1 Corinthians 14

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

2For anyone who speaks in a tongue speaks not to people but to God, for no one understands him; he is speaking mysteries in the Spirit.

3But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their building up, encouragement, and comfort.

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

5I would like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be built up.

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

7Even lifeless instruments that produce sound, such as the flute or the harp—if they do not make a distinction between the notes, how will anyone know what tune is being played on the flute or the harp?

8And if the trumpet gives an unclear sound, who will get ready for battle?

9So it is with you. If you do not speak clear words with your tongue, how will anyone know what is being said? You will be speaking into the air.

10There are, no doubt, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning.

11If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker a foreigner to me.

12So it is with you. Since you are eager for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in them for the building up of the church.

13Therefore, the one who speaks in a tongue should pray for the ability to interpret.

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

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

16Otherwise, if you bless God with your spirit, how can someone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?

17You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up.

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

19Yet in church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others as well, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

21In the law it is written, “By people of other tongues and by the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me,” says the Lord.

22So then, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.

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

24But if everyone prophesies, and an unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convicted by all and called to account by all.

25The secrets of his heart are laid bare, and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring, “God is really among you!”

26What then, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let everything be done for building up.

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

28But if there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.

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

30If a revelation comes to someone else who is sitting there, the first speaker should be silent.

31For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be encouraged.

32The spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets.

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

34Women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the law also says.

35If they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

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

37If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, he should acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord.

38If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

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

40But everything should be done in a proper and orderly way.