1 Corinthians 14
1 Pursue the love, and seek earnestly the spiritual things, and rather that ye may prophecy,
Seek this love earnestly, and strive for spiritual gifts, above all for the gift of preaching.
2 for he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue — to men he doth not speak, but to God, for no one doth hearken, and in spirit he doth speak secrets;
The person who, when speaking, uses the gift of “tongues” is speaking, not to people, but to God, for no one understands them; yet in spirit they are speaking of hidden truths.
3 and he who is prophesying to men doth speak edification, and exhortation, and comfort;
But those who preach are speaking to their fellow men and women words that will build up faith, and give them comfort and encouragement.
4 he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue, himself doth edify, and he who is prophesying, an assembly doth edify;
Those who, when speaking, use the gift of “tongues” builds up their own faith, while those who preach build up the faith of the church.
5 and I wish you all to speak with tongues, and more that ye may prophecy, for greater is he who is prophesying than he who is speaking with tongues, except one may interpret, that the assembly may receive edification.
Now I want you all to speak in “tongues,” but much more I wish that you should preach. A preacher is worth more than one who speaks in “tongues,” unless they interprets their words, so that the faith of the church may be built up.
6 And now, brethren, if I may come unto you speaking tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophesying, or in teaching?
This being so, friends, what good will I do you, if I come to you and speak in “tongues,” unless my words convey some revelation, or knowledge, or take the form of preaching or teaching?
7 yet the things without life giving sound — whether pipe or harp — if a difference in the sounds they may not give, how shall be known that which is piped or that which is harped?
Even with inanimate things, such as a flute or a harp, though they produce sounds, yet unless the notes are quite distinct, how can the tune played on the flute or the harp be recognised?
8 for if also an uncertain sound a trumpet may give, who shall prepare himself for battle?
If the bugle sounds a doubtful call, who will prepare for battle?
9 so also ye, if through the tongue, speech easily understood ye may not give — how shall that which is spoken be known? for ye shall be speaking to air.
And so with you; unless, in using the gift of “tongues,” you utter intelligible words, how can what you say be understood? You will be speaking to the winds!
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is unmeaning,
There are, for instance, a certain number of different languages in the world, and not one of them fails to convey meaning.
11 if, then, I do not know the power of the voice, I shall be to him who is speaking a foreigner, and he who is speaking, is to me a foreigner;
If, however, I do not happen to know the language, I will be a foreigner to those who speak it, and they will be foreigners to me.
12 so also ye, since ye are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, for the building up of the assembly seek that ye may abound;
And so with you; since you are striving for spiritual gifts, be eager to excel in such as will build up the faith of the church.
13 wherefore he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue — let him pray that he may interpret;
Therefore anyone who, when speaking, uses the gift of “tongues” should pray for ability to interpret them.
14 for if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit doth pray, and my understanding is unfruitful.
If, when praying, I use the gift of “tongues,” my spirit indeed prays, but my mind is a blank.
15 What then is it? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing psalms with the spirit, and I will sing psalms also with the understanding;
What, then, is my conclusion? Simply this – I will pray with my spirit, but with my mind as well; I will sing with my spirit, but with my mind as well.
16 since, if thou mayest bless with the spirit, he who is filling the place of the unlearned, how shall he say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, since what thou dost say he hath not known?
If you bless God with your spirit only, how can people in the congregation who are without your gift say “Amen” to your thanksgiving? They do not know what you are saying!
17 for thou, indeed, dost give thanks well, but the other is not built up!
Your thanksgiving may be excellent, but the other is not helped by it.
18 I give thanks to my God — more than you all with tongues speaking —
Thank God, I use the gift of “tongues” more than any of you.
19 but in an assembly I wish to speak five words through my understanding, that others also I may instruct, rather than myriads of words in an [unknown] tongue.
But at a meeting of the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, and so teach others, than ten thousand words when using the gift of “tongues.”
20 Brethren, become not children in the understanding, but in the evil be ye babes, and in the understanding become ye perfect;
My friends, do not show yourselves children in understanding. In wickedness be infants, but in understanding show yourselves adults.
21 in the law it hath been written, that, 'With other tongues and with other lips I will speak to this people, and not even so will they hear Me, saith the Lord;'
It is said in the Law – “In strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”
22 so that the tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving; and the prophesy [is] not for the unbelieving, but for the believing,
Therefore the gift of the “tongues” is intended as a sign, not for those who believe in Christ, but for those who do not, while the gift of preaching is intended as a sign, not for those who do not believe in Christ, but for those who do.
23 If, therefore, the whole assembly may come together, to the same place, and all may speak with tongues, and there may come in unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
So, when the whole church meets, if all present use the gift of “tongues,” and some people who are without the gift, or who are unbelievers, come in, will not they say that you are mad?
24 and if all may prophecy, and any one may come in, an unbeliever or unlearned, he is convicted by all, he is discerned by all,
While, if all those present use the gift of preaching, and an unbeliever, or someone without the gift, comes in, they are convinced of their sinfulness by them all, they are called to account by them all;
25 and so the secrets of his heart become manifest, and so having fallen upon [his] face, he will bow before God, declaring that God really is among you.
the secrets of their heart are revealed, and then, throwing themselves on their face, they will worship God, and declare “God is indeed among you!”
26 What then is it, brethren? whenever ye may come together, each of you hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation? let all things be for building up;
What do I suggest, then, friends? Whenever you meet for worship, each of you comes, either with a hymn, or a lesson, or a revelation, or the gift of “tongues,” or the interpretation of them; let everything be directed to the building up of faith.
27 if an [unknown] tongue any one do speak, by two, or at the most, by three, and in turn, and let one interpret;
If any of you use the gift of “tongues,” not more than two, or at the most three, should do so – each speaking in his turn – and someone should interpret them.
28 and if there may be no interpreter, let him be silent in an assembly, and to himself let him speak, and to God.
If there is no one able to interpret what is said, they should remain silent at the meeting of the church, and speak to themselves and to God.
29 And prophets — let two or three speak, and let the others discern,
Of preachers two or three should speak, and the rest should weigh well what is said.
30 and if to another sitting [anything] may be revealed, let the first be silent;
But, if some revelation is made to another person as he sits there, the first speaker should stop.
31 for ye are able, one by one, all to prophesy, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted,
For you can all preach in turn, so that all may learn some lesson and all receive encouragement.
32 and the spiritual gift of prophets to prophets are subject,
(The spirit that moves the preachers is within the preachers’ control;
33 for God is not [a God] of tumult, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.
for God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.) This custom prevails in all the churches of Christ’s people.
34 Your women in the assemblies let them be silent, for it hath not been permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law saith;
At the meetings of the church married women should remain silent, for they are not allowed to speak in public; they should take a subordinate place, as the Law itself directs.
35 and if they wish to learn anything, at home their own husbands let them question, for it is a shame to women to speak in an assembly.
If they want information on any point, they should ask their husbands about it at home; for it is unbecoming for a married woman to speak at a meeting of the church.
36 From you did the word of God come forth? or to you alone did it come?
What! Did God’s message to the world originate with you? Or did it find its way to none but you?
37 if any one doth think to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge the things that I write to you — that of the Lord they are commands;
If anyone thinks that he has the gift of preaching or any other spiritual gift, he should recognise that what I am now saying to you is a command from the Lord.
38 and if any one is ignorant — let him be ignorant;
Anyone who ignores it may be ignored.
39 so that, brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and to speak with tongues do not forbid;
Therefore, my friends, strive for the gift of preaching, and yet do not forbid speaking in “tongues.”
40 let all things be done decently and in order.
Let everything be done in a proper and orderly manner.
