< 1 Corinthians 14 >

1 Seek this love earnestly, and strive for spiritual gifts, above all for the gift of preaching.
Be eager in your pursuit of this Love, and be earnestly ambitious for spiritual gifts, but let it be chiefly so in order that you may prophesy.
2 The person who, when speaking, uses the gift of ‘tongues’ is speaking, not to people, but to God, for no one understands them; yet in spirit they are speaking of hidden truths.
For he who speaks in an unknown tongue is not speaking to men, but to God; for no one understands him. Yet in the Spirit he is speaking secret truths.
3 But those who preach are speaking to their fellow men and women words that will build up faith, and give them comfort and encouragement.
But he who prophesies speaks to men words of edification, encouragement and comfort.
4 Those who, when speaking, use the gift of ‘tongues’ builds up their own faith, while those who preach build up the faith of the church.
He who speaks in an unknown tongue does good to himself, but he who prophesies does good to the Church.
5 Now I want you all to speak in ‘tongues,’ but much more I wish that you should preach. A preacher is worth more than one who speaks in ‘tongues,’ unless they interprets their words, so that the faith of the church may be built up.
I should be right glad were you all to speak in 'tongues,' but yet more glad were you all to prophesy. And, in fact, the man who prophesies is superior to him who speaks in 'tongues,' except when the latter can interpret in order that the Church may get a blessing.
6 This being so, friends, what good will I do you, if I come to you and speak in ‘tongues,’ unless my words convey some revelation, or knowledge, or take the form of preaching or teaching?
But, brethren, as things are, if I come to you speaking in 'tongues,' what benefit shall I confer on you, if the utterance is neither in the form of a revelation nor of additional knowledge nor of prophecy nor of teaching?
7 Even with inanimate things, such as a flute or a harp, though they produce sounds, yet unless the notes are quite distinct, how can the tune played on the flute or the harp be recognized?
Even inanimate things--flutes or harps, for instance--when yielding a sound, if they make no distinction in the notes, how shall the tune which is played on the flute or the harp be known?
8 If the bugle sounds a doubtful call, who will prepare for battle?
If the bugle--to take another example--gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?
9 And so with you; unless, in using the gift of ‘tongues,’ you utter intelligible words, how can what you say be understood? You will be speaking to the winds!
And so with you; if with the living voice you fail to utter intelligible words, how will people know what you are saying? You will be talking to the winds.
10 There are, for instance, a certain number of different languages in the world, and not one of them fails to convey meaning.
There are, we will suppose, a great number of languages in the world, and no creature is without a language.
11 If, however, I do not happen to know the language, I will be a foreigner to those who speak it, and they will be foreigners to me.
If, however, I do not know the meaning of the particular language, I shall seem to the speaker of it, and he to me, to be merely talking some foreign tongue.
12 And so with you; since you are striving for spiritual gifts, be eager to excel in such as will build up the faith of the church.
Therefore, seeing that you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in them so as to benefit the Church.
13 Therefore anyone who, when speaking, uses the gift of ‘tongues’ should pray for ability to interpret them.
Therefore let a man who has the gift of tongues pray for the power of interpreting them.
14 If, when praying, I use the gift of ‘tongues,’ my spirit indeed prays, but my mind is a blank.
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is barren.
15 What, then, is my conclusion? Simply this – I will pray with my spirit, but with my mind as well; I will sing with my spirit, but with my mind as well.
How then does the matter stand? I will pray in spirit, and I will pray with my understanding also. I will praise God in spirit, and I will praise Him with my understanding also.
16 If you bless God with your spirit only, how can people in the congregation who are without your gift say ‘Amen’ to your thanksgiving? They do not know what you are saying!
Otherwise, if you bless God in spirit only, how shall he who is in the position of an ungifted man say the 'Amen' to your giving of thanks, when he does not know what your words mean?
17 Your thanksgiving may be excellent, but the other is not helped by it.
Rightly enough you are giving thanks, and yet your neighbor is not benefited.
18 Thank God, I use the gift of ‘tongues’ more than any of you.
I speak in a tongue, thank God, more than all of you;
19 But at a meeting of the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, and so teach others, than ten thousand words when using the gift of ‘tongues.’
but in the Church I would rather speak five words with my understanding--so as to instruct others also--than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
20 My friends, do not show yourselves children in understanding. In wickedness be infants, but in understanding show yourselves adults.
