1 Corinthians 14

1 Sue ye charite, loue ye spiritual thingis, but more that ye prophecien.

Follow after love, and be emulous of spiritual [manifestations], but rather that ye may prophesy.

2 And he that spekith in tunge, spekith not to men, but to God; for no man herith. But the spirit spekith mysteries.

For he that speaks with a tongue does not speak to men but to God: for no one hears; but in spirit he speaks mysteries.

3 For he that prophecieth, spekith to men to edificacioun, and monestyng, and coumfortyng.

But he that prophesies speaks to men [in] edification, and encouragement, and consolation.

4 He that spekith in tunge, edifieth hym silf; but he that prophecieth, edifieth the chirche of God.

He that speaks with a tongue edifies himself; but he that prophesies edifies [the] assembly.

5 And Y wole, that alle ye speke in tungis, but more that ye prophecie. For he that prophecieth, is more than he that spekith in langagis; but perauenture he expoune, that the chirche take edificacioun.

Now I desire that ye should all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy. But greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interpret, that the assembly may receive edification.

6 But now, britheren, if Y come to you, and speke in langagis, what schal Y profite to you, but if Y speke to you ethir in reuelacioun, ethir in science, ethir in prophecie, ether in techyng?

And now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in teaching?

7 For tho thingis that ben withouten soule, and yyueth voices, ethir pipe, ether harpe, but tho yyuen distinccioun of sownyngis, hou schal it be knowun that is sungun, ether that that is trumpid?

Even lifeless things giving a sound, whether pipe or harp, if they give not distinction to the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

8 For if a trumpe yyue an vncerteyn soune, who schal make hym silf redi to batel?

For also, if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself for war?

9 So but ye yyuen an opyn word bi tunge, hou schal that that is seid be knowun? For ye schulen be spekynge in veyn.

Thus also ye with the tongue, unless ye give a distinct speech, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking to the air.

10 There ben many kyndis of langagis in this world, and no thing is with outen vois.

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of undistinguishable sound.

11 But if Y knowe not the vertu of a vois, Y schal be to hym, to whom Y schal speke, a barbarik; and he that spekith to me, schal be a barbarik.

If therefore I do not know the power of the sound, I shall be to him that speaks a barbarian, and he that speaks a barbarian for me.

12 So ye, for ye ben loueris of spiritis, seke ye that ye be plenteuouse to edificacioun of the chirche.

Thus ye also, since ye are desirous of spirits, seek that ye may abound for the edification of the assembly.

13 And therfor he that spekith in langage, preie, that he expowne.

Wherefore let him that speaks with a tongue pray that he may interpret.

14 For if Y preye in tunge, my spirit preieth; myn vndurstondyng is with outen fruyt.

For if I pray with a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

15 What thanne? Y schal preye in spirit, Y schal preye in mynde; Y schal seie salm, in spirit, Y schal seie salm also in mynde.

What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing also with the understanding.

16 For if thou blessist in spirit, who fillith the place of an ydiot, hou schal he seie Amen on thi blessyng, for he woot not, what thou seist?

Since otherwise, if thou blessest with [the] spirit, how shall he who fills the place of the simple [Christian] say Amen, at thy giving of thanks, since he does not know what thou sayest?

17 For thou doist wel thankyngis, but an othir man is not edefied.

For thou indeed givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

18 Y thanke my God, for Y speke in the langage of alle you;

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

19 but in the chirche Y wole speke fyue wordis in my wit, that also Y teche othere men, than ten thousynde of wordis in tunge.

but in [the] assembly I desire to speak five words with my understanding, that I may instruct others also, [rather] than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20 Britheren, nyle ye be maad children in wittis, but in malice be ye children; but in wittis be ye parfit.

Brethren, be not children in [your] minds, but in malice be babes; but in [your] minds be grown [men].

21 For in the lawe it is writun, That in othere tungis and othere lippis Y schal speke to this puple, and nether so thei schulen here me, seith the Lord.

It is written in the law, By people of other tongues, and by strange lips, will I speak to this people; and neither thus will they hear me, saith the Lord.

22 Therfor langagis ben in to tokene, not to feithful men, but to men out of the feith; but prophecies ben not to men out of the feith, but to feithful men.

So that tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers; but prophecy, not to unbelievers, but to those who believe.

23 Therfor if alle the chirche come togidere in to oon, and alle men speken in tungis, if idiotis, ether men out of the feith, entren, whether thei schulen not seie, What ben ye woode?

If therefore the whole assembly come together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and simple [persons] enter in, or unbelievers, will not they say ye are mad?

24 But if alle men prophecien, if ony vnfeithful man or idiot entre, he is conuyct of alle, he is wiseli demyd of alle.

But if all prophesy, and some unbeliever or simple [person] come in, he is convicted of all, he is judged of all;

25 For the hid thingis of his herte ben knowun, and so he schal falle doun on the face, and schal worschipe God, and schewe verili that God is in you.

the secrets of his heart are manifested; and thus, falling upon [his] face, he will do homage to God, reporting that God is indeed amongst you.

26 What thanne, britheren? Whanne ye comen togidere, ech of you hath a salm, he hath techyng, he hath apocalips, he hath tunge, he hath expownyng; alle thingis be thei don to edificacioun.

What is it then, brethren? whenever ye come together, each [of you] has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to edification.

27 Whether a man spekith in tunge, bi twei men, ethir thre at the moste, and bi partis, that oon interprete.

If any one speak with a tongue, [let it be] two, or at the most three, and separately, and let one interpret;

28 But if there be not an interpretour, be he stille in the chirche, and speke he to hym silf and to God.

but if there be no interpreter, let him be silent in [the] assembly, and let him speak to himself and to God.

29 Prophetis tweine or thre seie, and othere wiseli deme.

And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.

30 But if ony thing be schewid to a sittere, the formere be stille.

But if there be a revelation to another sitting [there], let the first be silent.

31 For ye moun `prophecie alle, ech bi hym silf, that alle men lerne, and alle moneste.

For ye can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all be encouraged.

32 And the spiritis of prophetis ben suget to prophetis;

And spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

33 for whi God is not of discencioun, but of pees; as in alle chirchis of hooli men `Y teche.

For God is not [a God] of disorder but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.

34 Wymmen in chirchis be stille; for it is not suffrid to hem to speke, but to be suget, as the lawe seith.

Let [your] women be silent in the assemblies, for it is not permitted to them to speak; but to be in subjection, as the law also says.

35 But if thei wolen ony thing lerne, `at home axe thei her hosebondis; for it is foule thing to a womman to speke in chirche.

But if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in assembly.

36 Whether `of you the word of God cam forth, or to you aloone it cam?

Did the word of God go out from you, or did it come to you only?

37 If ony man is seyn to be a prophete, or spiritual, knowe he tho thingis that Y write to you, for tho ben the comaundementis of the Lord.

If any one thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognise the things that I write to you, that it is [the] Lord's commandment.

38 And if ony man vnknowith, he schal be vnknowun.

But if any be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

39 `Therfor, britheren, loue ye to prophecie, and nyle ye forbede to speke in tungis.

So that, brethren, desire to prophesy, and do not forbid the speaking with tongues.

40 But be alle thingis don onestli, and bi due ordre in you.

But let all things be done comelily and with order.