Προς Κορινθιους Α΄ 14
1 διωκετε την αγαπην ζηλουτε δε τα πνευματικα μαλλον δε ινα προφητευητε
Make love your most important objective! But also do your best to gain spiritual gifts, especially the ability to speak God's message.
2 ο γαρ λαλων γλωσση ουκ ανθρωποις λαλει αλλα θεω ουδεις γαρ ακουει πνευματι δε λαλει μυστηρια
Those who speak in a tongue are not talking to people, but to God, because nobody can understand them as they speak mysteries in the Spirit.
3 ο δε προφητευων ανθρωποις λαλει οικοδομην και παρακλησιν και παραμυθιαν
However, the words of those who speak for God build people up—they provide encouragement and comfort.
4 ο λαλων γλωσση εαυτον οικοδομει ο δε προφητευων εκκλησιαν οικοδομει
Those that speak in a tongue only build themselves up, but those who speak God's message build up the church. I would like it if you all spoke in tongues, but I'd prefer if you could speak God's message.
5 θελω δε παντας υμας λαλειν γλωσσαις μαλλον δε ινα προφητευητε μειζων δε ο προφητευων η ο λαλων γλωσσαις εκτος ει μη διερμηνευη ινα η εκκλησια οικοδομην λαβη
Those who speak for God are more important than those who speak in tongues, unless they interpret what's been said, so that the church can be built up.
6 νυν δε αδελφοι εαν ελθω προς υμας γλωσσαις λαλων τι υμας ωφελησω εαν μη υμιν λαλησω η εν αποκαλυψει η εν γνωσει η εν προφητεια η {VAR1: εν } {VAR2: [εν] } διδαχη
Brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what benefit would I be to you unless I bring you some revelation, or knowledge, or prophetic message, or teaching?
7 ομως τα αψυχα φωνην διδοντα ειτε αυλος ειτε κιθαρα εαν διαστολην τοις φθογγοις μη δω πως γνωσθησεται το αυλουμενον η το κιθαριζομενον
Even when it comes to something non-living such as musical instruments like a flute or a harp: if they don't produce clear notes, how will you know what tune is being played?
8 και γαρ εαν αδηλον σαλπιγξ φωνην δω τις παρασκευασεται εις πολεμον
Similarly, if the trumpet doesn't give a clear sound, who will get ready for battle?
9 ουτως και υμεις δια της γλωσσης εαν μη ευσημον λογον δωτε πως γνωσθησεται το λαλουμενον εσεσθε γαρ εις αερα λαλουντες
It's the same situation for you—unless you speak using words that are easy to understand, who will know what you're saying? What you say will be lost on the wind.
10 τοσαυτα ει τυχοι γενη φωνων εισιν εν κοσμω και ουδεν αφωνον
There are surely many languages in this world, and there is meaning in every one of them.
11 εαν ουν μη ειδω την δυναμιν της φωνης εσομαι τω λαλουντι βαρβαρος και ο λαλων εν εμοι βαρβαρος
If I don't understand the language, those who speak make no sense to me, and I make no sense to them.
12 ουτως και υμεις επει ζηλωται εστε πνευματων προς την οικοδομην της εκκλησιας ζητειτε ινα περισσευητε
It's the same for you—if you are keen to have spiritual gifts, try to have many of those that will build up the church.
13 διο ο λαλων γλωσση προσευχεσθω ινα διερμηνευη
Anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that they're able to translate what they say.
14 εαν [γαρ] προσευχωμαι γλωσση το πνευμα μου προσευχεται ο δε νους μου ακαρπος εστιν
For if I pray out loud in a tongue, my spirit is praying, but it does nothing for my understanding!
15 τι ουν εστιν προσευξομαι τω πνευματι προσευξομαι δε και τω νοι ψαλω τω πνευματι ψαλω {VAR1: [δε] } {VAR2: δε } και τω νοι
So then, what should I do? I will pray “in the Spirit,” but I will pray with my mind too. I will sing “in the Spirit,” but I will sing with my mind too.
16 επει εαν ευλογης [εν] πνευματι ο αναπληρων τον τοπον του ιδιωτου πως ερει το αμην επι τη ση ευχαριστια επειδη τι λεγεις ουκ οιδεν
For if you only pray “in the Spirit,” how can ordinary people that don't have understanding say “Amen” after your prayer of thanks, since they haven't a clue what you said?
17 συ μεν γαρ καλως ευχαριστεις αλλ ο ετερος ουκ οικοδομειται
You might have said a great prayer of thanks, but the other hasn't been helped!
18 ευχαριστω τω θεω παντων υμων μαλλον γλωσσαις λαλω
I thank God that I can speak in tongues more than all of you.
19 αλλα εν εκκλησια θελω πεντε λογους τω νοι μου λαλησαι ινα και αλλους κατηχησω η μυριους λογους εν γλωσση
But in church I would rather speak five understandable words to teach others than ten thousand words in a tongue nobody understands.
20 αδελφοι μη παιδια γινεσθε ταις φρεσιν αλλα τη κακια νηπιαζετε ταις δε φρεσιν τελειοι γινεσθε
Brothers and sisters, don't think like children. Be as innocent as babies in regard to evil, but be grown up in your understanding.
