1 Corinthians 14:29

Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern.

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Other translations

WEBBE

Let two or three of the prophets speak, and let the others discern.

BSB

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

ASV

And let the prophets speak [by] two or three, and let the others discern.

Original Greek

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προφῆται prophētai Prophets G4396 δὲ de then G1161 δύο duo two G1417 ἢ ē or G2228 τρεῖς treis three G5140 λαλείτωσαν laleitōsan should speak G2980 καὶ kai and G2532 οἱ hoi the G3588 ἄλλοι alloi others G243 διακρινέτωσαν diakrinetōsan should discern G1252

The early church

"Let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others discern." No where hath he added, "at the most," as in the case of the tongues. And how is this, one saith? For he makes out that neither is prophesy sufficient in itself, if at least he permitteth the judgment to others. Nay, surely it is quite sufficient; and this is why he did not stop the mouth of the prophet, as of the other, when there is no interpreter; nor, as in his case he said, "if there be no interpreter let him keep silence," so also in the case of the prophet, "if there be none to discern, let him not prophesy;" but he only secured the hearer; since for the satisfaction of the hearers he said this, that no diviner might throw himself in among them. For of this also at the beginning he bade them beware, when he introduced a distinction between divination and prophecy, and now he bids them discriminate and spy out the matter, so that no Satanic teacher might privily enter.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on 1 Corinthians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 26–33

Religious exercises in public assemblies should have this view; Let all be done to edifying. As to the speaking in an unknown tongue, if another were present who could interpret, two miraculous gifts might be exercised at once, and thereby the church be edified, and the faith of the hearers confirmed at the same time. As to prophesying, two or three only should speak at one meeting, and this one after the other, not all at once. The man who is inspired by the Spirit of God will observe order and decency in delivering his revelations. God never teaches men to neglect their duties, or to act in any way unbecoming their age or station.

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Cross-references

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Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.