The interpretation timeline

1Cor 14:3

How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.

From the early Church Fathers to now.

1 Patristic · 1 Methodist · 1 Reformed

1Cor 14:3 · Douay-Rheims
“But he that prophesieth, speaketh to men unto edification, and exhortation, and comfort.”
Patristic before A.D. 750
407
A.D.
John Chrysostom Patristic
A.D. 347–407
“"But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and exhortation, and comfort." Seest thou by what he signifies the choice nature of this gift? i.e., by the common benefit? and how every where he gives the higher honor to that which tends to the profit of the many? For do not the former speak unto men also? tell me. But not so much "edification, and exhortation, and comfort." So that the being powered by the Spirit is common to both, as well to him that prophesieth, as to him that speaketh with tongues; but in this, the one (he, I mean, who prophesieth) hath the advantage in that he is also profitable unto the hearer. For they who with tongues were not understood by them that had not the gift.”
Source
1,425 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Post-Reformation c. 1650 – 1900
1832
A.D.
Adam Clarke Methodist
1762–1832
“But he that prophesieth - The person who has the gift of teaching is much more useful to the Church than he is who has only the gift of tongues, because he speaks to the profit of men: viz. to their edification, by the Scriptures he expounds; to their exhortation, by what he teaches; and to their comfort, by his revelation. - Whitby. I must here refer to my sermon on this text, intitled, "The Christian Prophet and his Work," in which I have endeavored to consider the whole of this subject at large.”
Source
1871
A.D.
1871
“But--on the other hand. edification--of which the two principal species given are "exhortation" to remove sluggishness, "comfort" or consolation to remove sadness [BENGEL]. Omit "to."”
Modern · 1953 →

The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.