1 Corinthians 14:20

My friends, do not show yourselves children in understanding. In wickedness be infants, but in understanding show yourselves adults.

Open English Bible (US)

In The King James Version

Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

In Context

19But at a meeting of the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, and so teach others, than ten thousand words when using the gift of ‘tongues.’

21It is said in the Law – ‘In strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.’

Read all of 1 Corinthians 14

Cross References

Psalms 119:99I am prudent above all my teachers, for your charges are my meditation.

Matthew 18:3“I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven at all.

Mark 10:15I tell you, unless a person receives the kingdom of God like a child, they will not enter it at all.”

1 Corinthians 2:6Yet there is a philosophy that we teach to those whose faith is matured, but it is not the philosophy of today, or of the leaders of today – whose downfall is at hand.

1 Corinthians 13:11When I was a child, I talked as a child, I felt as a child, I reasoned as a child; now that I am a man, I have done with childish ways.

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 14:16-21

On Spiritual Gifts. ( a. d. 57.) 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? 17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: 19 Yet in… Read the whole commentary →

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