1Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity.(Old English word meaning love), I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.

1Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing.(don't be worthless)..(?)

1Corinthians 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned.(to be martyred).and have not charity.(an Old English word meaning love), it profits me nothing.

It's not what you do that counts in the Book of Life, but why it's being done. Don't be offensive to others not believing as you do:.1Corinthians 8:8-13.

1Corinthians 13:4 Charity.(word 'charity' here is Old English for 'love').suffers long and is kind; charity envies not; charity vaunts not itself, is not puffed up,

1Corinthians 13:5 Does not behave itself unseemly.(and that would include not being arrogant), seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil.

'Think no evil' doesn't mean one is not aware of what is evil, but rather one has decided to not do evil, to not have evil actions in mind to do (*). Learn to be good. Don't think apart from what is true about you. And what's that?

2Corinthians 13:7.

1Corinthians 13:6 Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

1Corinthians 13:7 Bears.(original implies keeping a secret about things of others which should not be repeated).all things, believes all things.(is not closed-minded to new things and is willing to believe), hopes all things, endures all things.

1Corinthians 13:8 Charity.(charity is an old English word that means love; this whole chapter here is called the love chapter).never fails.(why? because spiritual qualities endure eternally). But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

1Corinthians 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

1Corinthians 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

1Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man I put away childish things.

1Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face.(a saying meaning equality). Now I know in part.(Job 11:7-9; Ecclesiastes 11:5), but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Of course we'll see Christ face to face. If you were Christ would you hide your face from those you love and who love you? And he'll probably say then, 'Welcome to eternity guys':.Revelation 1:7.

Creator knows His Soul is expressing as a unique expression and it's you being the special expression of what He is, when aligned with it. Like, when aligned with the good purpose of your parents, say to head out on vacation and visiting grandma and grandpa's house and you're happy and excited about it all, but yet not knowing fully what the experiences will all be like, sort of like a plane far off in the sky and being unable to see any details of it's shape and any names that may be on it.

1Corinthians 13:13 And now abides faith, hope, charity, these three, but.the greatest of these is charity.

The word 'charity' is an Old English word for love.

1Corinthians 14:1 Follow after charity.(old English word for love).and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy..

That is, as opposed to gifts that could tend to make you feel separate from and superior to another, such as 'I can do healings and he can't (the old 'my dad is smarter than your dad' stuff).

1Corinthians 14:3 But he that prophesies speaks unto men to edification and exhortation.(original 'consolation').and comfort.

1Corinthians 14:4 He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself, but he that prophesies edifies the church.(a 'church' is not the building).

True prophets will always have a message that builds one up, a message that is encouraging and helpful, adding to you in some way:.3John 1:2.

1Corinthians 14:5 I would that you all speak with tongues, but rather that you prophesied, for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

Barnes Notes; "I would that you all spake with tongues". It is an important endowment and is not, in its place, to be undervalued. It may be of great service in the cause of truth if properly regulated and not abused, I would rejoice if these extraordinary endowments were conferred on all. I have no envy against any who possess this ability and I have no opposition to the endowment, but I wish that it should not be overvalued and would wish to exalt into proper estimation the more useful but humble gift of speaking for the edification of the church. In other words, does what you say build others up.

"Greater is he that prophesies". This gift is of more value and those who have this gift occupy a more elevated rank in the church, because it is a more useful gift. The idea here is, that talents people have are not to be estimated by their brilliancy, but by their usefulness. The power of speaking in an unknown tongue was certainly a more striking endowment than that of speaking so as simply to be useful and yet the apostle Paul tells us that the latter is the more valuable. One who who is useful, however humble and unknown he may be, really occupies a more elevated and venerable rank than the man of most splendid talents and dazzling eloquence.

"Except he interpret". However important and valuable the truth might be which he uttered by such 'tongues', it would he useless to the church, unless he should explain it in language which they all could comprhend.

1Corinthians 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation or by knowledge or by prophesying or by doctrine?

1Corinthians 14:7-9 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? So likewise you, except you utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For you shall speak into the air.

1Corinthians 14:10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world and none of them is without signification.

1Corinthians 14:11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice.(don't know the meaning of the words I'm speaking), I shall be unto him that speaks a different language, a barbarian and he that speaks in that language, shall be as a barbarian unto me.

1Corinthians 14:12 Even so you, forasmuch as you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that you may excel to the edifying of the church.

