Discovery Box1 Corinthians 14:4 
Context14:4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, 1 but the one who prophesies builds up the church.
1 Corinthians 3:12
Context3:12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, 2
1 Corinthians 3:10
Context3:10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master-builder I laid a foundation, but someone else builds on it. And each one must be careful how he builds.
1 Corinthians 10:23
Context10:23 “Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,” 3 but not everything builds others up. 4
1 Corinthians 8:1
Context8:1 With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.” 5 Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
1 sn The Greek term builds (himself) up does not necessarily bear positive connotations in this context.
2 sn The various materials described here, both valuable (gold, silver, precious stones) and worthless (wood, hay, or straw) refer to the quality of work built on the foundation, or possibly to the motivation of those doing the building. The materials themselves have been understood (1) as deeds or (2) as people (since ultimately the passage is addressing those who minister to others).
3 sn “Everything is lawful.” Here again Paul cites certain slogans the Corinthians used to justify their behavior (cf. 6:12-13; 7:1; 8:1, 4). Paul agrees with the slogans in part, but corrects them to show how the Corinthians have misused these ideas.
4 tn Grk “builds up.” The object “others” is not expressed but is implied, as v. 24 shows. Paul picks up a theme he introduced at the start of this section of the letter (8:1).
5 sn “We all have knowledge.” Here and in v. 4 Paul cites certain slogans the Corinthians apparently used to justify their behavior (cf. 6:12-13; 7:1; 10:23). Paul agrees with the slogans in part, but corrects them to show how the Corinthians have misused these ideas.