Brethren, do not prove yourselves to be children in your minds. As regards evil, indeed, be utter babes, but as regards your minds prove yourselves to be men of ripe years.
21 It is said in the Law – ‘In strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.’
In the Law it stands written, "'By men of unknown tongues and by the lips of an unknown nation will I speak to this People, but even then they will not listen to Me', says the Lord."
22 Therefore the gift of the ‘tongues’ is intended as a sign, not for those who believe in Christ, but for those who do not, while the gift of preaching is intended as a sign, not for those who do not believe in Christ, but for those who do.
This shows that the gift of tongues is intended as a sign not to those who believe but to unbelievers, but prophecy is intended not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
23 So, when the whole church meets, if all present use the gift of ‘tongues,’ and some people who are without the gift, or who are unbelievers, come in, will not they say that you are mad?
Accordingly if the whole Church has assembled and all are speaking in 'tongues,' and there come in ungifted men, or unbelievers, will they not say that you are all mad?
24 While, if all those present use the gift of preaching, and an unbeliever, or someone without the gift, comes in, they are convinced of their sinfulness by them all, they are called to account by them all;
If, on the other hand, every one is prophesying and an unbeliever or an ungifted man comes in, he is convicted by all and closely examined by all,
25 the secrets of their heart are revealed, and then, throwing themselves on their face, they will worship God, and declare ‘God is indeed among you!’
and the hidden evils of his heart are brought to light. And, as the result, he will fall on his face and worship God, and will report to others that of a truth God is among you.
26 What do I suggest, then, friends? Whenever you meet for worship, each of you comes, either with a hymn, or a lesson, or a revelation, or the gift of ‘tongues,’ or the interpretation of them; let everything be directed to the building up of faith.
What then, brethren? Whenever you assemble, there is not one of you who is not ready either with a song of praise, a sermon, a revelation, a 'tongue,' or an interpretation. Let everything be done with a view to the building up of faith and character.
27 If any of you use the gift of ‘tongues,’ not more than two, or at the most three, should do so – each speaking in his turn – and someone should interpret them.
If there is speaking in an unknown tongue, only two or at the most three should speak, and they should do so one at a time, and one should interpret;
28 If there is no one able to interpret what is said, they should remain silent at the meeting of the church, and speak to themselves and to God.
or if there is no interpreter, let the man with the gift be silent in the Church, speaking to himself and to God.
29 Of preachers two or three should speak, and the rest should weigh well what is said.
But if there are Prophets, let two or three speak and let the rest judge.
30 But, if some revelation is made to another person as he sits there, the first speaker should stop.
And if anything is revealed to some one else who is seated there, let the first be silent.
31 For you can all preach in turn, so that all may learn some lesson and all receive encouragement.
For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged:
32 (The spirit that moves the preachers is within the preachers’ control;
and the spirits of Prophets yield submission to Prophets.
33 for God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.) This custom prevails in all the churches of Christ’s people.
For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace, as He is in all the Churches of His people.
34 At the meetings of the church married women should remain silent, for they are not allowed to speak in public; they should take a subordinate place, as the Law itself directs.
Let married women be silent in the Churches, for they are not permitted to speak. They must be content with a subordinate place, as the Law also says;
35 If they want information on any point, they should ask their husbands about it at home; for it is unbecoming for a married woman to speak at a meeting of the church.
and if they wish to ask questions, they should ask their own husbands at home. For it is disgraceful for a married woman to speak at a Church assembly.
36 What! Did God’s message to the world originate with you? Or did it find its way to none but you?
Was it from you that God's Message first went forth, or is it to you only that it has come?
37 If anyone thinks that he has the gift of preaching or any other spiritual gift, he should recognize that what I am now saying to you is a command from the Lord.
If any one deems himself to be a Prophet or a man with spiritual gifts, let him recognize as the Lord's command all that I am now writing to you.
38 Anyone who ignores it may be ignored.
But if any one is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 Therefore, my friends, strive for the gift of preaching, and yet do not forbid speaking in ‘tongues.’
The conclusion, my brethren, is this. Be earnestly ambitious to prophesy, and do not check speaking with tongues;
40 Let everything be done in a proper and orderly manner.
only let everything be done in a becoming and orderly manner.

< 1 Corinthians 14 >