1 Corinthians 14
14
Spiritual gifts and church order
1Pursue love, and use your ambition to try to get spiritual gifts but especially so that you might prophesy. 2This is because those who speak in a tongue don’t speak to people but to God; no one understands it—they speak mysteries by the Spirit. 3Those who prophesy speak to people, building them up, and giving them encouragement and comfort. 4People who speak in a tongue build up themselves; those who prophesy build up the church. 5I wish that all of you spoke in tongues, but I’d rather you could prophesy. Those who prophesy are more important than those who speak in tongues, unless they are able to interpret them so that the church might be built up. 6After all, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I speak to you with a revelation, some knowledge, a prophecy, or a teaching? 7Likewise, things that aren’t alive like a harp or a lyre can make a sound, but if there aren’t different notes in the sounds they make, how will the tune from the harp or the lyre be recognized? 8And if a trumpet call is unrecognizable, then who will prepare for battle? 9It’s the same way with you: If you don’t use language that is easy to understand when you speak in a tongue, then how will anyone understand what is said? 10It will be as if you are speaking into the air! There are probably many language families in the world, and none of them are without meaning. 11So if I don’t know the meaning of the language, then I will be like a foreigner to those who speak it, and they will be like foreigners to me. 12The same holds true for you: since you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, use your ambition to try to work toward being the best at building up the church.
13Therefore, those who speak in a tongue should pray to be able to interpret. 14If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind isn’t productive. 15What should I do? I’ll pray in the Spirit, but I’ll pray with my mind too; I’ll sing a psalm in the Spirit, but I’ll sing the psalm with my mind too. 16After all, if you praise God in the Spirit, how will the people who aren’t trained in that language say “Amen!” to your thanksgiving, when they don’t know what you are saying? 17You may offer a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving, but the other person is not being built up. 18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19But in the church I’d rather speak five words in my right mind than speak thousands of words in a tongue so that I can teach others.
20Brothers and sisters, don’t be like children in the way you think. Well, be babies when it comes to evil, but be adults in your thinking. 21In the Law it is written: “I will speak to this people with foreign languages and foreigners’ lips, but they will not even listen to me this way”,#14.21 Isa 28:11-12 says the Lord. 22So then, tongues are a sign for those who don’t believe, not for those who believe. But prophecy is a sign for believers, not for those who don’t believe. 23So suppose that the whole church is meeting and everyone is speaking in tongues. If people come in who are outsiders or unbelievers, won’t they say that you are out of your minds? 24But if everyone is prophesying when an unbeliever or outsider comes in, they are tested by all and called to account by all. 25The secrets of their hearts are brought to light. When that happens, they will fall on their faces and worship God, proclaiming out loud that truly God is among you!
26What is the outcome of this, brothers and sisters? When you meet together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All these things must be done to build up the church. 27If some speak in a tongue, then let two or at most three speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28However, if there is no interpreter, then they should keep quiet in the meeting. They should speak privately to themselves and to God. 29In the case of prophets, let two or three speak and have the rest evaluate what is said. 30And if some revelation comes to someone else who is sitting down, the first one should be quiet. 31You can all prophesy one at a time so that everyone can learn and be encouraged. 32The spirits of prophets are under the control of the prophets. 33God isn’t a God of disorder but of peace. Like in all the churches of God’s people, 34the women should be quiet during the meeting. They are not allowed to talk. Instead, they need to get under control, just as the Law says. 35If they want to learn something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is disgraceful for a woman to talk during the meeting.
36Did the word of God originate with you? Has it come only to you? 37If anyone thinks that they are prophets or “spiritual people,” then let them recognize that what I’m writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38If someone doesn’t recognize this, they aren’t recognized. 39So then, brothers and sisters, use your ambition to try to get the gift of prophecy, but don’t prevent speaking in tongues. 40Everything should be done with dignity and in proper order.
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1 Corinthians 14
14
Tongues and Prophecy
1Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. 2For if you have the ability to speak in tongues,#14:2a Or in unknown languages; also in 14:4, 5, 13, 14, 18, 22, 26, 27, 28, 39. you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit,#14:2b Or speaking in your spirit. but it will all be mysterious. 3But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 4A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.
5I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened.
6Dear brothers and sisters,#14:6a Greek brothers; also in 14:20, 26, 39. if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language,#14:6b Or in tongues; also in 14:19, 23. how would that help you? But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful. 7Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody. 8And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle?
9It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space.
10There are many different languages in the world, and every language has meaning. 11But if I don’t understand a language, I will be a foreigner to someone who speaks it, and the one who speaks it will be a foreigner to me. 12And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church.
13So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said. 14For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.
15Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit,#14:15 Or in the Spirit; also in 14:15b, 16. and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand. 16For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying? 17You will be giving thanks very well, but it won’t strengthen the people who hear you.
18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you. 19But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.
20Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind. 21It is written in the Scriptures#14:21a Greek in the law.:
“I will speak to my own people
through strange languages
and through the lips of foreigners.
But even then, they will not listen to me,”#14:21b Isa 28:11-12.
says the Lord.
22So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers. 23Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy. 24But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say. 25As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.”
A Call to Orderly Worship
26Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.
27No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. 28But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.
29Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. 30But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. 31In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. 33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.#14:33 The phrase as in all the meetings of God’s holy people could instead be joined to the beginning of 14:34.
34Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. 35If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.#14:35 Some manuscripts place verses 34-35 after 14:40.
36Or do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only ones to whom it was given? 37If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. 38But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized.#14:38 Some manuscripts read If you are ignorant of this, stay in your ignorance.
39So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.
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