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^a The Greek phrase Diōkete tēn agapēn is often translated as "Pursue love.” The verb diōkō means "to chase," "to pursue," or even "to run after with determination." It carries an intensity that suggests active and persistent effort rather than passive reception.

^b The Greek verb prophēteuō, traditionally translated as "to prophesy," is often misunderstood as referring primarily to predicting the future. However, in the Bible, prophēteuō more broadly means speaking an inspired message, often for the purpose of encouraging, strengthening, and instructing the community. Rather than being about foretelling future events, it is about the Spirit-led proclamation of God’s wisdom and guidance for the present.

^c The Greek word glōssa primarily means "language" in both ancient and contemporary Greek. While many traditional translations render it as "tongues," this archaic term can obscure the plain meaning of the text. Translating it as "other languages" clarifies that Paul is referring to spoken human languages rather than an abstract or mystical concept or ecstatic experience. The addition of "other" reflects the context in which these languages are distinct from the speaker’s native language. This is consistent with Acts 2:4-11, where glōssai refers to languages spoken by various people groups. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul stresses the importance of intelligibility within the Called Community (vv. 9-11, 19, 27-28), implying that these languages were different from the primary language of the gathered assembly. The phrase "other languages" ensures clarity, aligning with Paul's emphasis on communication and interpretation rather than unintelligible speech.

^d Literally, ‘no one hears’ or ‘no one perceives with their ears.’

^e The Greek phrase pneumati de lalei mustēria, traditionally rendered as “but in the spirit they speak mysteries,” is translated here as “but they speak things mysterious to all but the Life-breath.” Pneumati is the dative case of pneuma and can indicate means/agency (“by the Spirit”), manner (“with the spirit”), or location/sphere (“in the spirit”). In this case, it indicates the one who comprehends the mysteries, clarifying that the message remains obscure to human listeners but is known by the Life-breath. Rather than implying divine secrets meant for revelation, mustēria here refers to speech that is unintelligible to others. The phrase “to all but the Life-breath” makes explicit what the Greek leaves implicit: that these mustēria are not understood by human listeners but are known to God.

^f Traditionally, ‘church’ or ‘assembly,’ the word ekklesia is about a community of people called from within a larger society to respond to the needs of that society, such as a neighborhood association.

^g The Greek word prophēteía, traditionally translated as "prophecy," does not mean predicting the future, as many Westerners think of it. The biblical sense emphasizes speaking a message inspired by God for the encouragement, strengthening, and instruction of the community. It connects with the biblical portrayal of prophets as God’s spokespersons, rather than mere predictors of future events.

^h Literally, “is unfruitful”

ⁱ The Greek word idiotēs, traditionally translated as “uninformed” or “layperson,” is rendered here as “untrained” or “uneducated in these things” to clarify its meaning in context. Idiotēs conveys the idea of lacking formal training or expertise in a specific area rather than denoting general ignorance. Elsewhere in the New Testament (Acts 4:13; 2 Corinthians 11:6), it refers to individuals without formal education in rhetoric or religious instruction. Here, it emphasizes that those who are “untrained” are simply unfamiliar with the specific practices being discussed, rather than being unintelligent or incapable.

^j The Greek word amen was a response that signifies confirmation, agreement, or validation.

^k Literally, ‘Torah,’ which is short for ‘Torah, Prophets, and Writings’ the full name of the Hebrew Scriptures.

^l Quotation of Isaiah 28:11-12

^m Or ‘enlightened.’

ⁿ The Greek verb anakrinō carries the meaning of "to examine, investigate, or scrutinize." It often refers to a deep and thorough process of evaluation, such as in legal or philosophical inquiry. The translation "be thoroughly considered" reflects the intensity of the examination implied by the term.

^o The concept of ‘heart’ was similar to our figurative use as place in our body serving as the center for our cares. It did not represent all emotions, but rather, it represented desires and motivations.

^p While the Greek verb sigaō can often be translated simply as "be silent," it can also carry the nuance of deliberate restraint from speaking rather than absolute muteness. The phrase "hold back from speaking" reflects this nuance, emphasizing a voluntary or situational silence rather than an enforced or permanent one. This is particularly appropriate in the context of structured discourse and communal settings, where silence is temporary or conditional. Compare this instance with its repeated uses in verses 28 and 34.

^q The Greek word prophētas, traditionally translated as "prophets," often conjures images of individuals who predict the future or hold an exalted status as divine seers. However, in the New Testament, prophētas refers more broadly to those who speak inspired messages for the encouragement, instruction, and strengthening of the community. Rendering prophētas as "speakers of inspired messages" clarifies its meaning by emphasizing the act of delivering Spirit-led speech rather than implying an exclusive office or predictive role. Paul presents these speakers as part of a participatory practice where multiple members of the community may share insights, and their messages are subject to communal discernment.

