1 Corinthians 14
14
Tell God’s messages in a language that people know
1So always love other people. That is most important. And ask God’s spirit to give you special powers too. Ask him for the power to tell special messages from God. That is more important than the power to talk in a special language.
2If somebody talks in a special language, they are only talking to God, not talking to people. Nobody can understand them. The Holy Spirit is getting them to talk about secret things, but nobody can understand what they are saying. 3But if somebody tells messages from God, they are talking to other people, and helping them to understand things better and get strong. Those messages from God help people and make them happy, even if they have trouble. 4You see, a person that talks in a special language helps only themselves. But a person that tells messages from God helps all the people in the church to get strong. 5I’m happy if you all talk in special languages, but I’m more happy if you all tell people messages from God. The person that can tell God’s messages is greater than the person that talks in special languages. But if somebody tells everyone what those words mean, then it is all right. They will help the church get strong.
6My Christian friends, if I come and talk to you in a special language that you don’t understand, that will not help you. But if God shows me something, and if I tell you about it, that will help you. Or if he lets me know something new, and if I tell you about it, that will help you too. Or if he gives me a message for you, and if I come and tell you, or if I teach you something, that will help you too. 7Think about things that make sounds, like guitars. If we don’t play them the right way, nobody will think it is proper music. 8And think about soldiers. Their leader gets one man to blow a trumpet to tell the other soldiers what to do, but if he doesn’t blow it properly, they will not know what to do. 9Well, it is like that for you. You have to talk clearly and say words that people can understand. If they can’t understand your words, you will be talking to nobody. 10You know, there are a lot of different languages in this world, and all of them make sense to the people that know those languages. 11But if somebody talks to me in a language that I don’t know, I will not understand them. I will be like a stranger to them, and they will be like a stranger to me. 12And it is the same for you too. I know that you really want God’s spirit to give you special powers, so ask God to give you the powers that will help the church people be strong.
13So in your meetings, if anyone talks in a special language, they have to ask God to show them what those words mean so they can tell everybody the message. 14You see, it is like this. If I pray in a special language, I’m not using my mind. I’m not thinking about my words while I pray. Only my spirit is praying. 15So what will I do? Sometimes I will pray with my spirit, and sometimes I will pray with my mind. And sometimes I will sing with my spirit, and sometimes I will sing with my mind. 16You see, if you only thank God with your spirit, in a special language, other people in the meeting can’t understand what you are saying, so they can’t agree with you and say, “That’s right.” 17You might be thanking God, but your words don’t help anyone else.
18I thank God that I talk in special languages more than any of you. 19But if I talk in a church meeting, I want to tell people more about God, and I want them to understand my words. So, I reckon, if I say 5 words that they can understand, that is better than if I say 10,000 words in a special language that they can’t understand.
20My Christian friends, don’t be like little kids in the way you think. You know, little kids don’t know much about anything. They don’t understand really bad things. So whenever you think about bad things, be like little kids. But whenever you think about anything else, be grown up people. Think properly and understand things properly. 21You know, God got one of his men to write this in his book,
“God will get people from other tribes to talk to this mob. They will talk to them in strange languages.
But even if God gets strangers to talk to this mob, they will not listen to him.”#Isaiah 28:11-12
That is what God said.
22-24It is like this. If you talk in special languages, God will use that talk, but not the way you think. He will use it to show you that it is useless to do that when you are all together in a church meeting. Suppose some strangers come into that meeting, people that don’t know very much, and don’t believe in God. They will hear you all talking in those strange languages, and they will say, “You mob are all mad.” But if you tell God’s special messages, God will use that to show you that it is right to do that in your church meetings. Suppose some strangers come into the meeting, and they hear you telling messages from God. They will listen to what you say, and they will understand it. Then they will know that they are not God’s friends, and they will know that they have to turn around and stop doing bad things. 25Those messages from God will show them every secret thing that they think about, and they will get down on the ground and show respect to God. And they will say, “It’s true, God is really here with you mob.”
Have good church meetings
26So, my friends, this is how to have proper church meetings. Whenever you church people meet together, each one of you can have something to help the other people there. One of you might have a song that all of you can sing to God. Another person might have something that they can teach you. Somebody else might want to tell you about something that God has shown them. Another person might talk in a special language, and then somebody else can tell everybody what those words in that special language mean. Do all those things to help each other be strong Christians.
27Only let 2 or 3 people talk in special languages in your meetings, and they have to take turns. Only let one person talk at a time, and then, each time, somebody has to tell everybody what those words in that special language mean. 28But if there is nobody there that can do that, then don’t let anybody talk in special languages. They have to be quiet. They can’t talk out loud in a special language, but they can talk to themselves and to God.
29And if the Holy Spirit has given some of you the power to tell messages from God, well, 2 or 3 of you can tell those messages. And the other people there have to think carefully about each message and check it, to make sure each message is really from God. 30And if one person is telling a message, and while they are talking somebody else gets a message from God, that first person has to stop talking, so that the next person can tell their new message from God. 31Each of you can tell a message from God, but you have to wait for each other so that only one person talks at a time. Then everyone will learn something, and you will all feel strong for God. 32You see, if you have power from the Holy Spirit to tell God’s messages, you can control your own spirit, and you will wait for the right time to talk. 33God wants you to respect each other and listen to each other. He doesn’t want your meetings to be mixed up and noisy.
