1 Corinthians 14
1 Pursue love; nevertheless be envious of the spiritual gifts, —and, rather, that ye may be prophesying.
Pursue love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but even more that you may prophesy.
2 For, he that speaketh with a tongue, not unto men, doth speak, but, unto God, —for, no one, understandeth, although, in spirit, he is speaking sacred secrets;
For he who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he speaks mysteries in the Spirit.
3 But, be that prophesieth, unto men, doth speak—edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
But he who prophesies speaks edification, encouragement, and comfort to others.
4 He that speaketh with a tongue, buildeth up, himself, whereas, he that prophesieth, buildeth up, an assembly.
He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
5 Howbeit I wish you all to speak with tongues, but, rather, that ye may prophesy, —moreover, greater, is he that prophesieth, than he that speaketh with tongues, —unless indeed he translate, that, the assembly, may receive upbuilding.
Now I would like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy. For greater is he who prophesies than he who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
6 But, now, brethren—if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit, you, except I speak, unto you, either by way of revelation, or knowledge, or prophesying, or teaching?
Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
7 In like manner, the things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, if, a distinction in the sounds, they do not give, how shall it be known, what is being piped or harped?
It is the same way with lifeless instruments that produce sound, such as the flute or harp. If they do not produce distinct notes, how will anyone recognize what is being played?
8 For, if also, an uncertain sound, a trumpet, should give, who shall prepare himself for battle?
And if the trumpet does not produce a distinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?
9 So, also, ye, through means of the tongue, except ye give intelligible discourse, how shall it be known what is being spoken? for ye will be speaking, to the air.
It is the same with you. If you do not produce intelligible speech with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.
10 There may happen to be so many kinds of languages in the world, and, not one, unspoken: —
There are undoubtedly many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning.
11 If, then, I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be, unto him that is speaking, a foreigner, and, he that is speaking, shall be, in my case, a foreigner.
If then I do not know the meaning of a particular language, I will be a foreigner to him who is speaking, and he who is speaking will be a foreigner to me.
12 So, ye, also—since ye are, envious, of spirits, unto the upbuilding of the assembly, seek to be pre-eminent.
It is the same with you. Since you earnestly desire spiritual gifts, seek to abound in them for the edification of the church.
13 Wherefore, he that speaketh with a tongue, let him pray that he may translate;
Therefore anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray for the ability to interpret what he says.
14 [For], if I am praying in a tongue, my spirit, is praying, but, my mind, is unfruitful.
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray also with the mind, —I will strike the strings with the spirit, [but] I will strike the strings also with the mind.
What then should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also. I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing praise with my mind also.
16 Else, if thou be blessing in a spirit, he that filleth up the place of the ungifted person, how shall he say the Amen upon thy thanksgiving? since indeed, what thou art saying, he knoweth not;
Otherwise, if yoʋ bless with yoʋr spirit, how will anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” when yoʋ give thanks, since he does not know what yoʋ are saying?
17 For, thou, indeed, excellently art giving thanks, but, the other, is not being built up.
For yoʋ may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not edified.
18 I give thanks unto God!—More than ye all, am I speaking with tongues;
I give thanks to my God speaking in tongues more than you all.
19 But, in assembly, I desire to speak five words with my mind, that, others also, I may instruct, than myriads of words in a tongue.
Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20 Brethren! do not become children, in your understandings; but, in baseness, become babes, while, in your understandings, ye become, full-grown.
Brothers, do not be childish in your way of thinking. Rather, as to malice be infants, but in your way of thinking be mature.
21 In the law, it is written—With strange tongues, and with lips of strangers, will I speak unto this people; and, not even so, will they hearken unto me, —saith the Lord.
In the law it is written, “With foreign tongues and with foreign lips I will speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”
22 So that, the tongues, are for a sign—not unto them that believe, but, unto them that believe not; whereas, prophesying, is not for them that believe not, but, for them that believe.
So then, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.
23 If, then, the whole assembly come together with one consent, and, all, are speaking with tongues, —and there come in persons unskilled or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are raving?
So if the whole church comes together and everyone is speaking in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?
24 But, if, all, be prophesying, —and there come in one who is unbelieving or unskilled, he is convicted by all, he is searched by all, the secrets of his heart, become manifest,
But if an unbeliever or outsider comes in while everyone is prophesying, he will be convicted by all and called to account by all.
25 And, so, falling down upon his face, he will do homage unto God, reporting that, in reality, God is, among you.
The secrets of his heart will thus be revealed, and he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is truly among you.
26 What, then, is it, brethren? Whensoever ye are coming together, each one, hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath a translation: —let, all things, be done, unto building up.
What then should you do, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, a teaching, a tongue, a revelation, or an interpretation. Everything must be done for edification.
27 If, with a tongue, one is speaking, let it be by two, or, at the most, three, —and by turns; and let, one, be translating;
If any speak in a tongue, only two, or at the most three, should speak; they should each speak in turn, and someone must interpret.
28 But, if there be none to translate, let him keep silence in assembly, and, unto himself, be speaking, and, unto God!
But if there is no interpreter, they should keep quiet in the church and speak in tongues privately to God.
29 Prophets, moreover, let two or three speak, and let, the others, judge.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate what they say.
30 If, however, unto another, a revelation be made, as he is sitting, let the first be silent;
But if something is revealed to another who is seated, the first speaker should be silent.
31 For, one by one, ye can, all, be prophesying, —that, all, may learn, and, all, be encouraged.
For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be encouraged.
32 And, spirits of prophets, unto prophets, do submit themselves;
Remember that the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not [a God] of confusion, but, of peace: —as in all the assemblies of the saints.
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace; this is true in all the churches of the saints.
34 As for the women, in the assemblies, let them be silent, for it is not permitted them to be speaking; but let them be in submission, —even as, the law, saith.
Your women should be silent in the churches, for they have not been permitted to speak, but must be in submission, just as the law says.
35 If, however, they are wishing to learn something, at home, their own husbands, let them question; for it is a shame for a woman to be speaking in assembly.
If they want to learn anything, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.
36 Or, from you, did the word of God come forth? Or, unto you alone, did it extend?
Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached?
37 If anyone thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge the things which I am writing to you, —that they are, a commandment, of the Lord.
If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or spiritual person, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are commandments of the Lord.
38 But, if anyone knoweth not, he is unknown!
But if anyone ignores this, let him be ignorant.
39 So, then, my brethren, —be zealous to prophesy, and do not forbid, to be speaking with tongues;
So then, brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
40 But let, all things, with comeliness, and by arrangement, be done.
Let all things be done decently and in order.
