1 Corinthians 14:13-33
Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, “By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

In the book of Acts, tongues were a supernatural act where people spoke in a language they had not learned, and others heard the gospel in their own native dialect.

In Corinth, people were speaking in tongues no one understood. They were not edifying the church, but instead were bringing confusion.

Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. v. 20

One of the clearest indicators of maturity is a sense of otherness.

The church was required to interpret any tongues that were spoken.
v. 13-17.

Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. v. 13

Ephesians 5:18-19
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord…

Spirit-filled worship is biblical, understandable, worshipful, and surrendered.

Ephesians 6:18-19
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me…

The church was taught the true and original purpose of tongues. v. 18-22

The tongues spoken in Acts were a far bigger phenomena than the Corinthians realized.

In the Law it is written, “By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. v. 21

So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. v. 22

The church was to prioritize the Word in worship. v. 23-25

“Prophecy” is the clear, powerful, contextually correct, and grammatically accurate teaching of God’s Word.

But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. v. 24-25

The church was to focus on edification, exhortation, and peace. v. 26-33

“Tongues must be interpreted, and prophecy must be evaluated.”
- Mark Taylor

Let all things be done for edification. v. 26

…so that all may learn and all may be exhorted…v. 31

…for God is not a God of confusion but of peace…v. 33