What Does 1 Corinthians 14:1 Mean in the King James?
Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Love is the pursuit, and prophecy is the breath-related expression singled out for desire.
THE MEANING
Love is an active pursuit, not a quality postponed until spiritual power is attained. The breath-related things are still desired, with prophecy named as the preferred expression. The verse holds spiritual desire and love together, giving that desire a direction in spoken revelation.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that spiritual gifts can be pursued as an end in themselves while love waits in the background: love is already the pursuit that frames the desire.
THE ROOT
ἀγάπην
agapēn
GROWS FROM
ἀγαπ-
agap-
Love; regard expressed in relationship.
“charity” in this verse is agapēn. Love is the object of an active pursuit here, not a feeling that waits for spiritual power to arrive. Its word family also names both loving and being beloved, keeping love relational rather than a spiritual possession.
ALSO GROWS
agapaō: to love
ἀγαπάω
The related verb makes love something enacted, matching the verse’s call to pursue it.
agapētos: beloved, dear
ἀγαπητός
The beloved is held within the same word family, showing love as a bond between persons.
τὰ πνευματικά
ta pneumatika
GROWS FROM
πνεῦμα
pneuma
Breath, wind.
“spiritual gifts” in this verse is ta pneumatika. The Greek phrase is literally “the breath-related things”; “gifts” is supplied by the sense of the passage. The desire is directed toward expressions belonging to breath, with prophecy singled out among them.
ALSO GROWS
pneuma: breath, wind
πνεῦμα
This is the source word: the verse’s spiritual matters remain rooted in breath.
pneumatikos: breath-related, pertaining to the spirit
πνευματικός
The adjective in the verse turns the root into “breath-related things,” the things being desired.
προφητεύητε
prophēteuēte
GROWS FROM
φημί (phēmi), in προφητεύω (prophēteuō)
Say, speak; in this word family, prophetic speaking.
“prophesy” in this verse is prophēteuēte. Prophecy is not limited to predicting what happens later; the word family centers on speaking a prophetic message. The verse gives priority to this voiced expression among the breath-related things.
ALSO GROWS
prophētēs: prophet
προφήτης
The prophet is the one associated with delivering prophetic speech.
prophēteia: prophecy, prophetic utterance
προφητεία
The noun names the utterance itself, making clear that prophecy is expressed in speech.
THE PATTERN
Prophetic speech belongs to the community, while love gives spiritual expression its measure.
And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;THE THREAD
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.The Greek repeats the word family for love and prophecy, joining the two directly. This verse makes explicit what 1 Corinthians 14:1 holds together: prophetic speech without love has no value.
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