1 Corinthians (1 Co) 14
14
1Pursue love!
However, keep on eagerly seeking the things of the Spirit; and especially seek to be able to prophesy. 2For someone speaking in a tongue is not speaking to people but to God, because no one can understand, since he is uttering mysteries in the power of the Spirit. 3But someone prophesying is speaking to people, edifying, encouraging and comforting them. 4A person speaking in a tongue does edify himself, but a person prophesying edifies the congregation. 5I wish you would all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you would all prophesy. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless someone gives an interpretation, so that the congregation can be edified.
6Brothers, suppose I come to you now speaking in tongues. How can I be of benefit to you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7Even with lifeless musical instruments, such as a flute or a harp, how will anyone recognize the melody if one note can’t be distinguished from another? 8And if the bugle gives an unclear sound, who will get ready for battle? 9It’s the same with you: how will anyone know what you are saying unless you use your tongue to produce intelligible speech? You will be talking to the air! 10There are undoubtedly all kinds of sounds in the world, and none is altogether meaningless; 11but if I don’t know what a person’s sounds mean, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. 12Likewise with you: since you eagerly seek the things of the Spirit, seek especially what will help in edifying the congregation.
13Therefore someone who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret. 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit does pray, but my mind is unproductive. 15So, what about it? 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. 16Otherwise, if you are giving thanks with your spirit, how will someone who has not yet received much instruction be able to say, “Amen,” when you have finished giving thanks, since he doesn’t know what you are saying? 17For undoubtedly you are giving thanks very nicely, but the other person is not being edified. 18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you, 19but in a congregation meeting I would rather say five words with my mind in order to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue!
20Brothers, don’t be children in your thinking. In evil, be like infants; but in your thinking, be grown-up. 21In the Torah it is written,
“By other tongues,
by the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people.
But even then they will not listen to me,”
says Adonai.
22Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23So if the whole congregation comes together with everybody speaking in tongues, and uninstructed people or unbelievers come in, won’t they say you’re crazy? 24But if you all prophesy, and some unbeliever or uninstructed person enters, he is convicted of sin by all, he is brought under judgment by all, 25and the secrets of his heart are laid bare; so he falls on his face and worships God, saying, “God is really here among you!”
26What is our conclusion, brothers? Whenever you come together, let everyone be ready with a psalm or a teaching or a revelation, or ready to use his gift of tongues or give an interpretation; but let everything be for edification. 27If the gift of tongues is exercised, let it be by two or at most three, and each in turn; and let someone interpret. 28And if there is no one present who can interpret, let the people who speak in tongues keep silent when the congregation meets — they can speak to themselves and to God. 29Let two or three prophets speak, while the others weigh what is said. 30And if something is revealed to a prophet who is sitting down, let the first one be silent. 31For you can all prophesy one by one, with the result that all will learn something and all will be encouraged. 32Also, the prophets’ spirits are under the prophets’ control; 33for God is not a God of unruliness but of shalom.
As in all the congregations of God’s people, 34let the wives remain silent when the congregation meets; they are certainly not permitted to speak out. Rather, let them remain subordinate, as also the Torah says; 35and if there is something they want to know, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for a woman to speak out in a congregational meeting.
36Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37If anyone thinks he is a prophet or is endowed with the Spirit, let him acknowledge that what I am writing you is a command of the Lord. 38But if someone doesn’t recognize this, then let him remain unrecognized.
39So, my brothers, eagerly seek to prophesy; and do not forbid speaking in tongues; 40but let all things be done in a proper and orderly way.
Currently Selected:
1 Corinthians (1 Co) 14: CJB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
For more information and to purchase a hard copy of the Complete Jewish Bible,
Learn More About Complete Jewish Bible1 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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.