21 εν τω νομω γεγραπται οτι εν ετερογλωσσοις και εν χειλεσιν ετερων λαλησω τω λαω τουτω και ουδ ουτως εισακουσονται μου λεγει κυριος
As Scripture records, “‘I will speak to my people through other languages and the lips of foreigners, but even then they won't listen to me,’ says the Lord.”
22 ωστε αι γλωσσαι εις σημειον εισιν ου τοις πιστευουσιν αλλα τοις απιστοις η δε προφητεια ου τοις απιστοις αλλα τοις πιστευουσιν
Speaking in tongues is a sign, not to believers, but those who don't believe. Speaking God's prophetic message is the opposite: it is not for those who don't believe, but for believers.
23 εαν ουν συνελθη η εκκλησια ολη επι το αυτο και παντες λαλωσιν γλωσσαις εισελθωσιν δε ιδιωται η απιστοι ουκ ερουσιν οτι μαινεσθε
If the whole church is meeting together and you are all speaking in tongues, and some people come in who don't understand, or people who don't believe, won't they say that you are insane?
24 εαν δε παντες προφητευωσιν εισελθη δε τις απιστος η ιδιωτης ελεγχεται υπο παντων ανακρινεται υπο παντων
But if everyone is speaking God's message, and someone comes in who isn't a believer, or someone who doesn't understand, they will be convinced and called to account by everyone's words.
25 τα κρυπτα της καρδιας αυτου φανερα γινεται και ουτως πεσων επι προσωπον προσκυνησει τω θεω απαγγελλων οτι οντως ο θεος εν υμιν εστιν
Their secrets throughts will be revealed, so they will fall to their knees and worship God, affirming that God is truly among you.
26 τι ουν εστιν αδελφοι οταν συνερχησθε εκαστος ψαλμον εχει διδαχην εχει αποκαλυψιν εχει γλωσσαν εχει ερμηνειαν εχει παντα προς οικοδομην γινεσθω
So then, brothers and sisters, what should you do? When you meet together, different people will sing, or teach, or share a special message, or speak in a tongue, or give an interpretation. But everything should be done to build up and encourage the church.
27 ειτε γλωσση τις λαλει κατα δυο η το πλειστον τρεις και ανα μερος και εις διερμηνευετω
If anyone wants to speak in a tongue, make it just two, or three at the most, taking turns, and someone should interpret what is said.
28 εαν δε μη η διερμηνευτης σιγατω εν εκκλησια εαυτω δε λαλειτω και τω θεω
If there's no one there to interpret, those who speak in tongues should keep quiet in church and only speak to themselves, and God.
29 προφηται δε δυο η τρεις λαλειτωσαν και οι αλλοι διακρινετωσαν
Similarly, have two or three of those who give God's prophetic message speak, and let everyone else think about what was said.
30 εαν δε αλλω αποκαλυφθη καθημενω ο πρωτος σιγατω
However, if a special revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, then the first speaker should give way to them.
31 δυνασθε γαρ καθ ενα παντες προφητευειν ινα παντες μανθανωσιν και παντες παρακαλωνται
You can all speak for God, one at a time, so that everyone can learn and be encouraged.
32 και πνευματα προφητων προφηταις υποτασσεται
It is for those who speak for God to control their prophetic inspiration,
33 ου γαρ εστιν ακαταστασιας ο θεος αλλα ειρηνης ως εν πασαις ταις εκκλησιαις των αγιων
for God is not a God of disorder but of peace and quiet. This is the way it should be in all the churches of God's people.
34 αι γυναικες εν ταις εκκλησιαις σιγατωσαν ου γαρ επιτρεπεται αυταις λαλειν αλλα υποτασσεσθωσαν καθως και ο νομος λεγει
“Women should stay quiet in the churches—they shouldn't speak. They should respect their situation, as the laws states.
35 ει δε τι {VAR1: μανθανειν } {VAR2: μαθειν } θελουσιν εν οικω τους ιδιους ανδρας επερωτατωσαν αισχρον γαρ εστιν γυναικι λαλειν εν εκκλησια
If they want to learn they can do so at home, asking their husbands. It is not proper for women to speak in church.”
36 η αφ υμων ο λογος του θεου εξηλθεν η εις υμας μονους κατηντησεν
What? Did the word of God begin with you? Are you the only ones it came to?
37 ει τις δοκει προφητης ειναι η πνευματικος επιγινωσκετω α γραφω υμιν οτι κυριου εστιν εντολη
Anyone who thinks they are a prophet, or that they have some spiritual gift, should be aware that what I'm writing to you is a command of the Lord.
38 ει δε τις αγνοει αγνοειται
Those who ignore this will themselves be ignored.
39 ωστε αδελφοι {VAR1: μου } {VAR2: [μου] } ζηλουτε το προφητευειν και το λαλειν μη κωλυετε γλωσσαις
So my brothers and sisters, make it your aim to speak for God. Don't prohibit speaking in tongues.
40 παντα δε ευσχημονως και κατα ταξιν γινεσθω
Just make sure everything done is done properly and in an orderly manner.
