Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Corinthians 14:24

"But if all prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved by all, he is judged by all;" — 1 Corinthians 14:24 (ASV)

But if all prophesy. (See Barnes on 1 Corinthians 14:1).

This means if all, in proper order and time, utter the truths of religion in a language intelligible to all.

Or one unlearned. This refers to someone unacquainted with the nature of Christianity or the truths of the gospel.

He is convinced of all. He will be convinced by all who speak. He will understand what is said; he will see its truth and force, and he will be convinced of the truth of Christianity. The word translated here as convinced (Greek: elegcetai) is translated as reprove in John 16:8: And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, etc.

Its proper meaning is to convict, to show someone they are wrong; and then to rebuke, reprove, admonish, etc. Here it evidently means that the man would be convicted or convinced of his error and his sin. He would see that his former opinions and practice had been wrong; he would see and acknowledge the force and truth of the Christian sentiments that are uttered, and would acknowledge the error of his former opinions and life.

The following verse shows that the apostle means something more than a mere convincing of the understanding, or a mere conviction that his opinions had been erroneous. He evidently refers to what is also now known as conviction for sin; that is, a deep sense of the depravity of the heart, of the errors and follies of the past life, accompanied by mental anxiety, distress, and alarm. The force of truth, the appeals that would be made, and the observation of the happy effects of religion, would convince him that he was a sinner and also show him his need of a Savior.

He is judged by all. By all who speak; by all that they say. The effect of what they say will be, as it were, to pass a judgment on his former life or to condemn him. What is said will be approved by his own conscience and will have the effect of condemning him, in his own view, as a lost sinner. This is now the effect of faithful preaching: to produce deep self-condemnation in the minds of sinners.