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1 Corinthians 14 · a question people ask

"he who fills the place of the unlearned" (14:16). Who are the unlearned?

In the text

The WEB has unlearned three times in this chapter: "he who fills the place of the unlearned" (14:16), "and unlearned or unbelieving people come in" (14:23), and "someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in" (14:24). In the Greek it is one noun each time (tap unlearned). In 14:23 and 14:24 the chapter names the unlearned beside the unbelieving. It doesn't say more of who they are, and these notes don't either.

The verses

“Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, seeing he doesn’t know what you say?”
1 Corinthians 14:16 · World English Bible
“If therefore the whole assembly is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won’t they say that you are crazy? But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all.”
1 Corinthians 14:23-24 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 1 Corinthians 14

1 Corinthians 14: Build each other up

1 Corinthians 14 keeps coming back to building up: "for their edification" (14:3), "that the assembly may be built up" (14:5), "the building up of the assembly" (14:12), and "Let all things be done to build each other up." (14:26). In the Greek, one noun stands behind each. The chapter ends, "Let all things be done decently and in order." (14:40).

In Favor, questions like this come up right where they arise as you read, with the Hebrew and Greek behind the words and how the chapter leads to Jesus.

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Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions