1 Corinthians 14:2-40 — Legacy Standard Bible

²For one who ^aspeaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one ¹understands, but ²in his spirit he speaks ^bmysteries. ³But one who prophesies speaks to men for ^aedification and ^bexhortation and encouragement. ⁴One who ^aspeaks in a tongue ^bedifies himself; but one who ^cprophesies ^dedifies the church. ⁵But I wish that you all ^aspoke in tongues, but ^beven more that you would prophesy. And greater is one who prophesies than one who ^cspeaks in tongues, unless he ¹translates, so that the church may receive ^dedification.

⁶But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of ^arevelation or of ^bknowledge or of ^cprophecy or of ^dteaching? ⁷Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? ⁸For if ^athe trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? ⁹So also you, unless you utter by the tongue a word that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be ^aspeaking into the air. ¹⁰There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of sounds in the world, and none is without meaning. ¹¹If then I do not know the meaning of the sound, I will be to the one who speaks a ¹^,^abarbarian, and the one who speaks will be a ²barbarian ³to me. ¹²So also you, since you are zealous for ¹spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the ^aedification of the church.

¹³Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may ¹translate. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵^aWhat is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will ^bsing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. ¹⁶Otherwise if you bless ¹in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ²uninformed say ^athe “Amen” at your ^bgiving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not ^aedified. ¹⁸I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all; ¹⁹however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

²⁰^aBrothers, ^bdo not be children in your thinking; rather in evil ^cbe infants, but in your thinking be mature. ²¹In ^athe Law it is written, “^bBy men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the ¹Lord. ²²So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but ^aprophecy is for a sign not to unbelievers but to those who believe. ²³Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ¹uninformed men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that ^ayou are out of your mind? ²⁴But if all ^aprophesy, and an unbeliever or an ¹uninformed man enters, he is ^bconvicted by all, he is called to account by all; ²⁵^athe secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will ^bfall on his face and worship God, declaring that ^csurely God is among you.

Orderly Worship

²⁶^aWhat is the outcome then, ^bbrothers? When you assemble, ^ceach one has a ^dpsalm, has a ^eteaching, has a ^frevelation, has a ^gtongue, has a ¹translation. Let all things be done for edification. ²⁷If anyone speaks in a ^atongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must ¹^,^btranslate; ²⁸but if there is no ¹translator, he must keep silent in the church, and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹And let two or three ^aprophets speak, and let the others ^bpass judgment. ³⁰But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. ³¹For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted. ³²And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; ³³for God is not a God of ^aconfusion but of ¹peace, as in ^ball the churches of the ^csaints.

³⁴The women are to ^akeep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak, but ^bare to subject themselves, just as ^cthe Law also says. ³⁵But if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church. ³⁶¹Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it arrived to you only?

³⁷^aIf anyone thinks he is a prophet or ^bspiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you ^care the Lord’s commandment. ³⁸But if anyone remains ignorant about this, he ¹is ignored by God.

³⁹Therefore, my brothers, ^aearnestly desire to ^bprophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. ⁴⁰But ^aall things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.