1 Corinthians 14
14
1 Pursue charity. Be zealous for spiritual things, but only so that you may prophesy.
2 For whoever speaks in tongues, speaks not to men, but to God. For no one understands. Yet by the Spirit, he speaks mysteries.
3 But whoever prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.
4 Whoever speaks in tongues edifies himself. But whoever prophesies edifies the Church.
5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but more so to prophesy. For he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless perhaps he interprets, so that the Church may receive edification.
6 But now, brothers, if I were to come to you speaking in tongues, how would it benefit you, unless instead I speak to you in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in doctrine?
7 Even those things that are without a soul can make sounds, whether it is a wind or a stringed instrument. But unless they present a distinction within the sounds, how will it be known which is from the pipe and which is from the string?
8 For example, if the trumpet made an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for battle?
9 So it is with you also, for unless you utter with the tongue in plain speech, how will it be known what is said? For then you would be speaking into the air.
10 Consider that there are so many different kinds of languages in this world, and yet none is without a voice.
11 Therefore, if I do not understand the nature of the voice, then I shall be like a foreigner to the one with whom I am speaking; and he who is speaking will be like a foreigner to me.
12 So it is with you also. And since you are zealous for what is spiritual, seek the edification of the Church, so that you may abound.
13 For this reason, too, whoever speaks in tongues, let him pray for the interpretation.
14 So, if I pray in tongues, my spirit prays, but my mind is without fruit.
15 What is next? I should pray with the spirit, and also pray with the mind. I should sing psalms with the spirit, and also recite psalms with the mind.
16 Otherwise, if you have blessed only with the spirit, how can someone, in a state of ignorance, add an "Amen" to your blessing? For he does not know what you are saying.
17 In this case, certainly, you give thanks well, but the other person is not edified.
18 I thank my God that I speak in tongues for all of you.
19 But in the Church, I prefer to speak five words from my mind, so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in tongues.
20 Brothers, do not choose to have the minds of children. Instead, be free of malice like infants, but be mature in your minds.
21 It is written in the law: "I will speak to this people with other tongues and other lips, and even so, they will not heed me, says the Lord."
22 And so, tongues are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers; and prophecies are not for unbelievers, but for believers.
23 If then, the entire Church were to gather together as one, and if all were to speak in tongues, and then ignorant or unbelieving persons were to enter, would they not say that you were insane?
24 But if everyone prophesies, and one who is ignorant or unbelieving enters, he may be convinced by it all, because he understands it all.
25 The secrets of his heart are then made manifest. And so, falling to his face, he would adore God, proclaiming that God is truly among you.
26 What is next, brothers? When you gather together, each one of you may have a psalm, or a doctrine, or a revelation, or a language, or an interpretation, but let everything be done for edification.
27 If anyone is speaking in tongues, let there be only two, or at most three, and then in turn, and let someone interpret.
28 But if there is no one to interpret, he should remain silent in the church, then he may speak when he is alone with God.
29 And let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern.
30 But then, if something is revealed to another who is sitting, let the first one become silent.
31 For you are all able to prophesy one at a time, so that all may learn and all may be encouraged.
32 For the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 And God is not of dissension, but of peace, just as I also teach in all the churches of the saints.
34 Women should be silent in the churches. For it is not permitted for them to speak; but instead, they should be subordinate, as the law also says.
35 And if they want to learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.
36 So now, did the Word of God proceed from you? Or was it sent to you alone?
37 If anyone seems to be a prophet or a spiritual person, he should understand these things which I am writing to you, that these things are the commandments of the Lord.
38 If anyone does not recognize these things, he should not be recognized.
39 And so, brothers, be zealous to prophesy, and do not prohibit speaking in tongues.
40 But let everything be done respectfully and according to proper order.
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1 Corinthians 14
14
Prayer Language
1-3Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does. Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you. Most of all, try to proclaim his truth. If you praise him in the private language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and him. But when you proclaim his truth in everyday speech, you’re letting others in on the truth so that they can grow and be strong and experience his presence with you.
