1 Corinthians 14:27
in 1 Corinthians 14If anyone speaks in a tongue, two, or at most three, should speak in turn, and someone must interpret.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If any man speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and that in turn; and let one interpret:
KJV
If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
⋯
This verse in 1 Corinthians 14
Commentary
11 notes on this verseIf any man speak in an unknown tongue,.... He begins with the gift of tongues, with speaking in an unknown tongue, as the Hebrew language, because this they were desirous of: and the rule for this he would have observed is, let it be by two, or at most by three, and that by course.
This site's exposition
If anyone speaks in a tongue
on 1 Corinthians 14:27-28
The first concrete rule limits tongues in one meeting: two, or at most three, should speak in turn, and someone must interpret. Verse 28 enforces it, if there is no interpreter, he should remain silent in the church and speak only to himself and God, the gift redirected to private prayer. The private option shows Paul held the tongue to be real prayer, with no claim on public time that nobody present could follow.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And if any man speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that in turn; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the Church; and let him speak to himself, and to God." What sayest thou, tell me? Having spoken so much of tongues, that the gift is a thing unprofitable, a thing superfluous, if it have no interpreter, dost thou command again to speak with tongues? I do not command, saith he, neither do I forbid; as when he saith, "if any of them that believe not bid you to a feast and ye be disposed to go," he saith it not laying down a law for them to go, but not hindering them: so likewise here. "And let him speak. to himself and to God." If he endure not to be silent, saith he, but is so ambitious and vain-glorious, "let him speak by himself." And thus, by the very fact of so permitting, he greatly checked and put them to shame. Which he doth also elsewhere, discoursing of converse with a wife and saying, "But this I say because of your incontinency." But not so did he speak, when he was discoursing of prophecy. How then? In a tone of command and legislation: "Let the prophets speak, two or three." And he no where here seeks the interpreter, nor doth he stop the mouth of him that prophesies as under the former head, saying, "If there be no interpreter, let him keep silence;" because in fact he who speaks in a tongue is not sufficient of himself. Wherefore if any hath both gifts, let him speak. But if he hath not, yet wish to speak, let him do so with the interpreter's aid. For the prophet is an interpreter, but of God; whereas thou art of man. "But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence:" for nothing ought to be done superfluously, nothing for ambition. Only "let him speak to himself and to God;" i.e., mentally, or quietly and without noise: at least, if he will speak. […]
Paul does not want these people to take up the whole day and leave insufficient time for expounding the Scriptures.
The Medieval Church2 voices
I do not forbid speaking in tongues, but let it not be without interpretation. And let few speak in tongues, lest there be confusion and disorder; "and that in turn," that is, successively. But, in any case, there must be an interpreter.
Here the Apostle instructs them on how to behave in regard to using the gift of tongues, and he does two things: first, he shows how they should use the gift of tongues: secondly, when they should stop using it (v. 28). First, therefore he …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And that by course - That is, one after another. And let one interpret - Either himself, ver. 13; or, if he have not the gift, some other, into the vulgar tongue. It seems, the gift of tongues was an instantaneous knowledge of a tongue till then unknown, which he that received it could afterwards speak when he thought fit, without any new miracle.
quarantine:anchor (2026-07-29) — cites-ver-13-anchored-27-27
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), some other interpreter besides himself, who spoke; for to speak in an unknown tongue what he himself was afterwards to interpret could only be for ostentation. But, if another were present who could interpret, two miraculous gifts might be exercised at once, and thereby the church edified, and the faith of the hearers confirmed at the same time.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
He forbids women speaking in the church; and closes this subject by requiring them to perform every thing in the public worship with order and decency,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Let it be by two, or at the most by three - That is, two, or at most three in one day, or in one meeting. So Grotius, Rosenmuller, Doddridge, Bloomfield, and Locke, understand it. It is probable that many were endowed with the gift of tongues; and it is certain that they were disposed to exercise the gift even when it could be of no real advantage, and when it was done only for ostentation.
Speak in an unknown tongue - The Hebrew, as has already been conjectured. Let it be by two; or at the most by three, and that by course - Let only two or three in one assembly act in this way, that too much time may not be taken up with one exercise; and let this be done by course, the one after the other, that two may not be speaking at the same time: and let one interpret for all that shall thus speak.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἴτε | eite | If | G1535 → | 65 times |
| γλώσσῃ | glosse | with a tongue | G1100 → | 49 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| λαλεῖ, | lalei | speaks, | G2980 → | 294 times |
| κατὰ | kata | [let it be] by | G2596 → | 468 times |
| δύο | duo | two | G1417 → | 133 times |
| ἢ | e | or | G2228 → | 342 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πλεῖστον | pleiston | most | G4118 → | |
| τρεῖς | treis | three | G5140 → | 69 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀνὰ | ana | in | G303 → | |
| μέρος· | meros | turn; | G3313 → | 42 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἷς | heis | one | G1520 → | 343 times |
| διερμηνευέτω· | diermeneueto | should interpret; | G1329 → | 6 times |
εἴτεIf
eiteG1535 →65 times
γλώσσῃwith a tongue
glosseG1100 →49 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
λαλεῖ,speaks,
laleiG2980 →294 times
κατὰ[let it be] by
kataG2596 →468 times
δύοtwo
duoG1417 →133 times
ἢor
eG2228 →342 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
πλεῖστονmost
pleistonG4118 →
τρεῖςthree
treisG5140 →69 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀνὰin
anaG303 →
μέρος·turn;
merosG3313 →42 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἷςone
heisG1520 →343 times
διερμηνευέτω·should interpret;
diermeneuetoG1329 →6 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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 14:26What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the…
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:19
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord,
- 1 Corinthians 12:7–10
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
- Romans 14:19
So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
- Ephesians 4:16
From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.
- Ephesians 5:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 10 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; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 36; 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.