1 Corinthians 14:16
Good News Translation
When you give thanks to God in spirit only, how can ordinary people taking part in the meeting say "Amen" to your prayer of thanksgiving? They have no way of knowing what you are saying.

New Revised Standard Version
Otherwise, if you say a blessing with the spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say the “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since the outsider does not know what you are saying?

Contemporary English Version
Suppose some strangers are in your worship service, when you are praising God with your spirit. If they don't understand you, how will they know to say, "Amen"?

New American Bible
Otherwise, if you pronounce a blessing [with] the spirit, how shall one who holds the place of the uninstructed say the “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Else, if thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that holdeth the place of the unlearned say, Amen, to thy blessing? Because he knoweth not what thou sayest.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Else, if thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that holdeth the place of the unlearned say, Amen, to thy blessing? Because he knoweth not what thou sayest.

bless.

1 Corinthians 14:2,14 For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man heareth. Yet by the Spirit he speaketh mysteries. . . .

unlearned.

1 Corinthians 14:23,24 If therefore the whole church come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in unlearned persons or infidels, will they not say that you are mad? . . .

Isaiah 29:11,12 And the vision of all shall be unto you as the words of a book that is sealed which when they shall deliver to one that is learned, they shall say: Read this: and he shall answer: I cannot, for it is sealed. . . .

John 7:15 And the Jews wondered, saying: How doth this man know letters, having never learned?

Acts 4:13 Now seeing the constancy of Peter and of John, understanding that they were illiterate and ignorant men, they wondered: and they knew them that they had been with Jesus.

Amen.

1 Corinthians 11:24 And giving thanks, broke and said: Take ye and eat: This is my body, which shall be delivered for you. This do for the commemoration of me.

1 Corinthians 16:24 My charity be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Numbers 5:22 Let the cursed waters enter into thy belly, and may thy womb swell and thy thigh rot. And the woman shall answer, Amen, amen.

Deuteronomy 27:15 Cursed be the man that maketh a graven and molten thing, the abomination of the Lord, the work of the hands of artificers, and shall put it in a secret place: and all the people shall answer and say: Amen.

*etc:

1 Kings 1:36 And Banaias, the son of Joiada, answered the king, saying: Amen: so say the Lord, the God of my lord the king.

1 Chronicles 16:36 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from eternity to eternity: and let all the people say Amen, and a hymn to God.

Psalm 41:13 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from eternity to eternity. So be it. So be it.

Psalm 72:19 And blessed be the name of his majesty for ever: and the whole earth shall be filled with his majesty. So be it. So be it.

Psalm 89:52 Blessed be the Lord for evermore. So be it. So be it.

Psalm 106:48 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say: So be it, so be it.

Jeremiah 28:6 And Jeremiah the prophet said: Amen, the Lord do so: the Lord perform thy words, which thou hast prophesied: that the vessels may be brought again into the house of the Lord, and all the captives may return out of Babylon to this place.

Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

Mark 16:20 But they going forth preached every where: the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.

John 21:25 But there are also many other things which Jesus did which, if they were written every one, the world itself. I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written.

Revelation 5:14 And the four living creatures said: Amen. And the four and twenty ancients fell down on their faces and adored him that liveth for ever and ever.

Revelation 22:20 He that giveth testimony of these things, saith: Surely, I come quickly: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

at.

1 Corinthians 1:4-8 I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God that is given you in Christ Jesus: . . .

Context
Prophecy and Tongues
15What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, I will pray also with the understanding, I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the understanding. 16Else, if thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that holdeth the place of the unlearned say, Amen, to thy blessing? Because he knoweth not what thou sayest. 17For thou indeed givest thanks well: but the other is not edified.…
Cross References
Deuteronomy 27:15
Cursed be the man that maketh a graven and molten thing, the abomination of the Lord, the work of the hands of artificers, and shall put it in a secret place: and all the people shall answer and say: Amen.

1 Chronicles 16:36
Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from eternity to eternity: and let all the people say Amen, and a hymn to God.

Nehemiah 5:13
Moreover I shook my lap, and said: So may God shake every man that shall not accomplish this word, out of his house, and out of his labours, thus may he be shaken out, and become empty. And all the multitude said: Amen. And they praised God. And the people did according to what was said.

Nehemiah 8:6
And Esdras blessed the Lord the great God: and all the people answered, Amen, amen: lifting up their hands: and they bowed down, and adored God with their faces to the ground.

Psalm 106:48
Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say: So be it, so be it.

Jeremiah 11:5
That I may accomplish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. And I answered and said: Amen, O Lord.

Jeremiah 28:6
And Jeremiah the prophet said: Amen, the Lord do so: the Lord perform thy words, which thou hast prophesied: that the vessels may be brought again into the house of the Lord, and all the captives may return out of Babylon to this place.

Matthew 15:36
And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples gave to the people.

2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God are in him, It is. Therefore also by him, amen to God, unto our glory.

Revelation 5:14
And the four living creatures said: Amen. And the four and twenty ancients fell down on their faces and adored him that liveth for ever and ever.

Revelation 7:12
Saying: Amen. Benediction and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, honour and power and strength, to our God, for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 14:15
Top of Page
Top of Page