1 Corinthians 14:28

1Co 14:28. Εἂν δὲ μὴ ᾗ, but if there be not) Either he himself, who spoke in an unknown tongue, might have interpreted, 1Co 14:13; or another.—σιγάτω, let him be silent) who speaks in an unknown tongue.—ἑαυτῷ καὶ τῷ Θεῷ, to himself and to God) 1Co 14:4; 1Co 14:2.—λαλείτω, let him speak) privately.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_14:28. Should it be the case, however, that there is no interpreter present, let him be silent in the assembly. This comprises the double possibility that the speaker with tongues cannot himself interpret, and also that no other, who possesses the donum interpretandi, is present. Regarding εἶναι as equivalent to παρεῖναι, comp. on Mar_8:1; Luk_2:36. David Schulz understands ᾖ as the simple copula: if, however, he does not know how to make himself intelligible. But the interpretation might in fact be given also by another, who had the charisma of the ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν, 1Co_12:10; 1Co_12:30.

σιγ. ἐν ἐκκλ.] Paul takes for granted hereand how easily one can understand it, considering the intimate union subsisting among the Christians of those days!that the members of the community mutually know each other as regards their special endowment.

ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαλ. κ. τ. θ.] in contrast to addresses given ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, and hence a characteristic designation of the private devotion carried on by means of glossolalic prayer, where his glossolalia avails for himself and God (1Co_14:2), not for others also as listeners. Comp. Epict. Diss. iv. 8. 17, and the similar passages in Wetstein. Others take it to mean: quietly in his thoughts (Theophylact, comp. Chrysostom, also Chr. F. Fritzsche), so that it remains on the footing of an inward intercourse between him and his God (Hofmann); which, however, is not in keeping with the essential mark of the λαλεῖν, this being uttered aloud, which belonged to the matter in hand.[18] Observe, further, how, even in this highest degree of inspired impulse to speak, a man could control his own will. Comp. 1Co_14:32.

[18] Besides, it was self-evident that, where silence was enjoined, a man did not need to be in the first instance remitted to quiet inward fellowship with God.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Co_14:28

But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

If neither the speaker himself, nor any other person present, have the gift of interpretation, the former was to keep silence in the church, i.e. in the public assembly. And let him speak to himself, and to God, or, for himself, and for God. That is, let him commune silently with God in the exercise of his gift. As, according to Paul, all true worship is intelligent, it is evident that if in the exercise of the gift of tongues, there was communion with God, the understanding could not have been in abeyance. In that gift, not only the words, but also the thoughts and the accompanying emotion were communicated or excited by the Spirit. Those having that gift spake as the Spirit gave them utterance, Act_2:4.

Charles Hodge — Commentary on Romans (1835), First Corinthians (1857), and Ephesians (1856) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

let him--the speaker in unknown tongues.

speak to himself, and to God--(compare Co1 14:2, Co1 14:4) --privately and not in the hearing of others.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 28. But if there be no interpreter] If there be none present who can give the proper sense of this Hebrew reading and speaking, then let him keep silence, and not occupy the time of the Church, by speaking in a language which only himself can understand.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

28. Let him speak to himself and to God “Let him enjoy,” says he, “his gift in his own conscience, and let him give thanks to God.” For in this way I explain the expression to speak to himself and to God, as meaning — to recognize in his own mind with thanksgiving the favor conferred upon him, and to enjoy it as his own, when there is not an opportunity for bringing it forward in a public manner. For he draws a contrast between this secret way of speaking, and speaking publicly in the Church — which he forbids.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(28) But if there be no interpreter.—But if there be no one with the gift of interpreting, then the speaker with tongues was not to exercise his gift publicly at all; he may only exercise his gift in private with himself and God.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

28. in the church] These words imply that the utterance was to be reserved until the speaker found himself in private, since in the Church it could only serve for an opportunity of useless display.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let the prophets speak, two or three,.... The apostle having finished the rules for streaking with an unknown tongue, proceeds to lay down some for the gift of prophesying; and observes, that where there are a number of prophets, as very likely there were in the church at Corinth, two or three of them might prophesy, or explain the prophecies of the Old Testament, or preach the Gospel at one opportunity or meeting: he does not use that restrictive clause, "at most", as before, because if there was any necessity or occasion for it, more might be employed, so that care was taken not to burden the people, and send them away loathing; and this they were to do, as before, in course, one after another, otherwise it would be all confusion, nor could they be heard to edification. Though some have thought that they might speak together at one and the same time, in different parts of the church:

and let the other judge: the other prophets that sit and hear, and all such as have a spirit of discerning, whether what the prophets say comes from their own spirits, or from a lying spirit, from the spirit of antichrist, or whether from the Spirit of God; and even the body of the people, private members of the church, and hearers, might judge of the doctrine for themselves, according to the word of God, the standard of faith and practice; and were not to believe every spirit, but try them, whether they were of God, and their doctrines by his word, whether they were true or false; for the spiritual man is in a measure capable of judging all things of a spiritual kind, through that spiritual experience he has of the word of God, and divine things, and by the assistance of the Spirit of God.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

