1 Corinthians 14
14
Use Spiritual Gifts to Help the Church
1Love should be the goal of your life, but you should also want to have the gifts that come from the Spirit. And the gift you should want most is to be able to prophesy. 2I will explain why. Those who have the gift of speaking in a different language are not speaking to people. They are speaking to God. No one understands them—they are speaking secret things through the Spirit. 3But those who prophesy are speaking to people. They help people grow stronger in faith, and they give encouragement and comfort. 4Those who speak in a different language are helping only themselves. But those who prophesy are helping the whole church.
5I would like all of you to have the gift of speaking in different languages. But what I want more is for you to prophesy. Anyone who prophesies is more important than those who can only speak in different languages. However, if they can also interpret those languages, they are as important as the one who prophesies. If they can interpret, then the church can be helped by what they say.
6Brothers and sisters, will it help you if I come to you speaking in different languages? No, it will help you only if I bring you a new truth or some knowledge, prophecy, or teaching. 7This is true even with lifeless things that make sounds—like a flute or a harp. If the different musical notes are not made clear, you can’t understand what song is being played. Each note must be played clearly for you to be able to understand the tune. 8And in a war, if the trumpet does not sound clearly, the soldiers will not know it is time to prepare for fighting.
9It is the same with you. If you don’t speak clearly in a language people know, they cannot understand what you are saying. You will be talking to the air! 10It is true that there are many different languages in the world, and they all have meaning. 11But if I don’t understand the meaning of what someone is saying, it will just be strange sounds to me, and I will sound just as strange to them. 12That’s why you who want spiritual gifts so much should prefer those gifts that help the church grow stronger.
13So those who have the gift of speaking in a different language should pray that they can also interpret what they say. 14If I pray in a different language, my spirit is praying, but my mind does nothing. 15So what should I do? 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. 16You might be praising God with your spirit. But someone there without understanding cannot say “Amen” to your prayer of thanks, because they don’t know what you are saying. 17You may be thanking God in a good way, but others are not helped.
18I thank God that my gift of speaking in different kinds of languages is greater than any of yours. 19But in the church meetings I would rather speak five words that I understand than thousands of words in a different language. I would rather speak with my understanding, so that I can teach others.
20Brothers and sisters, don’t think like children. In evil things be like babies, but in your thinking you should be like full-grown adults. 21As the Scriptures#14:21 Scriptures Literally, “law,” which sometimes means the Old Testament. say,
“Using those who speak a different language
and using the lips of foreigners,
I will speak to these people.
But even then, they will not obey me.” Isaiah 28:11-12
This is what the Lord says.
22And from this we see that the use of different languages shows how God deals with those who don’t believe, not with those who believe. And prophecy shows how God works through those who believe, not through unbelievers. 23Suppose the whole church meets together and you all speak in different languages. If some people come in who are without understanding or don’t believe, they will say you are crazy. 24But suppose you are all prophesying and someone comes in who does not believe or who is without understanding. Their sin will be shown to them, and they will be judged by everything you say. 25The secret things in their heart will be made known. So they will bow down and worship God. They will say, “Without a doubt, God is here with you.”#14:25 See Isa. 45:14 and Zech. 8:23.
Your Meetings Should Be Helpful to All
26So, brothers and sisters, what should you do? When you meet together, one person has a song, another has a teaching, and another has a new truth from God. One person speaks in a different language, and another interprets that language. The purpose of whatever you do should be to help everyone grow stronger in faith. 27When you meet together, if anyone speaks to the group in a different language, it should be only two or no more than three people who do this. And they should speak one after the other. And someone else should interpret what they say. 28But if there is no interpreter, then anyone who speaks in a different language should be quiet in the church meeting. They should speak only to themselves and to God.
29And only two or three prophets should speak. The others should judge what they say. 30And if a message from God comes to someone who is sitting, the first speaker should be quiet. 31You can all prophesy one after the other. This way everyone can be taught and encouraged. 32The spirits of prophets are under the control of the prophets themselves. 33God is not a God of confusion but a God of peace. This is the rule for all the meetings of God’s people.
34The women should keep quiet in these church meetings. They are not allowed to speak out but should be under authority, as the Law of Moses says. 35If there is something they want to know, they should ask their own husbands at home. It is shameful for a woman to speak up like that in the church meeting.
36God’s teaching did not come from you, and you are not the only ones who have received it. 37If you think you are a prophet or that you have a spiritual gift, you should understand that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38If you do not accept this, you will not be accepted.
39So my brothers and sisters, continue to give your attention to prophesying. And don’t stop anyone from using the gift of speaking in different languages. 40But everything should be done in a way that is right and orderly.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
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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