1 Akorinitho 14
1 Rũmagĩrĩrai mĩthiĩre ya wendani, na mwĩrirĩrie mũno iheo cia kĩĩroho, na makĩria mwĩriragĩrie kĩheo kĩa ũheani ũhoro wa Ngai.
You must want to love others more [than you want anything else]. But you should [also] eagerly desire the abilities that [God’s] Spirit [gives to believers]. And you should desire most of all to have the ability to speak messages that come directly from God [MTY].
2 Nĩgũkorwo mũndũ ũrĩa wothe waragia na rũthiomi-rĩ, ti andũ aaragĩria no nĩ Ngai aaragĩria. Ti-itherũ, gũtirĩ mũndũ ũtaũkagĩrwo nĩ ũrĩa aroiga; no nĩ maũndũ ma hitho aaragia na roho wake.
[I say that] because those who speak messages that come directly from God [are speaking in languages that they and the other believers in the congregation know, and so] they are able to strengthen them [spiritually] and to encourage and comfort them. But those who speak in languages [MTY] [that they have not learned] are not speaking to people. Instead, they are [only] speaking to God. No one understands them. By [the power/guidance of God’s] Spirit (OR, From within [their own] spirit) they speak things that others do not know.
3 No mũndũ ũrĩa ũheanaga ũhoro wa Ngai aaragĩria andũ akamekĩra hinya, na akamomĩrĩria, na akamahooreria.
4 Mũndũ ũrĩa waragia na rũthiomi nĩ we mwene wĩongagĩrĩra hinya, no ũrĩa ũheanaga ũhoro wa Ngai nĩ kanitha ongagĩrĩra hinya.
Those who speak in languages [that they have not learned] are receiving a blessing for themselves, but those who speak messages that come directly from God are giving a blessing to [all the believers in] the congregation [because they are speaking in a language that the congregation knows].
5 No nyende inyuothe mwaragie na thiomi, no makĩria ingĩenda inyuothe mũrathage mohoro. Mũndũ ũrĩa ũrathaga ũhoro nĩakĩrĩte ũrĩa waragia na thiomi, tiga no akorirwo nĩegũtaũra thiomi icio, nĩguo kanitha wongererwo hinya.
I would like you all to have the ability to speak in languages [MTY] [you have not learned]. But I would like even more for you to have the ability to speak messages that come directly from God. People can speak messages in a language that they have not learned, but if there is no one there who can explain the meaning, that situation is not as helpful to the congregation as speaking messages that come directly from God [in the language that the congregation knows].
6 No rĩu, ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ, ingĩũka kũrĩ inyuĩ na njarie na thiomi-rĩ, ingĩmũguna nakĩ, tiga no ndĩmũreheire ũguũrio, kana ũmenyo, kana ũrathi, o na kana kiugo kĩa ũrutani?
My fellow believers, suppose I came and spoke to you in a language that none of you knows [and I did not explain the meaning of what I told you]. Even if I told you something that God had revealed to me, or told you some message that had come directly from him, or taught you something that you needed to know, (that certainly would not help you!/how would that help you?) [RHQ]
7 O na ha ũhoro ũkoniĩ indo iria itarĩ muoyo iria igambaga, indo ta mũtũrirũ kana kĩnanda kĩa mũgeeto-rĩ, mũndũ angĩgĩkũũrana atĩa rwĩmbo rũrĩa rũrenda kũinwo, tiga hakorirwo na ngũũrani njega ya mĩgambo?
[It is like] lifeless [musical instruments], like flutes and harps for example. When they are played, if the notes are not played {if [those playing those instruments] do not play the notes} clearly, no one will know what tune is being played {what tune they are playing}. [RHQ]
8 Ningĩ-rĩ, angĩkorwo karumbeta gatikũruta mũgambo ũgũkũũrĩkana ũrĩa ũkuuga-rĩ, nũũ ũngĩkĩhaarĩria gũthiĩ mbaara-inĩ?
If someone playing the trumpet [wants to signal that the soldiers should prepare to fight a battle], [the soldiers] certainly will not get ready if [the call to battle] is not played {he does not play [the call to battle]} clearly. [RHQ]
9 Ũguo noguo ũhoro wanyu ũtariĩ. Tiga mwaririe na ciugo ikũmenyeka na rũthiomi rwanyu-rĩ, nĩ mũndũ ũrĩkũ ũngĩmenya ũrĩa mũroiga? Mũngĩkorwo o mũkĩarĩria rĩera.
It is the same with you! If you do not speak words that other people can understand, (no one will know what you are saying./how will anyone know what you are saying?) [RHQ] [It will be as though] you are just speaking to the air!
10 Ti-itherũ nĩ kũrĩ mĩthemba mĩingĩ ya thiomi gũkũ thĩ, no gũtirĩ rũthiomi o na rũmwe rũtarĩ ũrĩa ruugaga.
There are many different languages in the world, and all of them convey meaning [LIT] [to the people who know those languages].
11 No angĩkorwo ndingĩmenya ũrĩa mũndũ aroiga-rĩ, niĩ ngĩrĩ mũrũrĩrĩ harĩ mũndũ ũcio ũraaria, nake nĩ mũrũrĩrĩ harĩ niĩ.
But if we do not understand the language that others are speaking, [it will be as though] they are foreigners to us, and we will be foreigners to them.
12 Ũguo noguo o na inyuĩ mũtariĩ. Kuona atĩ nĩmwĩrirĩirie mũno iheo cia kĩĩroho-rĩ, kĩgeragiei kuongerera iheo iria ciakaga kanitha ũkagĩa na hinya.
So [I say this to] you: Because you are eager to have the abilities that God’s Spirit gives, earnestly desire those abilities that will do the most to help [all the believers in] the congregation.
13 Na tondũ ũcio-rĩ, mũndũ ũrĩa waragia na rũthiomi rũgeni nĩahooyage nĩguo ahote gũtaũra ũrĩa aroiga.
So, those who have the ability to speak in languages [MTY] [that they have not learned] should pray that [God will give them the ability to] explain the meaning of what they say.
14 Nĩ ũndũ-rĩ, ingĩkorwo ndĩrahooya ngĩthiomaga-rĩ, roho wakwa nĩguo ũrahooya, no meciiria makwa matirĩ na maciaro.
If they pray in a language [MTY] [that they have not learned], their spirits are praying, but they are not using their minds.
15 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio-rĩ, ngũgĩĩka atĩa? Niĩ ndĩrĩhooyaga Ngai na roho wakwa, na ningĩ hooyage na meciiria makwa; o na kũina ndĩrĩinaga na roho wakwa, na ningĩ nyinage na meciiria makwa o namo.
So I will tell you [RHQ] what we should do. [At times] we may pray, [using] only our spirits, [in languages we have not learned. And at other times] we should pray using our minds, [thinking about the words that we are praying. Similarly], at times we may sing using only our spirits, using languages that we have not learned, and at other times we should sing using our minds, [thinking about the words that we are singing].
16 Ningĩ-rĩ, ũngĩkorwo ũkĩgooca Ngai na roho waku tu-rĩ, mũndũ wa arĩa marĩ gatagatĩ kanyu ũtarataũkĩrwo, angĩkiuga “Ameni” atĩa mahooya-inĩ maku ma gũcookia ngaatho, kuona atĩ ndaramenya ũrĩa ũroiga?
Suppose that any one of you praises God (OR, thanks God for what he has done), using only your [(sg)] spirit [and not using your mind]. Maybe some people [will be present who] do not know about [the abilities that God’s Spirit gives to believers]. Because they do not know what you are saying, after you thank God, they will not [RHQ] know when to say “Amen!/I agree!”
17 No ũkorwo ũgĩcookia ngaatho wega mũno, no mũndũ ũcio ũngĩ ndanongererwo hinya nĩ ũhoro ũcio.
You may be thanking God very well, but you are not helping them.
18 Nĩngũcookeria Ngai ngaatho nĩgũkorwo niĩ nĩnjaragia na thiomi makĩria manyu inyuothe.
I thank God that I speak in languages [MTY] [that I have not learned] more than any of you do.
19 No kanitha-inĩ-rĩ, nĩ kaba njarie ciugo ithano ndĩramenya wega nĩguo ngĩrute andũ arĩa angĩ ũhoro nacio, gũkĩra njarie ciugo ngiri ikũmi cia gũthioma.
But during a worship service, [in order that others will understand what I am saying], I would prefer to speak five words using my mind, in order that I may teach others, rather than to speak 10,000 words in a language [MTY] [that is not understood by the congregation].
20 Ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ, tigagai gwĩciiragia ta ciana. Harĩ ũhoro wa maũndũ marĩa mooru-rĩ, tuĩkai tũkenge, no mwĩciirĩrie-inĩ wanyu mũtuĩke andũ agima.
