1 Corinthians 14

1 Follow after love; and be emulous of the gifts of the Spirit, and especially, that ye may prophesy.

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 For he that speaketh in a tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no one understandeth what is said; yet in the spirit, he speaketh a mystery.

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 he that prophesieth, speaketh unto men, for edification, and exhortation, and consolation.

But he who prophesies speaks to men words of edification, encouragement and comfort.

4 He that speaketh in a tongue, edifieth himself: and he that prophesieth, edifieth 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 would that ye all spoke with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied; for greater is he that prophesieth, than he that speaketh in a tongue, unless he interpret; and if he interpret, he edifieth the church.

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 And now, my brethren, if I should come among you, and speak to you in tongues, what should I profit you; unless I should speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecy, or by doctrine?

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 For even inanimate things that emit sound, whether pipe or harp, if they make no distinction between one sound and another, how will it be known, what is sung or what is harped?

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 And if the trumpet shall give an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for the battle?

If the bugle--to take another example--gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?

9 So likewise if ye utter a discourse in a tongue, and there is no interpretation given, how will it be known what ye have said? Ye will have been as if ye spoke into the air.

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 For lo, there are many kinds of tongues in the world; and there is not one of them without meaning.

There are, we will suppose, a great number of languages in the world, and no creature is without a language.

11 But if I do not know the import of the sound, I shall be a barbarian to him that speaketh, and the speaker will be a barbarian 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 So also ye, since ye are emulous of the gifts of the Spirit for the edification of the church, seek ye to excel.

Therefore, seeing that you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in them so as to benefit the Church.

13 And let him that speaketh in a tongue, pray that he may interpret.

Therefore let a man who has the gift of tongues pray for the power of interpreting them.

14 For if I should pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is without fruits.

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is barren.

15 What then shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, and will pray with my understanding; and I will sing with my spirit, and will sing with my understanding.

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 Otherwise, if thou blessest in the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of one unlearned, say Amen, on thy giving thanks; for he knoweth not what thou sayest?

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 Thou blessest, indeed, very well; but thy neighbor is not edified.

Rightly enough you are giving thanks, and yet your neighbor is not benefited.

18 I thank God, that I speak with tongues more than all of you.

I speak in a tongue, thank God, more than all of you;

19 But in the church, I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others, than a myriad of words in a tongue.

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 brethren, be ye not children in your thoughts; but to evil things be ye infants; and in your thoughts be men.

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 In the law it is written, With a foreign speech, and in another tongue, will I speak with this people; and even so also they will not hearken to me, saith 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 Wherefore, tongues are established for a sign, not to the believers, but to them that believe not. But prophesyings are not for those who believe not, but for them that believe.

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 If therefore the whole church assemble, and they all speak with tongues, and there come in unlearned persons, or such as believe not, will they not say: These people are crazy?

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 But if ye should be all prophesying, and one unlearned or an unbeliever should come among you, he is explored by you all, and rebuked by you 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 and the secrets of his heart are laid open to him: and so he will fall upon his face, and will worship God, and say: Verily, God is in 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 I therefore say to you my brethren, that when ye assemble, whoever of you hath a psalm, let him speak; and whoever hath a doctrine, and whoever hath a revelation, and whoever hath a tongue, and whoever hath an interpretation. Let them all be for edification.

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 And if any speak in a tongue, let two speak or at most, three; and let them speak one by one; and let some one interpret.

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 And if there is none to interpret, let him that speaketh in a tongue, be silent in the church; and let him speak to himself 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 And as to prophets, let two or three speak, and let the rest judge.

But if there are Prophets, let two or three speak and let the rest judge.

30 And if to another sitting by, there should be a revelation, let the first stop speaking.

And if anything is revealed to some one else who is seated there, let the first be silent.

31 For ye can all prophesy, one by one; so that every one may learn, and every one be comforted.

For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged:

32 For the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets.

and the spirits of Prophets yield submission to Prophets.

33 Because, God is not the author of tumult, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace, as He is in all the Churches of His people.

34 Let your women be silent in the church: for it is not permitted them to speak, but to be in subjection, as also the law saith.

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 And if they wish to be informed on any subject, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is unbecoming for women to speak in 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! was it from you that the word of God came forth? Or did it reach only to you?

Was it from you that God's Message first went forth, or is it to you only that it has come?

37 And if any one among you thinketh that he is a prophet, or that he is spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, as being the precepts of our 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 But if any one be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

But if any one is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

39 Wherefore, my brethren, be emulous of prophesying: and to speak with tongues, prohibit not.

The conclusion, my brethren, is this. Be earnestly ambitious to prophesy, and do not check speaking with tongues;

40 But let every thing be done with decency and regularity.

only let everything be done in a becoming and orderly manner.