Prophesy and Don’t Forbid Tongues 1 Corinthians 14:39

As Paul the apostle continued to share concerning spiritual matters and order within the church, he instructed the church members in Corinth, “if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.” In chapter fourteen and verse thirty-nine of First Corinthians, Paul told the church members to, “covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.”, where we read:

Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

The verse begins, “Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy,...” Paul began with the word, “Wherefore” or “so then, therefore or insomuch that”, “brethren” which means “fellow believers who are united to each other by the bond of affection” “covet” or “burn with zeal for, exert one's self for in the pursuit of good” “to prophesy” or “to utter forth and declare a thing which can only be known by divine revelation”. Paul exhorted the church members to “passionately desire” to “speak things which can only be known by divine revelation”.

The verse continues, “... and forbid not to speak with tongues.” Paul continued with the words, “and forbid not” which means “do not hinder, withhold, deny or refuse” “to speak” or “to utter a voice, emit or articulate a sound” “with tongues” which means “the languages or dialects used by a particular people distinct from that of other nations”. Paul further exhorted the church members not to “hinder or refuse” the “spiritual gift” of “speaking in tongues”.

When we consider these words from Paul, we see how he acknowledged the value of both of these “spiritual gifts”. “Prophecy” should be desired, and “speaking in tongues” should not be “forbidden”. Jesus Christ gave “spiritual gifts” to His church through the Holy Spirit, and these “spoken gifts”, when exercised in order, not only benefit the person who shares them, but also those to whom they share them.

Next time we end this chapter as Paul tells the church members, “let all things be done decently and in order”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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