My fellow believers, stop being like little children in the way that you think [about these abilities that God’s Spirit gives]. Instead, think about them in a mature way. If you really want to be like little children, do as few wicked things as babies do!
21 Thĩinĩ wa Watho nĩ kwandĩkĩtwo atĩrĩ: “Nĩngaarĩria andũ aya na tũnua twa andũ maaragia na thiomi ngʼeni, ndĩmaarĩrie na tũnua twa andũ maaragia na mwarĩrie wa kũngĩ, no o na ndeeka ũguo matikanjigua,”
[When the Jews long ago refused to obey God, he warned them about what would happen when he allowed their enemies to punish them]. In the Scriptures it is written {[the prophet Isaiah] wrote} what the Lord [God] said [about that], [They didn’t listen to prophets speaking their own language, so I will send] people from foreign [lands to attack] my people. Those foreigners will speak languages that my people do not know [DOU]. [In that way], I will warn my people, but they will still not pay attention to what I say.
22 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, kwaria na thiomi nĩ kĩmenyithia kũrĩ andũ arĩa matetĩkĩtie no ti kĩmenyithia kũrĩ arĩa metĩkĩtie; no kũratha ũhoro nĩ kwa arĩa metĩkĩtie, ti kwa arĩa matetĩkĩtie.
If we speak in languages [MTY] [that we have not learned], unbelievers [who are there will realize that the Spirit of God is truly among us]. That will warn them [that they need to fear God]. But believers do not [need such a warning].
23 Tondũ ũcio kanitha wothe ũngĩũngana na andũ othe maarie na thiomi-rĩ, na hacooke hatoonye andũ matooĩ ũhoro wa thiomi, kana andũ matetĩkĩtie-rĩ, githĩ matingiuga atĩ mũrĩ agũrũki?
Suppose during the worship service everyone started to speak in languages [MTY] [that they have not learned]. If unbelievers or people who do not know [about the abilities that God’s Spirit gives to believers] come in [and hear that], they will surely think that you are crazy. [RHQ]
24 No mũndũ ũtarĩ mwĩtĩkia kana mũndũ ũtarĩ mũtaũkĩre nĩ ũhoro ũcio angĩtoonya rĩrĩa andũ othe mararatha mohoro-rĩ, mũndũ ũcio nĩekũiguithio nĩ andũ othe atĩ nĩ mwĩhia na aciirithio nĩo othe,
But if an unbeliever or someone who does not know [about those abilities] comes in while all of you believers are [one by one] speaking messages that come directly from God, everything that you [say] will show that person that he is a sinner and that [God] will punish him [if he does not turn from his sinful behavior].
25 na maũndũ marĩa atũire ahithĩte ngoro-inĩ nĩmakoimbũka. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio egũithie thĩ ahooe Ngai, akiugaga atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ Ngai arĩ gatagatĩ-inĩ kanyu!”
He will realize that [God knows the evil things that he has done that], things that other people do not know. Then he will kneel down and worship God and say, “God is truly among you!”
26 Tũgũkiuga atĩa, ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ? Rĩrĩa muongana hamwe-rĩ, o mũndũ ahota gũkorwo arĩ na rwĩmbo, kana arĩ na ũndũ arenda kũrutana, kana arĩ na ũndũ aguũrĩirio, kana arĩ na thiomi, kana arĩ na ũtaũri wa thiomi. Maũndũ macio mothe no nginya mekagwo nĩ ũndũ wa gwĩkĩra kanitha hinya.
So, my fellow believers, I will tell you [RHQ] what I think that you should be doing. When you come together [to worship God], some of you may have a hymn to sing. Others may have something to teach [the congregation]. Others may have [something to say that God has] revealed to them. Others may give messages in languages [that they have not learned]. Others will explain the meaning of those messages. Make sure that all of these things that you do will make the congregation become more mature spiritually.
27 Angĩkorwo nĩ gũkwario na rũthiomi-rĩ, nĩ kwario nĩ andũ eerĩ, na makĩingĩha atatũ, na o mũndũ aarie riita rĩake, na no nginya hagĩe na mũndũ ũngĩ wa gũtaũra.
[It is all right] if two people, or at the most three people, speak in languages [MTY] [that they have not learned]. But they must speak one at a time, and someone must explain the meaning of what the others have said.
