John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 14:31

"For ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted;" — 1 Corinthians 14:31 (ASV)

You can all, one by one. In the first place, when he says all, he does not include believers universally, but only those who were endowed with this gift. Furthermore, he does not mean that all should equally have their turn, but that, according to what would benefit the people, each one should come forward to speak either more frequently or more seldom. “No one will remain always unemployed; but an opportunity of speaking will present itself, sometimes to one and at other times to another.”

He adds, that all may learn. This applies, it is true, to all the people, but it is particularly suited to the Prophets, and Paul especially refers to them. For no one will ever be a good teacher who does not show himself to be teachable, just as no one will ever be found who has, by himself alone, such an overflowing abundance of perfect doctrine that he would not derive benefit from listening to others. Therefore, let all undertake the office of teaching on this principle: that they do not refuse or grudge being scholars to each other in turn, whenever others are given the means to edify the Church.

He says, in the second place, that all may receive consolation. From this we may infer that the ministers of Christ, far from envying, should rather rejoice with all their heart that they are not the only ones who excel, but have fellow-partakers of the same gift—a disposition Moses displayed, as is related in sacred history (Numbers 11:28). For when his servant, inflamed with a foolish jealousy, was greatly displeased because the gift of prophecy was also conferred on others, Moses reproved him: “Nay,” he said, “would that all the people of God were sharers with me in this superior gift!”

And, undoubtedly, it is a special consolation for pious ministers to see the Spirit of God, whose instruments they are, working in others also; and they also derive no small confirmation from this. It is a consolation, too, that it contributes to the spread of the word of God, the more ministers and witnesses it has.

However, as the word παρακαλεῖσθαι, which Paul uses here, is ambiguous in meaning, it might also be rendered "may receive exhortation." This would not be unsuitable either, for it is sometimes advantageous to listen to others, so that we may be more powerfully stirred to duty.