1 Corinthians 14
1 Sue ye charite, loue ye spiritual thingis, but more that ye prophecien.
Pursue love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but even more that you 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 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 For he that prophecieth, spekith to men to edificacioun, and monestyng, and coumfortyng.
But he who prophesies speaks edification, encouragement, and comfort to others.
4 He that spekith in tunge, edifieth hym silf; but he that prophecieth, edifieth the chirche of God.
He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies 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 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, 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?
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 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?
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 a trumpe yyue an vncerteyn soune, who schal make hym silf redi to batel?
And if the trumpet does not produce a distinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?
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.
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 ben many kyndis of langagis in this world, and no thing is with outen vois.
There are undoubtedly many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning.
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 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, for ye ben loueris of spiritis, seke ye that ye be plenteuouse to edificacioun of the chirche.
It is the same with you. Since you earnestly desire spiritual gifts, seek to abound in them for the edification of the church.
13 And therfor he that spekith in langage, preie, that he expowne.
Therefore anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray for the ability to interpret what he says.
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 prays, but my mind 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 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 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?
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 doist wel thankyngis, but an othir man is not edefied.
For yoʋ may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not edified.
18 Y thanke my God, for Y speke in the langage of alle you;
I give thanks to my God speaking in 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.
Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind to instruct others, 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.
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 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, “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 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 then, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.
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?
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 alle men prophecien, if ony vnfeithful man or idiot entre, he is conuyct of alle, he is wiseli demyd of alle.
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 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 will thus be revealed, and he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is truly among 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 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 Whether a man spekith in tunge, bi twei men, ethir thre at the moste, and bi partis, that oon interprete.
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 not an interpretour, be he stille in the chirche, and speke he to hym silf and to God.
But if there is no interpreter, they should keep quiet in the church and speak in tongues privately to God.
29 Prophetis tweine or thre seie, and othere wiseli deme.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate what they say.
30 But if ony thing be schewid to a sittere, the formere be stille.
But if something is revealed to another who is seated, the first speaker should be silent.
31 For ye moun `prophecie alle, ech bi hym silf, that alle men lerne, and alle moneste.
For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be encouraged.
32 And the spiritis of prophetis ben suget to prophetis;
Remember that the spirits of 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 disorder but of peace; this is true 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.
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 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.
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 Whether `of you the word of God cam forth, or to you aloone it cam?
Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached?
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 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 And if ony man vnknowith, he schal be vnknowun.
But if anyone ignores this, let him be ignorant.
39 `Therfor, britheren, loue ye to prophecie, and nyle ye forbede to speke in tungis.
So then, brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
40 But be alle thingis don onestli, and bi due ordre in you.
Let all things be done decently and in order.
