases, and probably very frequently, to tell a man the secrets of his own heart; and, where this was not directly the case, God often led his ministers to speak those things that were suitable to the case before them, though they themselves had no particular design. The sinner, therefore, convinced that God alone could uncover the secrets of his heart, would be often obliged to fall down on his face, abashed and confounded, and acknowledge that God was truly among them. This seems to be the plain meaning of the passages before us.
The words behind it
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κρυπτὰ | krupta | secrets | G2927 → | |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καρδίας | kardias | heart | G2588 → | 156 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| φανερὰ | phanera | manifest | G5318 → | 18 times |
| γίνεται, | ginetai | become, | G1096 → | 667 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οὕτως | houtos | thus | G3779 → | 208 times |
| πεσὼν | peson | having fallen | G4098 → | 90 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| πρόσωπον | prosopon | [his] face | G4383 → | 75 times |
| προσκυνήσει | proskunesei | he will worship | G4352 → | |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεῷ | theo | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἀπαγγέλλων | apangellon | declaring | G518 → | |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ὄντως | ontos | certainly | G3689 → | |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεὸς | theos | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἐν | en | among | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐστιν.¶ | estin | is. | G1510 → | 2333 times |
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
κρυπτὰsecrets
kruptaG2927 →
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
καρδίαςheart
kardiasG2588 →156 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
φανερὰmanifest
phaneraG5318 →18 times
γίνεται,become,
ginetaiG1096 →667 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οὕτωςthus
houtosG3779 →208 times
πεσὼνhaving fallen
pesonG4098 →90 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
πρόσωπον[his] face
prosoponG4383 →75 times
προσκυνήσειhe will worship
proskuneseiG4352 →
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
θεῷGod
theoG2316 →1312 times
ἀπαγγέλλωνdeclaring
apangellonG518 →
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ὄντωςcertainly
ontosG3689 →
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
θεὸςGod
theosG2316 →1312 times
ἐνamong
enG1722 →2738 times
ὑμῖνyou
huminG4771 →2973 times
ἐστιν.¶is.
estinG1510 →2333 times
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
Zechariah 8:23This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue will tightly grasp the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for…
it leads to
- Isaiah 55:5
Surely you will summon a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you will run to you. For the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, has bestowed glory…
- Isaiah 45:14
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge…
- Isaiah 60:3
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
- Acts 13:47–48
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
- Isaiah 66:18
“And I, knowing their deeds and thoughts, am coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see My glory.
- Isaiah 55:5
Through
Isaiah 45:14This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge…
it leads to
- Isaiah 49:23
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD;…
- Isaiah 49:23
Through
Deuteronomy 9:18Then I fell down before the LORD for forty days and forty nights, as I had done the first time. I did not eat bread or drink water because of all the sin you…
it leads to
- Exodus 34:28
So Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.
- Exodus 34:28
Through
Luke 17:16He fell facedown at Jesus’ feet in thanksgiving to Him—and he was a Samaritan.
it leads to
- Acts 8:5–25
Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.
- Acts 8:5–25
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Worship35 verses
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 Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 36; 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; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 261; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.