1 Corinthians 14
14
Prophecy: A Superior Gift
1Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and above all that you may prophesy. 2For the person who speaks in another language # 1Co 12:10 is not speaking to men but to God, since no one understands him; however, he speaks mysteries in the Spirit. # Or in spirit, or in his spirit 3But the person who prophesies speaks to people for edification, encouragement, and consolation. 4The person who speaks in another language builds himself up, but he who prophesies builds up the church. 5I wish all of you spoke in other languages, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in languages, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.
6But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in other languages, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation # 1Pt 4:13 or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7Even inanimate things that produce sounds — whether flute or harp # Rv 5:8; 14:2; 15:2 — if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized? 8In fact, if the trumpet makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle? # Nm 10:9; Is 58:1; Jr 4:19; Ezk 33:3-6; Jl 2:1 9In the same way, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech, how will what is spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air. 10There are doubtless many different kinds of languages in the world, and all have meaning. # Lit and none is without a sound 11Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner # Gk barbaros = in Eng a “barbarian.” To a Gk, a barbaros was anyone who did not speak Gk. to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. 12So also you — since you are zealous # Nm 25:13; Gl 1:14 for spiritual gifts, # Lit zealous of spirits ; spirits = human spirits, spiritual powers, or the Holy Spirit # Ps 51:11; Lk 11:34; Jn 1:33; Ac 2:4; Rm 8:9; Gl 5:25; Ti 3:5; 1Jn 4:1; Rv 3:22 seek to excel in building up the church.
13Therefore the person who speaks in another language should pray that he can interpret. 14For if I pray in another language, my spirit # Ps 51:12 prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. # Gl 5:22; Ti 3:14 15What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with my understanding. 16Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit, # Or praise by the Spirit how will the uninformed person # Lit the one filling the place of the uninformed say “Amen” # Ps 72:19; Rv 22:21 at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up. 18I thank # Rm 1:8 God that I speak in other languages more than all of you; 19yet in the church I would rather speak five words # Mt 12:37 with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than 10,000 words in another language.
20Brothers, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking. # Ps 131:2; Is 28:9; Mt 18:3; Rm 16:19; Eph 4:14; Heb 5:12-13 21It is written in the law:
I will speak to these people
by people of other languages
and by the lips of foreigners,
and even then, they will not listen to Me, # Is 28:11-12 # Is 28:11-12
says the Lord. 22It follows that speaking in other languages is intended as a sign, # Lit that languages are for a sign not for believers but for unbelievers. But prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23Therefore, if the whole church assembles together and all are speaking in other languages and people who are uninformed or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24But if all are prophesying and some unbeliever or uninformed person comes in, he is convicted by all and is judged by all. 25The secrets of his heart will be revealed, and as a result he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is really among you.” # Is 45:14; Zch 8:23
Order in Church Meetings
26What then is the conclusion, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one # Other mss add of you has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, another language, or an interpretation. # 1Co 12:10 All things must be done for edification. 27If any person speaks in another language, there should be only two, or at the most three, each in turn, and someone must interpret. 28But if there is no interpreter, that person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God. 29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate. # 1Jn 4:1 30But if something has been revealed to another person sitting there, the first prophet should be silent. 31For you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may learn and everyone may be encouraged. # Lk 16:25 32And the prophets’ spirits are under the control of the prophets, 33since God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints, # Eph 6:18 34the women # Other mss read your women should be silent in the churches, # 1Tm 2:11-12; 1Pt 3:1 for they are not permitted to speak, but should be submissive, as the law also says. 35And if they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands # Mt 1:19; 1Pt 3:1 at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church meeting. 36Did the word of God originate from you, or did it come to you only?
37If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, he should recognize that what I write to you is the Lord’s command. 38But if anyone ignores this, he will be ignored. # Other mss read he should be ignored 39Therefore, my brothers, be eager # Nm 25:13; Gl 4:17 to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in other languages. 40But everything must be done decently # Rm 13:13 and in order.
