1 Corinthians 14
1 Sue ye charite, loue ye spiritual thingis, but more that ye prophecien.
Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual [gifts], 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 speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
3 For he that prophecieth, spekith to men to edificacioun, and monestyng, and coumfortyng.
But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and comfort, and consolation.
4 He that spekith in tunge, edifieth hym silf; but he that prophecieth, edifieth the chirche of God.
He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
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 would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
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?
But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of 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 things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in 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 if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, 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.
So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into 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 no [kind] is without signification.
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 then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me.
12 So ye, for ye ben loueris of spiritis, seke ye that ye be plenteuouse to edificacioun of the chirche.
So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church.
13 And therfor he that spekith in langage, preie, that he expowne.
Wherefore let him that speaketh in 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 in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, 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, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
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?
Else if thou bless with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest?
17 For thou doist wel thankyngis, but an othir man is not edefied.
For thou verily 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 with tongues more than you all:
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.
howbeit in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, 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 mind: howbeit in malice be ye babes, but in mind be 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.
In the law it is written, By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak unto this people; and not even 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.
Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying [is for a sign], not to the unbelieving, but to them that 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 church be assembled together, and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that 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 there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved by all, he is judged by 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 made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.
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? When ye come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27 Whether a man spekith in tunge, bi twei men, ethir thre at the moste, and bi partis, that oon interprete.
If any man speaketh in a tongue, [let it be] by two, or at the most three, and [that] in turn; 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 keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
29 Prophetis tweine or thre seie, and othere wiseli deme.
And let the prophets speak [by] two or three, and let the others discern.
30 But if ony thing be schewid to a sittere, the formere be stille.
But if a revelation be made to another sitting by, let the first keep silence.
31 For ye moun `prophecie alle, ech bi hym silf, that alle men lerne, and alle moneste.
For ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted;
32 And the spiritis of prophetis ben suget to prophetis;
and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the 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 confusion, but of peace; as in all the churches 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 the women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law.
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.
And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church.
36 Whether `of you the word of God cam forth, or to you aloone it cam?
What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?
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 man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.
38 And if ony man vnknowith, he schal be vnknowun.
But if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 `Therfor, britheren, loue ye to prophecie, and nyle ye forbede to speke in tungis.
Wherefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
40 But be alle thingis don onestli, and bi due ordre in you.
But let all things be done decently and in order.
