¹⁶Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,^d say “Amen”^m to your thanksgiving,ⁿ since they do not know what you are saying?

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Footnotes

dThe Greek word for inquirer is a technical term for someone not fully initiated into a religion; also in verses 23 and 24.

Cross references

m Dt 27:15–26; 1 Ch 16:36; Ne 8:6; Ps 106:48; Rev 5:14; 7:12
nSee Mt 14:19; 1 Co 11:24

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit, how will the outsider say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?

NLTNew Living Translation

For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying?

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For otherwise, if you praise in your spirit, how will the one who fills the place of the outsider say the “amen” at your thanksgiving, because he does not know what you are saying?

KJV 1900King James Version

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?

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