1Corinthians 14:13 Wherefore let him that speaks in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.(know what the meaning is of what is said).

1Corinthians 14:14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my comprehension is unfruitful.

1Corinthians 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with comprehension.(or, the mind'.Matthew 6:6).also. I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with knowing the meaning of the words also.

1Corinthians 14:16 Else when blessing with the spirit, how shall he that occupies the room of the unlearned say Amen at your giving of thanks, seeing he doesn't know what you are saying?

1Corinthians 14:18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than you all.

Paul spoke in more foreign languages than the others who spoke in tongues, but didn't see much value in it as it failed in comparison to the other gifts.

1Corinthians 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with meaning, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown language.

1Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, be not children in comprehending. Howbeit in malice be you children.(Ephesians 4:25-29), but in comprehension be men.(be mature).

1Corinthians 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not. But prophesying serves not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

1Corinthians 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place and all speak with tongues and there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that you are mad?

1Corinthians 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when you come together, every one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

1Corinthians 14:27,28 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two or at the most by three and that by course.(so that it's not all of them speaking at once which would seem like confusion).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.

1Corinthians 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

Abbott's Illustrated New Testament:."The meaning of the verse is, that they who speak are not under an irresistible influence, but may speak or refrain from speaking as they please.".Adam Clarke's Commentary:."God grants no ungovernable gifts.".Peoples New Testament Notes:."A prophet can wait his turn in silence. He is not compelled to speak at once, for his spirit is subject to him. He can be silent if he wills it."

But why not use any power one may have, to do good? The situation here was the church in Corinth at this time was excited about the spiritual gifts they had received (1Corinthians chapter 12) and were all spouting off at once, but this was only conducive to confusion: verses 7-9,23,33,40; Luke 10:20. People can control their attitudes. Eli controlled his by not even using them. Ancient Eli, the high priest at that time way back in the Old Testament era, seemed to be somewhat of a lazy fat man who didn't use any abilities to train his children properly.

1Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion.(original for word 'confusion' is 'tumult', 'inconstant', 'instability', 'disturbance', 'confusion'), but of peace as in all churches of the saints.

Well, if God isn't, then how come we become confused about things and get screwed up in life at times and even in our language (one example) leading to frustration and even perhaps toward a giving up? Not close to God is the main reason:.Isaiah 42:16. And the answer to that is to get close to God. How?

1Corinthians 14:34,35 Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also says the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

Public worship meetings of early Christians were frequent, often daily and Paul laid down certain rules so everything would be conducted in decency and order, verse 33 just above and verse 40 just below. Probably there was so much socialability and excitement over the spiritual gifts, that both men and women were given by God back then, that they were all anxious to express what they had, giving no thought to the overall effect, especially to new people at their meetings. Read all this chapter for more. The same principle should be applicable today, so that all is conducted in dignity and reverence for God. With everyone asking and excitedly explaining to others truths they discovered, the get togethers were turning into overall confusion, so some rules had to be laid down.

'Says the law' and 'ask their husbands at home' is referring to the Old Testament in.Genesis 3:16; 1Timothy 2:9-12.

God used great women of old and Joel predicted that in the Christian dispensation the sons and daughters would prophesy:.Joel 2:28.

Paul prohibited women speaking in the churches. Why?.1Corinthians 11:3 gives us some reasons. Ancient Corinth was a wild city (1Corinthians 5:1,2) as today wouldn't be tolerated in most cities on Earth, a city with unorganized, fragmentary and loose relationships and all that goes along with that. 

Consider that new Christians were coming out of a lewd environment in Corinth. Start at the beginning of 1Corinthians and read on through to get a flavor of what Paul was dealing with that was spilling over into their meetings, causing both confusion and offenses. See verse 23 and 33 above. Many public women were disreputable. Virtuous Greek women were normally secluded from the gatherings the corrupt Corinthian church gatherings had for their debauchery. 

Anything that hinted at a disreputable woman was shunned:.1Thessalonians 5:22. A public gathering was generally thought then to be anything other than dignified if there was much of what apperared like such types of confusion around:.1Corinthians 10:32,33.

There is no evidence of a prohibition to any churches except the ones in Greece. Wherever it would be somewhat offensive, women not speaking would calm things down:.1Corinthians 9:19-23.

1Corinthians 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy and forbid not to speak with tongues.

1Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently.(original for word 'decently' includes 'honestly', 'honorably').and in order.
 

....continues to Chapter 15

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