1 Corinthians 14

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Prophecy and Tongues

¹Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

¹Pursue love, and zealously desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy.

²For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.

²For the one speaking in a tongue speaks not to men, but to God. For no one hears, but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

³But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.

³But the one prophesying speaks to men for edification and encouragement and comfort.

⁴The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

⁴The one speaking in a tongue edifies himself, but the one prophesying edifies the church.

⁵I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified.

⁵Now I wish for all of you to speak in tongues, but rather that you may prophesy. And the one prophesying is greater than the one speaking in tongues, except if he may interpret, so that the church might receive edification.

⁶Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

⁶But now, brothers, if I should come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you, unless I should speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in teaching?

⁷Even in the case of lifeless instruments, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone recognize the tune they are playing unless the notes are distinct?

⁷Even lifeless things giving a sound—whether the flute or harp—unless they give distinction to the sounds, how will it be known what is being piped or being harped?

⁸Again, if the trumpet sounds a muffled call, who will prepare for battle?

⁸For also if the trumpet gives an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?

⁹So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.

⁹So also you, unless you give intelligible speech through the tongue, how will it be known what is being spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.

¹⁰Assuredly, there are many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.

¹⁰There are, if it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none without meaning.

¹¹If, then, I do not know the meaning of someone’s language, I am a foreigner^a to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me.

¹¹Therefore unless I know the power of the voice, I will be a barbarian to the one speaking, and the one speaking, a barbarian to me.

¹²It is the same with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, strive to excel in gifts that build up the church.

¹²So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek for the edification of the church, so that you may abound.

¹³Therefore, the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.

¹³Therefore, the one speaking in a tongue, let him pray that he may interpret.

¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

¹⁵What then shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

¹⁵What then is it? I will pray with the spirit, but I will also pray with the mind. I will sing praise with the spirit, but I will also sing praise with the mind.

¹⁶Otherwise, if you speak a blessing in spirit,^a how can someone who is uninstructed say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?

¹⁶Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will the one filling up the place of the uninstructed say the “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you say?

¹⁷You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other one is not edified.

¹⁷For indeed, you give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

¹⁸I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

¹⁹But in the church, I would rather speak five coherent words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

¹⁹But in the church, I wish to speak five words with my mind, so that also I might instruct others, rather than myriads of words in a tongue.

²⁰Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

²⁰Brothers, do not be children in the minds. But in evil be little children; and in thinking be mature.

²¹It is written in the Law:

“By strange tongues and foreign lips

I will speak to this people,

but even then they will not listen to Me,

says the Lord.”^a

²¹In the law it has been written: “With other tongues and with different lips I will speak to this people, and not even thus will they hear Me, says the Lord.”

²²Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

²²So then, tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving; but prophecy is not to the unbelieving, but to the believing.

²³So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who are uninstructed or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

²³Therefore, if the whole church might gather together in the same place and all may speak in tongues, and uninstructed ones or unbelievers should come in, will not they say that you are out of your minds?

²⁴But if an unbeliever or uninstructed person comes in while everyone is prophesying, he will be convicted and called to account by all,

²⁴But if all prophesy and some unbeliever or uninstructed one should come in, he is convicted by all, he is examined by all,

²⁵and the secrets of his heart will be made known. So he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is truly among you!”

²⁵and the secrets of his heart become manifest. And thus having fallen upon his face, he will worship God, declaring that “God is really among you!”

Orderly Worship

²⁶What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.

²⁶What then is it, brothers? When you may come together, each has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

²⁷If anyone speaks in a tongue, two, or at most three, should speak in turn, and someone must interpret.

²⁷If anyone speaks in a tongue, be by two, or at the most three, and each in turn; and let one interpret.

²⁸But if there is no interpreter, he should remain silent in the church and speak only to himself and God.

²⁸But if there may be no interpreter, let him be silent in the church, and let him speak to himself and to God.

²⁹Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

²⁹And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others discern.

³⁰And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop.

³⁰But if anything should be revealed to another sitting, let the first be silent.

³¹For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.

³¹For you are all able to prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted.

³²The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

³²And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

³³For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.^a

³³For He is not the God of disorder, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

³⁴Women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.

³⁴Let the women be silent in the churches. For it is not permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as the law also says.

³⁵If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.^a

³⁵But if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church.

³⁶Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?

³⁶Or did the word of God go out from you? Or did it come to you only?

³⁷If anyone considers himself a prophet or spiritual person, let him acknowledge that what I am writing you is the Lord’s command.

³⁷If anyone thinks to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things I write to you are commands of the Lord.

³⁸But if anyone ignores this, he himself will be ignored.^a

³⁸But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignored.

³⁹So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

³⁹So, my brothers, zealously desire to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

⁴⁰But everything must be done in a proper and orderly manner.

⁴⁰But let all things be done properly and according to order.