What Does 1 Corinthians 14:17 Mean in the King James?
For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
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
To thank well is not automatically to build someone else up.
THE MEANING
Your gratitude to God can be genuine and well expressed while the person beside you is not strengthened by it. The verse keeps those realities distinct: good thanksgiving does not, by itself, build up the shared gathering. Words become communal construction when another person can receive and be strengthened by them.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It dissolves the belief that a sincere prayer automatically strengthens everyone who hears it.
THE ROOT
οἰκοδομεῖται
oikodomeitai
GROWS FROM
οἶκος + δέμω (oikos + demō)
House + build: to build a house.
The word translated edified carries the image of a house being built. The verse sets personal gratitude beside a different question: does what is said give the other person something they can build with?
ALSO GROWS
oikodomē: Building; edification.
οἰκοδομή
This related noun names both a building and the act of building up, preserving the construction image behind edified.
oikodomos: Builder.
οἰκοδόμος
The same word family names the one who builds, showing that strengthening another is pictured as constructive work.
εὐχαριστεῖς
eucharisteis
GROWS FROM
χάρις (charis), with εὖ (eu, well)
Favor; with well, giving thanks well.
“givest thanks” in this verse is eucharisteis. The verb carries χάρις, favor, within its word family: thanksgiving voices recognition of favor received. Here that gratitude is good in itself, while the verse shows that it is distinct from building up another listener.
ALSO GROWS
charis: Favor.
χάρις
Favor is the word-family seed within thanksgiving, revealing gratitude as a response to what has been received.
eucharistia: Thanksgiving.
εὐχαριστία
This related noun names the act of giving thanks, carrying the same connection to favor.
charizomai: Grant freely; show favor.
χαρίζομαι
This verb from the same family describes favor being given, linking thanksgiving to the recognition of a freely given gift.
THE PATTERN
What can be received as wisdom or speech becomes material for building a shared life.
Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:THE THREAD
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.Edify translates the same Greek house-building word family as οἰκοδομεῖται here. Romans makes the relation reciprocal: what builds one person can also build another.
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