Bible Strands
1 Corinthians 14:27
If anyone speaks in a tongue, two, or at most three, should speak in turn, and someone must interpret.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Corinthian believers during their corporate assembly. He establishes procedural limits for the exercise of the tongue gift within their gathered meeting.
The words — The Greek text uses the dative γλώσσῃ (glōssē) for "with a tongue" without the preposition ἐν. It combines this with τις (tis, "anyone") and λαλεῖ (lalei, "speaks") to frame the conditional scenario.
The thread — This directive immediately follows 1 Corinthians 14:26, which mandates that all gathered gifts must build up the church. It is bounded by 1 Corinthians 14:28, which requires silence when interpretation is absent.
Why it lands — The text commands that tongue-speakers be limited to two or three and must speak in succession. It requires an interpreter to be present, making comprehension the necessary condition for the exercise.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 14:26 What 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 church.