^r The Greek verb diakrinō can mean "to distinguish, judge, or evaluate." In this context, it conveys the idea of making a careful distinction or thoughtful judgment rather than acting impulsively. The translation "carefully consider" emphasizes the process of discernment involved.

^s While the Greek verb sigaō can often be translated simply as "be silent," it can also carry the nuance of deliberate restraint from speaking rather than absolute muteness. The phrase "hold back from speaking" reflects this nuance, emphasizing a voluntary or situational silence rather than an enforced or permanent one. This is particularly appropriate in the context of structured discourse and communal settings, where silence is temporary or conditional. Compare this instance with its repeated uses in verses 30 and 34.

^t The context suggests this is referring to speaking one-at-a-time, in peaceability with each other, allowing for others to speak and not insisting on dominating the conversation. The word ‘other’ is not in the Greek but is added for clarity based on the context.

^u Or ‘disarray’ or ‘unruliness’ or ‘turbulence’ or ‘discord’ or ‘instability’

^v The word for ‘peace’ is referring to harmony between people, not emotional tranquility or lack of disturbances.

^w The preposition en can be translated many ways, including ‘with,’ ‘among,’ ‘in,’ and when it is related to time, ‘during.’ The context here indicates its not referring to the groups of people when it says “Called Communities” but specifically to the times during gathered meetings they had as those communities.

^x “Those who are dedicated for sacred purposes” is the translation of hagioi, traditionally, ‘the saints’ or ‘the holy ones.’

^y While the Greek verb sigaō can often be translated simply as "be silent," it can also carry the nuance of deliberate restraint from speaking rather than absolute muteness. The phrase "hold back from speaking" reflects this nuance, emphasizing a voluntary or situational silence rather than an enforced or permanent one. This is particularly appropriate in the context of structured discourse and communal settings, where silence is temporary or conditional. Compare this instance with its repeated uses in verses 28 and 30. It is impossible for this to mean that women are intended to be silent at all times in church settings, as clearly evidenced in 1 Corinthians 11:5 by the discussion of them prophesying and praying (which was always done aloud and did not begin to include the practice of praying in one’s mind until the next century or so after 1 Corinthians was written). Instead, this sentence should be read in the textual context of this chapter, which includes the same wording for people speaking in a language no one understands until an interpreter is present (conditional and time-limited for the purpose of preventing distraction) in verse 28 and the same wording for someone speaking an inspired message when someone else begins to speak another inspired message to prevent more than one person speaking at a time (also conditional and time-limited for the purpose of preventing distraction) in verse 30. Among those who accurately read this statement as conditional and time-limited, there are a variety of proposed explanations about what it is discussing and why it is included. Read more here: https://margmowczko.com/interpretations-applications-1-cor-14_34-35.

^z The context here indicates its not referring to the groups of people when it says “Called Communities” but specifically to the times during gathered meetings they had as those communities.

^aa Traditionally, ‘submit to.’ According to The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Hupotasso is “A Greek military term meaning ‘to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader’. In non-military use, it was ‘a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden.’

^bb The Greek word nomos is traditionally translated as "law" in many Bible versions (and often as ‘Torah’ in the LIT Bible, depending on context). However, nomos can have a broader meaning beyond written legal codes; it can refer to a cultural norm, societal expectation, or established practice. In this context, "standard" more accurately conveys the sense of a prevailing custom rather than a divinely mandated legal requirement. Given the ambiguity surrounding which "law" is being referenced—since no Hebrew Bible law explicitly prohibits women from speaking in gatherings, and no Roman law does either—this translation avoids implying an authoritative Torah command and instead highlights the social convention being addressed.

^cc Exactly the same as in 1 Corinthians 11:5, this is referring to the cultural embarrassment that was projected on them or their husbands when woman did not adhere cultural norms, not that it is intrinsically wrong and deserves a feeling a guilt. It’s an appeal to compassion for the man’s experience, not an appeal to absolute right and wrong.

^dd This word hē is often used in rhetorical questions to express disapproval or to challenge the audience. In this context, one interpretation could be that Paul uses hē to question and refute the idea that women should remain silent in churches, as stated in the preceding verses. This view takes the preceding statements as quotations to refute, just as Paul does in 1 Corinthians 6:13-14. There are a variety of ideas about whether that could be the case in this passage.

^ee The word “alone” (monous) is masculine plural, meaning that it was addressed to men or a group of mixed gender. Grammatically, it could not be addressed to women.

^ff This verse seems reminiscent of Matthew 7:23.

^gg The term euschemon is a compound of eu, meaning "good," "well," or "beneficial," and schēma, which denotes "form," "appearance," or "way of being" or "manner of living." Together, euschemon conveys the idea of a "good form" or "beneficial way of being," implying a life that is appropriately ordered and aligned with values that foster well-being and flourishing. It is intended to highlight the contrast between the transient way of being (schema) of the world and the beneficial way of being (euschemon) that reflects a sacred calling. See 1 Corinthians 7:34, 35 for other instances of this word and 7:31 for a related word.

^hh Or “arrangement”