4-5The one who prays using a private “prayer language” certainly gets a lot out of it, but proclaiming God’s truth to the church in its common language brings the whole church into growth and strength. I want all of you to develop intimacies with God in prayer, but please don’t stop with that. Go on and proclaim his clear truth to others. It’s more important that everyone have access to the knowledge and love of God in language everyone understands than that you go off and cultivate God’s presence in a mysterious prayer language—unless, of course, there is someone who can interpret what you are saying for the benefit of all.
6-8Think, friends: If I come to you and all I do is pray privately to God in a way only he can understand, what are you going to get out of that? If I don’t address you plainly with some insight or truth or proclamation or teaching, what help am I to you? If musical instruments—flutes, say, or harps—aren’t played so that each note is distinct and in tune, how will anyone be able to catch the melody and enjoy the music? If the trumpet call can’t be distinguished, will anyone show up for the battle?
9-12So if you speak in a way no one can understand, what’s the point of opening your mouth? There are many languages in the world and they all mean something to someone. But if I don’t understand the language, it’s not going to do me much good. It’s no different with you. Since you’re so eager to participate in what God is doing, why don’t you concentrate on doing what helps everyone in the church?
13-17So, when you pray in your private prayer language, don’t hoard the experience for yourself. Pray for the insight and ability to bring others into that intimacy. If I pray in tongues, my spirit prays but my mind lies fallow, and all that intelligence is wasted. So what’s the solution? The answer is simple enough. Do both. I should be spiritually free and expressive as I pray, but I should also be thoughtful and mindful as I pray. I should sing with my spirit, and sing with my mind. If you give a blessing using your private prayer language, which no one else understands, how can some outsider who has just shown up and has no idea what’s going on know when to say “Amen”? Your blessing might be beautiful, but you have very effectively cut that person out of it.
18-19I’m grateful to God for the gift of praying in tongues that he gives us for praising him, which leads to wonderful intimacies we enjoy with him. I enter into this as much or more than any of you. But when I’m in a church assembled for worship, I’d rather say five words that everyone can understand and learn from than say ten thousand that sound to others like gibberish.
20-25To be perfectly frank, I’m getting exasperated with your childish thinking. How long before you grow up and use your head—your adult head? It’s all right to have a childlike unfamiliarity with evil; a simple no is all that’s needed there. But there’s far more to saying yes to something. Only mature and well-exercised intelligence can save you from falling into gullibility. It’s written in Scripture that God said,
In strange tongues
and from the mouths of strangers
I will preach to this people,
but they’ll neither listen nor believe.
So where does it get you, all this speaking in tongues no one understands? It doesn’t help believers, and it only gives unbelievers something to gawk at. Plain truth-speaking, on the other hand, goes straight to the heart of believers and doesn’t get in the way of unbelievers. If you come together as a congregation and some unbelieving outsiders walk in on you as you’re all praying in tongues, unintelligible to each other and to them, won’t they assume you’ve taken leave of your senses and get out of there as fast as they can? But if some unbelieving outsiders walk in on a service where people are speaking out God’s truth, the plain words will bring them up against the truth and probe their hearts. Before you know it, they’re going to be on their faces before God, recognizing that God is among you.
26-33So here’s what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight. If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three’s the limit, and then only if someone is present who can interpret what you’re saying. Otherwise, keep it between God and yourself. And no more than two or three speakers at a meeting, with the rest of you listening and taking it to heart. Take your turn, no one person taking over. Then each speaker gets a chance to say something special from God, and you all learn from each other. If you choose to speak, you’re also responsible for how and when you speak. When we worship the right way, God doesn’t stir us up into confusion; he brings us into harmony. This goes for all the churches—no exceptions.
34-36Wives must not disrupt worship, talking when they should be listening, asking questions that could more appropriately be asked of their husbands at home. God’s Book of the law guides our manners and customs here. Wives have no license to use the time of worship for unwarranted speaking. Do you—both women and men—imagine that you’re a sacred oracle determining what’s right and wrong? Do you think everything revolves around you?
37-38If any one of you thinks God has something for you to say or has inspired you to do something, pay close attention to what I have written. This is the way the Master wants it. If you won’t play by these rules, God can’t use you. Sorry.
39-40Three things, then, to sum this up: When you speak forth God’s truth, speak your heart out. Don’t tell people how they should or shouldn’t pray when they’re praying in tongues that you don’t understand. Be courteous and considerate in everything.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.