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1 Corinthians 14: HCSB
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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
1 Corinthians 14
14
More about Gifts from the Spirit
1It is love, then, that you should strive for. Set your hearts on spiritual gifts, especially the gift of proclaiming God's message. 2Those who speak in strange tongues do not speak to others but to God, because no one understands them. They are speaking secret truths by the power of the Spirit. 3But those who proclaim God's message speak to people and give them help, encouragement, and comfort. 4Those who speak in strange tongues help only themselves, but those who proclaim God's message help the whole church.
5I would like all of you to speak in strange tongues; but I would rather that you had the gift of proclaiming God's message. For the person who proclaims God's message is of greater value than the one who speaks in strange tongues — unless there is someone present who can explain what is said, so that the whole church may be helped. 6So when I come to you, my brothers and sisters, what use will I be to you if I speak in strange tongues? Not a bit, unless I bring you some revelation from God or some knowledge or some inspired message, or some teaching.
7Take such lifeless musical instruments as the flute or the harp — how will anyone know the tune that is being played unless the notes are sounded distinctly? 8And if the one who plays the bugle does not sound a clear call, who will prepare for battle? 9In the same way, how will anyone understand what you are talking about if your message given in strange tongues is not clear? Your words will vanish in the air! 10There are many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11But if I do not know the language being spoken, those who use it will be foreigners to me and I will be a foreigner to them. 12Since you are eager to have the gifts of the Spirit, you must try above everything else to make greater use of those which help to build up the church.
13The person who speaks in strange tongues, then, must pray for the gift to explain what is said. 14For if I pray in this way, my spirit prays indeed, but my mind has no part in it. 15What should I do, then? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray also with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will sing also with my mind. 16When you give thanks to God in spirit only, how can ordinary people taking part in the meeting say “Amen” to your prayer of thanksgiving? They have no way of knowing what you are saying. 17Even if your prayer of thanks to God is quite good, other people are not helped at all.
18I thank God that I speak in strange tongues much more than any of you. 19But in church worship I would rather speak five words that can be understood, in order to teach others, than speak thousands of words in strange tongues.
20Do not be like children in your thinking, my brothers and sisters; be children so far as evil is concerned, but be grown-up in your thinking. 21#Is 28.11–12In the Scriptures it is written:
“By means of people speaking strange languages
I will speak to my people, says the Lord.
I will speak through lips of foreigners,
but even then my people will not listen to me.”
22So then, the gift of speaking in strange tongues is proof for unbelievers, not for believers, while the gift of proclaiming God's message is proof for believers, not for unbelievers.
23If, then, the whole church meets together and everyone starts speaking in strange tongues — and if some ordinary people or unbelievers come in, won't they say that you are all crazy? 24But if everyone is proclaiming God's message when some unbelievers or ordinary people come in, they will be convinced of their sin by what they hear. They will be judged by all they hear, 25their secret thoughts will be brought into the open, and they will bow down and worship God, confessing, “Truly God is here among you!”
Order in the Church
26This is what I mean, my brothers and sisters. When you meet for worship, one person has a hymn, another a teaching, another a revelation from God, another a message in strange tongues, and still another the explanation of what is said. Everything must be of help to the church. 27If someone is going to speak in strange tongues, two or three at the most should speak, one after the other, and someone else must explain what is being said. 28But if no one is there who can explain, then the one who speaks in strange tongues must be quiet and speak only to himself and to God. 29Two or three who are given God's message should speak, while the others are to judge what they say. 30But if someone sitting in the meeting receives a message from God, the one who is speaking should stop. 31All of you may proclaim God's message, one by one, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32The gift of proclaiming God's message should be under the speaker's control, 33because God does not want us to be in disorder but in harmony and peace.
As in all the churches of God's people, 34the women should keep quiet in the meetings. They are not allowed to speak; as the Jewish Law says, they must not be in charge. 35If they want to find out about something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is a disgraceful thing for a woman to speak in church.
36Or could it be that the word of God came from you? Or are you the only ones to whom it came? 37If anyone supposes he is God's messenger or has a spiritual gift, he must realize that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38But if he does not pay attention to this, pay no attention to him.
39So then, my brothers and sisters, set your hearts on proclaiming God's message, but do not forbid the speaking in strange tongues. 40Everything must be done in a proper and orderly way.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.