1 Corinthians 14

1 Pursue love, and earnestly seek the spiritual things, and rather that you may prophesy,

Pursue love and be zealous for spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

2 for he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue—he does not speak to men, but to God, for no one listens, and he speaks secrets in spirit;

For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. For no one understands him because he speaks hidden things in the Spirit.

3 and he who is prophesying to men speaks edification, and exhortation, and comfort;

But the one who prophesies speaks to people to build them up, to encourage them, and to comfort them.

4 he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue, edifies himself, and he who is prophesying, edifies the Assembly;

The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

5 and I wish you all to speak with tongues, and more that you may prophesy, for greater is he who is prophesying than he who is speaking with tongues, except one may interpret, that the Assembly may receive edification.

Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues. But even more than that, I wish that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues (unless someone interprets so that the church may be built up).

6 And now, brothers, if I may come to you speaking tongues, what will I profit you, except I will speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophesying, or in teaching?

But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you? I cannot, unless I speak to you with revelation, or knowledge, or prophecy, or teaching.

7 Yet the things without life giving sound—whether pipe or harp—if they may not give a difference in the sounds, how will be known that which is piped or that which is harped?

If lifeless instruments are producing sounds—like the flute or the harp—and they do not produce different tones, how will anyone know what tune the flute or harp is playing?

8 For also, if a trumpet may give an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle?

For if the trumpet is played with an uncertain sound, how will anyone know when it is time to prepare for battle?

9 So also you, if you may not give speech easily understood through the tongue—how will that which is spoken be known? For you will be speaking to air.

So it is with you. If you utter speech that is unintelligible, how will anyone understand what you have said? You will be speaking, and no one will understand you.

10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is unmeaning.

There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning.

11 If, then, I do not know the power of the voice, I will be a foreigner to him who is speaking, and he who is speaking is a foreigner to me;

But if I do not know the meaning of a language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me.

12 so you also, since you are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, seek for the building up of the Assembly that you may abound;

So it is with you. Since you are eager for the manifestations of the Spirit, try to excel in the gifts that build up the church.

13 for this reason he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue—let him pray that he may interpret;

So the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.

14 for if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit prays, and my understanding is unfruitful.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

15 What then is it? I will pray [in] the spirit, and I will also pray [with] understanding; I will sing psalms [in] the spirit, and I will also sing psalms [with] understanding;

What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, and I will also sing with my mind.

16 since, if you may bless in spirit, he who is filling the place of the commoner, how will he say the Amen at your giving of thanks, since he has not known what you say?

Otherwise, if you praise God with the spirit, how will the outsider say “Amen” when you are giving thanks if he does not know what you are saying?

17 For you, indeed, give thanks well, but the other is not built up!

For you certainly give thanks well enough, but the other person is not built up.

18 I give thanks to my God—more than you all with tongues speaking—

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

19 but I wish to speak five words in an assembly through my understanding, that I also may instruct others, rather than myriads of words in an [unknown] tongue.

But in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding so that I might instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20 Brothers, do not become children in the understanding, but in the evil be children, and in the understanding become perfect;

Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Rather, in regard to evil, be like infants. But in your thinking be mature.

21 in the Law it has been written, that, “With other tongues and with other lips I will speak to this people, and even so they will not hear Me, says the LORD”;

In the law it is written, “By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. Even then they will not hear me,” says the Lord.

22 so that the tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving; and the prophecy [is] not for the unbelieving, but for the believing.

So then, tongues are a sign, not to believers, but to unbelievers. But prophesying is for a sign, not for unbelievers, but for believers.

23 If, therefore, the whole assembly may come together to the same place, and all may speak with tongues, and there may come in commoners or unbelievers, will they not say that you are mad?

If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders and unbelievers come in, would they not say that you are insane?

24 And if all may prophesy, and anyone may come in, an unbeliever or commoner, he is convicted by all, he is discerned by all,

But if you all were prophesying and an unbeliever or an outsider came in, he would be convicted by all he hears. He would be judged by all that is said.

25 and so the secrets of his heart become visible, and so having fallen on [his] face, he will worship God, declaring that God really is among you.

The secrets of his heart would be revealed. As a result, he would fall on his face and worship God. He would declare that God is really among you.

26 What then is it, brothers? Whenever you may come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be for building up;

What is next then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Do everything so that you build up the church.

27 if anyone speaks an [unknown] tongue, by two, or at the most, by three, and in turn, and let one interpret;

If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at most three, and each one in turn, then someone should interpret what is said.

28 and if there may be no interpreter, let him be silent in an assembly, and let him speak to himself, and to God.

But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in the church. Let each one speak to himself alone and to God.

29 And prophets—let two or three speak, and let the others discern,

Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others listen with discernment to what is said.

30 and if [anything] may be revealed to another [who is] sitting, let the first be silent;

But if an insight is given to one who is sitting in the service, let the one who had been speaking be silent.

31 for you are able, one by one, all to prophesy, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted,

For each of you can prophesy one by one so that each one may learn and all may be encouraged.

32 and the spiritual gift of prophets are subject to prophets,

For the spirits of the prophets are under the control of the prophets.

33 for God is not [a God] of tumult, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the holy ones.

For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. This is the rule in all the churches of the saints.

34 Your women, let them be silent in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as the Law also says;

The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak. Instead, they should be in submission, as also the law says.

35 and if they wish to learn anything, let them question their own husbands at home, for it is a shame to women to speak in an assembly.

If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

36 Did the word of God come forth from you? Or did it come to you alone?

Did the word of God come from you? Are you the only ones it has reached?

37 If anyone thinks to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge the things that I write to you—that they are commands of the LORD;

If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I write to you are a command of the Lord.

38 and if anyone is ignorant—let him be ignorant;

But if anyone does not recognize this, let him not be recognized.

39 so that, brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues;

So then, brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid anyone from speaking in tongues.

40 let all things be done decently and in order.

But let all things be done properly and in order.