1 Corinthians 14:29—Who are the "others?"

"Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others evaluate."

The KJV is singular, "other"; but this is a mistranslation really. The Greek in the Textus Receptus is ἄλλοι (alloi), plural. It was corrected in the NKJV.

Now that that's out of the way, who are the "others?" Is it the other prophets? Does it refer to those with the gift of discernemt? The text doesn't really indicate this. Or is it the whole congregation?

So who does it refer to in your view, and why?

ResidentAlien said:

"Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others evaluate."

Click to expand...

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully
what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first
speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may
be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

It seems prophets are in view in these passages... so it then
becomes imperative to determine/define, who is a prophet

I would say other prophets and let them judge

Why do you say that?

Listen to the prophets on CC Chat

It is the whole congregation. The whole congregation was involved in the worship service (unlike today). There was complete freedom to present whatever the Holy Spirit was bringing to the congregation since all the gifts were operational at that time. At the same time, Paul insisted that all things must be done in an orderly manner. And women were to remain silent.

Why would you trust a person who has not been endowed with the gift with understanding (speaking of the gift of prophecy). for not all have the same gift and some have never asked for a gift, besides knowledge come with time, a little here, a little there

First of all, it's not really clear what is even going on. "Let the others evaluate?" What does this even mean? It's difficult to know who the others are if we don't know for sure what they're supposed to be doing.

Hello ResidentAlien, just like the noble Bereans, who received the word with great eagerness .. Acts 17:10-11, also examined the Scriptures daily to make sure that all of the things that Paul and Silas were teaching them were true, we must be careful to do the same today, using the Scriptures (OT and New) to determine if new spiritual teachings/prophesies that we here/read line up with the truth that we find in the Scriptures.

Here is an interesting side-story. It's not quite what you were asking about, because it involves prophetic utterances in tongues, but I think you'll understand the point I am trying to make (and it involves the same passage in 1 Cor 14).

I know a theologian, a professor of both Hebrew and OT studies, who attended a church service where prophesies were being offered in tongues (other languages than English). Much approval and many "amens" were made by the vast majority of this exceedingly large congregation as each "prophesy", spoken in a tongue, was uttered (even though interpretations of the prophesies were not being offered as the Bible requires), until one of the "prophets" stood up and spoke in an African dialect that this particular professor (who was fluent in 60 different languages from around the world) happened to know quite well. So, when he was was being said, he stood up and stopped the speaker, because this "prophet's" prophetic utterances were filled with curses and blasphemies against God/the Godhead.

This is but one of the reasons why paying close attention to/understanding what the Bible has to say to us (and then obeying it) is so important, and why making sure that what we are taught does not contradict the truth that God has given us in His word.

God bless you!

~Deut

The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to all believers, and the Holy Spirit gives spiritual discernment to all (provided they are willing to be discerning and are totally committed to the truth of God's Word). So the congregation could judge whether a prophet was a genuine prophet or a charlatan. See port #9.

The whole congregation to "judge" the prophet, but the women to remain silent. Nothing contradictory here.

Sorry @ResidentAlien, I missed this until after my 5 min editing time was up. The sentence at the end of my third paragraph should have read as follows: "So, when he heard what was being said, he stood up and stopped the speaker, because this "prophet's" prophetic utterances were filled with curses and blasphemies against God/the Godhead." From Post #9 above.

This certainly does not contradict THIS: Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the Law. (V 34)

In agreement that "other" refers to other prophets.

In 1 Cor 14:29, the word "other" is the Greek word allos ...

From Vines Expository Dictionary:

Good question. I believe that there are two groups of people who should evaluate prophecies. Some people have a gift of discernment. Obviously they are qualified. Others have the spiritual knowledge, including of God's word, to be qualified to discern. (Hebrews 5:14)

God sometimes uses the least qualified. I'd been saved for about 4 years when a false prophet came to the church where I was a member. I'd been reading a book about the gifts of the spirit. The false prophet gave a message in tongues. To me it was obviously demonic. The writer of the book gave some advice as to how to deal with tongues where there was no interpretation. He advised to say that it was just between the speaker and God. No one else said anything, so I spoke up. One of the elders spoke to me afterwards and gave me a pat on the back. My unspoken question was why didn't he speak up!

The pastor rejected any warnings about the false prophet. Eventually, the church imploded. I had been warned by the Lord to leave. It was a tough decision as I was committed to the people and the vision of the church. But I was also saved a lot of grief.

Fast forward 20 years and the "Toronto Blessing" was in full swing. Several of the people in our small group investigated this phenomenon. We compared the manifestations and the preaching to God's word. We were blessed with a leader who was genuinely spiritual. We discussed what we had seen and heard. It failed the test. The Toronto Blessing is 100% counterfeit.

It troubles me that there is so little discernment these days. Many Christians are excited about a new move of the Holy Spirit that is supposedly coming. I hope that I'm wrong, but my first reaction that it will be another fake.

Christians want a quick fix to spiritual problems. It is not how God works. Maturity in Christ is progressive.
Hebrews 5:

13For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.

Ephesians 4:

12........to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ. 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.…

The best defence against deception is to know Christ. We need heart knowledge, not just intellectual. If the mind is all that is used, it can be confused by scripture quoted out of context. Christians are prone to follow the pastor blindly. If the pastor is deceived, the people will likely follow. Now if we know Lord Jesus as our life, He will give us that inner witness that something is wrong with what we are seeing and hearing. If we know His word thoroughly, He will remind us of what it says and we will have the Bible backing to support our discernment.

For example, the Toronto Blessing was all about the Holy Spirit. Lord Jesus hardly got a mention. One major denomination began to teach that we have the Holy Spirit, so we do not need Jesus. John 16 gives the lie to this heresy.

So who are "the others"? Ideally, those who can pick what is false by the inner witness, and who can back up that witness with the word of God.

Not what the KJV says........

29Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

Notice the difference? It is important for understanding IMO.
There is no "s" on "other." Knowing that, you can see the "other" are the Prophets NOT speaking....... One Prophet speaks, another judges what was spoken to determine IT it is "of God,"

[QUOTE="Gideon300, post: 4708501, member: 306029]
So who are "the others"? Ideally, those who can pick what is false by the inner witness, and who can back up that witness with the word of God.[/QUOTE]
Given that verse 31 states, "For you can all prophesy one by one..." which speaks to the fashion by which each (and every one) performs the action of prophesying, orderly, and verse 32 claims, "the spirit of prophets are subject to prophets," I agree these 'others' are given allowance to pass judgment upon the spirit of the prophet, and so maintain the stability and peace characteristic of God and as in all the churches of the saints according to verse 33.

And there is a southern baptist theological seminary professor' commentary that suggests this (vocally expressed) judgment is specifically that being referred, in verse 34, to which women are to keep silent while in the congregation.