And now I’ll talk to you about another matter. This is what it’s like for God’s people in all the other churches. 34The women have to be quiet in the church meetings. They have to do what the leaders say. That’s what the law says. 35If a woman wants to ask about something, she can wait and ask her husband at home. If women talk in a church meeting, they shame the church.
36Maybe you think I’m wrong, but remember this, you don’t know everything in God’s word. It didn’t start with you, and you are not the only people that ever heard it.
37Somebody might reckon that the Holy Spirit gave them the power to tell God’s messages, and that they listen to the Holy Spirit all the time. All right, but they have to understand that this letter I’m writing comes from our leader himself, and his people have to do what he says. 38So if that person will not take any notice of this letter, then you mob can’t believe their messages. Don’t take any notice of anything they say.
39So, my Christian friends, this is what I’m telling you about your meetings. If you want to tell messages from God, that is good. And don’t stop people from talking in special languages. 40Do everything properly. Do everything the right way.
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© 2021, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. All rights reserved.
1 Corinthians 14
14
Worship in a Way That Helps People Understand
1So follow the way of love, and be eager to have the gifts of the Spirit. Most of all, you should want the gift of prophecy. 2Anyone who speaks in an unknown language doesn’t speak to people. They speak only to God. In fact, no one understands them, because what they say by the Spirit remains a mystery. 3But the person who prophesies speaks to people and makes them stronger, gives them hope, and comforts them. 4Those who speak in unknown languages build up only themselves. But the person who prophesies builds up the church. 5I’d like all of you to speak in unknown languages, but I’d rather have you prophesy. The person who prophesies is more helpful than the one who speaks in an unknown language, unless someone explains what they’re saying; then the whole church can be built up.
6Brothers and sisters, if I came to you and spoke in an unknown language, what good would that do? If I really wanted to help you, I’d come with a revelation or insight or prophecy or teaching. 7Think about a musical instrument such as a flute or a harp. No one will know what the tune is unless the notes are played distinctly. 8In the army, if the bugler didn’t play the call clearly, who would get ready for battle? 9It’s the same with you. You must speak words that people understand. If you don’t, no one will know what you’re saying. You’ll just be speaking into the air. 10It is true that there are all kinds of languages in the world and they all have meaning. 11But if I don’t understand what someone is saying, I’m a stranger to the person speaking, and that person is a stranger to me. 12It’s the same with you. Since you’re eager to have the gifts of the Spirit, do your best to use the gifts that build up the church.
13So anyone who speaks in an unknown language should pray that they’ll be able to explain what they say. 14If I pray in an unknown language, my spirit is praying, but my mind is idle. 15So what should I do? I’ll pray with my spirit, but I’ll also pray with my understanding. I’ll sing with my spirit, but I’ll also sing with my understanding. 16Otherwise, if you’re thanking God in the Spirit and there are visitors present who want to know what’s going on, how can they say “Amen” when you give thanks? They don’t know what you’re saying. 17You might be giving thanks, but no one else is being built up.
18I thank God that I speak in unknown languages more than all of you. 19But in the church, I’d rather speak five words in a language people can understand, in order to teach them, than 10,000 words in an unfamiliar language.
20Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. Be like babies as far as evil is concerned, but in your thinking, be like adults. 21In the law it is written,
“With unfamiliar languages
and through the lips of outsiders
I will speak to these people.
But even then they won’t listen to me.”
That is what the Lord says.
22So speaking in unknown languages is a sign for those who don’t believe, not for those who do believe. But prophecy is for those who believe, not for those who don’t. 23Suppose the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in unknown languages. If visitors or unbelievers come in, won’t they say that you’re out of your minds? 24-25But if unbelievers or visitors come in while everyone is prophesying, they’ll feel as if they’re being questioned; the secrets of their hearts will be brought out into the open; and they’ll realize they’ve been doing wrong. Then they’ll fall down and worship God and exclaim, “God is really here among you!”
Proper Worship
26Brothers and sisters, what should we say then? When you come together, each of you should bring something—a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a message in another language, or an explanation of what was said in another language. Everything must be done to build up the church. 27No more than two or three people should speak in another language, and they should speak one at a time. Then someone must explain what was said. 28But if there’s no one to explain, they should keep quiet in the church and only speak to themselves and to God.
29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate what they say. 30If a message comes from God to someone else who’s sitting there, the one who’s speaking should stop and let them speak. 31Those who prophesy should all take turns. In that way, everyone can be taught and encouraged. 32Prophets are able to control their own spirits. 33God is not a God of disorder; he’s a God of peace, as in all the churches of the Lord’s people.
34Women should remain silent in church meetings. They’re not allowed to speak. They must follow the lead of those who are in authority, as the law says. 35If they have a question about something, they should ask their own husbands at home. It’s not proper for women to speak in church meetings.
36Or did the word of God begin with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37If anyone thinks they’re a prophet or that they have other gifts from the Spirit, they should agree that what I’m writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38But anyone who doesn’t recognize this will not be recognized.
39Brothers and sisters, you should be eager to prophesy, and you shouldn’t stop people from speaking in unknown languages. 40But everything should be done in a proper and orderly way.
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