1 Corinthians 14
14
Prophecy: A Superior Gift
1Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. 2For the person who speaks in a tongue#14:2 Or another language, also in vv. 4,13,14,19,26,27#1Co 12:10 is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit.#14:2 Or in spirit, or in his spirit 3On the other hand, the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening,#14:3 Lit building up encouragement, and consolation. 4The person who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5I wish all of you spoke in tongues,#14:5 Or other languages, also in vv. 6,18,21,22,23,39 but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.
6So now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation#1Pt 4:13 or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7Even lifeless instruments 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 bugle 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, none is without meaning. 11Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner#14:11 Gk barbaros, or barbarian 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,#14:12 Lit zealous of spirits#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 a tongue should pray that he can interpret. 14For if I pray in a tongue, 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 praise with the spirit, and I will also sing praise with my understanding. 16Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit,#14:16 Or praise by the Spirit how will the outsider#14:16 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 tongues 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 ten thousand words in a tongue.
20Brothers and sisters, 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 this people
by people of other tongues
and by the lips of foreigners,
and even then, they will not listen to me, # 14:21 Is 28:11–12 #
Is 28:11–12
says the Lord. 22Speaking in tongues, then, is intended as a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23If, therefore, the whole church assembles together and all are speaking in tongues and people who are outsiders or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24But if all are prophesying and some unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convicted by all and is called to account 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, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each one#14:26 Other mss add of you has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation.#1Co 12:10 Everything is to be done for building up. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, there are to be only two, or at the most three, each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28But if there is no interpreter, that person is to keep silent in the church and speak to himself and 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 subject to 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#14:34 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 are to submit themselves, as the law also says. 35If they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands#Mt 1:19; 1Pt 3:1 at home, since it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 36Or did 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. 38If anyone ignores this, he will be ignored.#14:38 Other mss read he should be ignored 39So then, my brothers and sisters, be eager#Nm 25:13; Gl 4:17 to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40But everything is to be done decently#Rm 13:13 and in order.
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
1 Corinthians 14
14
1Follow after love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God, for no one understands, but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. 3But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation. 4He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly. 5Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but even more that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.
6But now, brothers,#14:6 The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.” if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? 7Even lifeless things that make a sound, whether pipe or harp, if they didn’t give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped? 8For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war? 9So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air. 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning. 11If then I don’t know the meaning of the language, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me. 12So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.
13Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret. 14For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15What should I do? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 16Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, seeing he doesn’t know what you say? 17For you most certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up. 18I thank my God, I speak with other languages more than you all. 19However, in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language.
20Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature. 21In the law it is written, “By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. They won’t even listen to me that way, says the Lord.”#Isaiah 28:11-12 22Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe. 23If therefore the whole assembly is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won’t they say that you are crazy? 24But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all. 25And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.
26What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, or has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up. 27If any man speaks in another language, let there be two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret. 28But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the assembly, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29Let two or three of the prophets speak, and let the others discern. 30But if a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent. 31For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be exhorted. 32The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, 33for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints. 34Let the wives be quiet in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to be talking except in submission, as the law also says,#Deuteronomy 27:9 35if they desire to learn anything. “Let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a wife to be talking in the assembly.” 36What!? Was it from you that the word of God went out? Or did it come to you alone?
37If any man thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord. 38But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking with other languages. 40Let all things be done decently and in order.
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