1 Corinthians 14:17
“For you most certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up.”
What does 1 Corinthians 14:17 mean?
Paul is addressing a practical problem in the church at Corinth: when someone speaks in an unknown language during worship, they may genuinely be offering sincere, heartfelt thanks to God, but nobody else understands what's being said. That means the community can't join in, learn from it, or feel drawn closer to God through it. Paul's gentle point is that personal spiritual experience matters, but it's not enough on its own, community matters too. He's encouraging people to think about whether their words in worship are actually serving the people around them, not just their own connection with God. If something only helps you but leaves everyone else confused or left out, it might be time to reconsider whether it's the right tool for a shared gathering.