28 Angĩkorwo gũtirĩ mũtaũri-rĩ, mwaria ũcio nĩagĩkire arĩ kũu kanitha-inĩ, na akĩĩarĩrie we mwene, na aarĩrie Ngai.
If [those who want to speak in a language that they have not learned realize that] there is no one [there] who will be able to explain the meaning [of what they will say], they should not speak in that language during the meeting. Instead, they should speak to God by themselves, [somewhere else].
29 Aheani ũhoro eerĩ kana atatũ magĩrĩirwo maarie, nao andũ arĩa angĩ makũũrane wega ũrĩa kũreerwo.
[During a meeting], two or three people should speak messages that come directly from God, and others who are there should think carefully about what those people have said.
30 Na mũndũ ũikarĩte thĩ ho angĩgĩa na ũguũrio-rĩ, mwaria ũcio wa mbere nĩakire.
If someone receives a new message directly from God while someone else is speaking, the one who is speaking should stop speaking [and let the other person tell what God has revealed to him].
31 Nĩgũkorwo inyuothe no mũrathe ũhoro o mũndũ riita rĩake nĩguo andũ othe marutwo maũndũ na momĩrĩrio.
You can all, one by one, speak messages that have come directly from God, in order that you can teach others and all be encouraged {encourage everyone}.
32 Namo maroho ma anabii nĩmathĩkagĩra anabii o ene.
Those who speak messages that come directly from God are in control of their own spirits, [so they can wait for their turn to speak].
33 Nĩgũkorwo Ngai ti Ngai wa kĩrigiicano no nĩ wa thayũ. Ta ũrĩa kũrĩ thĩinĩ wa ciũngano ciothe cia andũ arĩa aamũre,
Remember that God does not desire that things be done in a disorderly way [during your worship services]. Instead, he desires that everything be done in an orderly way. Just like it happens in all the other congregations of believers,
34 atumia magĩrĩirwo nĩgũikaraga makirĩte ki marĩ thĩinĩ wa kanitha. Matiĩtĩkĩrĩtio kwaria, no nĩmaikarage menyiihĩtie, o ta ũrĩa Watho uugĩte.
the women should not be permitted {do not permit the women} [to interrupt the meeting by] asking [questions]. They must keep quiet. They must be subject [to their husbands]. What Moses wrote [PRS] [about how God created the first two people] suggests [that the women should do that].
35 Angĩkorwo marĩ na ũndũ mangĩenda kũmenya-rĩ, nĩmoragie athuuri ao ene kwao mũciĩ; nĩgũkorwo nĩ ũndũ ũrĩ thoni atumia kwaragia thĩinĩ wa kanitha.
If they want to know [more] about something [that a speaker said], they should ask their husbands when they get home, for it is disgraceful for women to [interrupt a service by] asking [such questions].
36 Hĩ! Anga kiugo kĩa Ngai kĩambĩrĩirie na inyuĩ? Kana hihi no inyuĩ inyuiki gĩakinyĩire?
[If you do not agree with these things that I have been telling you], remember that [RHQ] the message from God did not first come from you [people in Corinth]. Also, you are not [RHQ] the only ones who have heard it! [Many others have heard it and accepted it, so you should not act as though you are the only believers who have heard the message from God].
37 Mũndũ o na ũ angĩĩciiria atĩ nĩ mũnabii, kana arĩ na iheo cia kĩĩroho-rĩ, nĩagĩtĩkĩre atĩ maũndũ maya ndĩramwandĩkĩra nĩ maũndũ marĩa maathanĩtwo nĩ Mwathani.
Those of you who think that you have the ability to speak messages that come directly from God, or think that you have some other ability [that God’s] Spirit gives, should realize that the things that I have written about in this letter are things that the Lord has commanded.
38 No angĩagĩra ũndũ ũcio kĩene-rĩ, o nake we mwene nĩakagĩrwo kĩene.
But if they are not willing to accept [my authority], [God] will not accept them (OR, they will not be accepted [by the congregation]).
39 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, ariũ na aarĩ a Ithe witũ, mwĩrirĩriei kũrathaga mohoro, na mũtikagiragie ũhoro wa kwaria na thiomi.
So, my fellow believers, be eager to speak messages that come directly from God, and do not prevent anyone from speaking in a language [that he has not learned].
40 No maũndũ mothe nĩmekagwo na mũtaratara ũrĩa wagĩrĩire, na mekagwo na kĩhaarĩro.
But make sure [that] everything that you do [during the worship services] is done in a proper and orderly way.