Ver. 28. Let him keep silence] Such as stuff their sermons with Greek and Latin are here silenced, further than they interpret the same. If thou canst help my hearers to Greek and Latin ears (saith a reverend preacher) they shall have Greek and Latin enough.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But if there be no interpreter - If there be no one present who has the gift of interpretation.

And let him speak to himself and to God - See the note at 1Co 14:2, note at 1Co 14:4. Let him commune with himself, and with God; let him meditate on the truths which are revealed to him, and let him in secret express his desires to God.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

If he hath a mind to use this gift, he may use it to God, who understands all languages, by himself; but

let him keep silence in the assembly of Christians, where he is not understood.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

28. No interpreter—If there were no interpreter, neither the charismatic speaker himself, nor any other person, then the charismatic must keep silence. If the power of the Spirit was so great as not only to fill his human spirit and prompt vocal utterances, but without so pervading his understanding that he could interpret the words, it might nevertheless bring into communication with itself the understanding of some susceptible person present, so that he could interpret. The divine thought would then be given to the supernatural vocality, and both together would combine to fulfil the purpose of being a sign to them that believe not. It would then be felt by the consciences of men that the tongues were not only supernatural, but that they were holy and divine.

Speak to himself—The divine thoughts wrought in the man’s spirit refused to be shaped into words of his own vernacular; and his only resources, if silenced, was to yield a mental utterance of the charismatic words to himself, and thus experience the blessed reaction described in our note on 1Co_5:2.

To God— Since often the utterance would be prayer or praise.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let him keep silence. The "him" refers to the glossolalist, not to the interpreter. To himself. In his private devotions (as St. Paul himself seems to have done); not in the public assembly.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let him speak - That tongue, if he find it profitable to himself in his private devotions.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

but if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God .

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

28. But if there be no interpreter. In that case the rule, “Let all things be done to edifying,” will force the speaker in tongues to keep silence in the church. He may speak somewhere else, or in his soul, but not in the assembly of the saints.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

28. διερμηνευτής אAE. ἑρμηνευτής Lachmann, Tregelles, with B.

28. ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ. These words imply that the utterance was to be reserved until the speaker found himself in private, since in the Church it could only serve for an opportunity of useless display. See note on 1Co 14:18.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

28.] to the speaking with tongues. εἴτε begins the construction, but is not carried on, ver. 29, where προφῆται δέ answers to it.

28.] But if there be not an interpreter (Wieseler, in the Stud. und Krit. for 1838, p. 720, would render it, ‘if he be not an interpreter,’ viz. himself. But this would exclude the possibility of others interpreting, which we know from ch. 12:10 might be the case. And thus the preceding εἷς could hardly bear its proper meaning. Wieseler tries to make it mean ‘one at a time.’ Besides, the emphatic position of ᾖ seems to require more stress than this sense would give, which would be better expressed by ἐὰν δὲ διερμηνευτὴς μὴ ᾖ), let him (the speaker in a tongue, see reff.) be silent in the church: but (as if σιγάτω had been μὴ λαλείτω) let him speak for himself and for God: i.e. in private, with only himself and God to witness it. Chrys. καθʼ ἑαυτὸν φθεγγέσθω: which Theophyl. enlarges to τουτέστιν ἀψοφητὶ καὶ ἠρέμα καθʼ ἑαυτόν: which does not seem to agree with λαλείτω, the speaking being essential to the exercise of the gift.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

28. σιγάτω ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ. In strict grammar, this should mean that the interpreter must keep silence, but the change of subject is quite intelligible, and indeed necessary. The verb is one of many which in N.T. are found only in Paul and Luke (Hawkins, Hor. Syn. p. 191).

ἐαυτῷ δὲ λαλείτω. The pronoun is emphatic: ‘to himself let him speak,’ that is, in private, not in the congregation. It cannot mean that he is to ‘commune with his own heart,’ in public, ‘and be still.’† The whole point of λαλεῖν throughout the chapter is that of making audible utterance. If he cannot interpret his Tongue, and there is no interpreter present, he must not exercise his gift until he is alone. The difference between διερμηνευτής (A E K L) and ἑρμηνευτής (B D* F G) is unimportant. The latter occurs Gen 42:23, the former nowhere else in Biblical Greek.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.