1 Corinthians, 14

1. Make love your aim; but be eager, too, for spiritual gifts, and especially for prophesying.

1. Follow after charity, and desire spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy.

2. Those who speak in a tongue speak to God, but not to other people, because nobody understands them; they are speaking in the Spirit and the meaning is hidden.

2. For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

3. On the other hand, someone who prophesies speaks to other people, building them up and giving them encouragement and reassurance.

3. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men [to] edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

4. Those who speak in a tongue may build themselves up, but those who prophesy build up the community.

4. He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

5. While I should like you all to speak in tongues, I would much rather you could prophesy; since those who prophesy are of greater importance than those who speak in tongues, unless they can interpret what they say so that the church is built up by it.

5. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater [is] he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

6. Now suppose, brothers, I come to you and speak in tongues, what good shall I do you if my speaking provides no revelation or knowledge or prophecy or instruction?

6. Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

7. It is the same with an inanimate musical instrument. If it does not make any distinction between notes, how can one recognise what is being played on flute or lyre?

7. And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

8. If the trumpet sounds a call which is unrecognisable, who is going to get ready for the attack?

8. For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

9. It is the same with you: if you do not use your tongue to produce speech that can be readily understood, how can anyone know what you are saying? You will be talking to the air.

9. So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

10. However many the languages used in the world, all of them use sound;

10. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them [is] without signification.

11. but if I do not understand the meaning of the sound, I am a barbarian to the person who is speaking, and the speaker is a barbarian to me.

11. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh [shall be] a barbarian unto me.

12. So with you, as you are eager to have spiritual powers, aim to be rich in those which build up the community.

12. Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

13. That is why anybody who speaks in a tongue must pray that he may be given the interpretation.

13. Wherefore let him that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue pray that he may interpret.

14. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit may be praying but my mind derives no fruit from it.

14. For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

15. What then? I shall pray with the spirit, but I shall pray with the mind as well: I shall sing praises with the spirit and I shall sing praises with the mind as well.

15. What is it then? 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.

16. Otherwise, if you say your blessing only with the spirit, how is the uninitiated person going to answer 'Amen' to your thanksgiving, without understanding what you are saying?

16. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

17. You may be making your thanksgiving well, but the other person is not built up at all.

17. For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

18. I thank God that I speak with tongues more than any of you;

18. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:

19. all the same, when I am in the assembly I would rather say five words with my mind, to instruct others as well, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

19. Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that [by my voice] I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an [unknown] tongue.

20. Brothers, do not remain children in your thinking; infants in wickedness-agreed, but in your thinking grown-ups.

20. Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

21. It says in the written Law: In strange tongues and in a foreign language I will talk to this nation, and even so they will refuse to listen, says the Lord.

21. In the law it is written, With [men of] other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

22. So then, strange languages are significant not for believers, but for unbelievers; whereas on the other hand, prophesying is not for unbelievers, but for believers.

22. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying [serveth] not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

23. Suppose that, if the whole congregation were meeting and all of them speaking in tongues, and some uninitiated people or unbelievers were to come in, don't you think they would say that you were all raving?

23. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in [those that are] unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

24. But if you were all prophesying when an unbeliever or someone uninitiated came in, he would find himself put to the test by all and judged by all

24. But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or [one] unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:

25. and the secrets of his heart revealed; and so he would fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is indeed among you.

25. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on [his] face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

26. Then what should it be like, brothers? When you come together each of you brings a psalm or some instruction or a revelation, or speaks in a tongue or gives an interpretation. Let all these things be done in a way that will build up the community.

26. How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

27. If there are to be any people speaking in a tongue, then let there be only two, or at the most three, and those one at a time, and let one of these interpret.

27. If any man speak in an [unknown] tongue, [let it be] by two, or at the most [by] three, and [that] by course; and let one interpret.

28. If there is no interpreter, then let each of them be quiet in the assembly, and speak only to himself and God.

28. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

29. Let two prophets, or three, speak while the rest weigh their words;

29. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

30. and if a revelation comes to someone else who is sitting by, the speaker should stop speaking.

30. If [any thing] be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.

31. You can all prophesy, but one at a time, then all will learn something and all receive encouragement.

31. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

32. The prophetic spirit is to be under the prophets' control,

32. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

33. for God is a God not of disorder but of peace. As in all the churches of God's holy people,

33. For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

34. women are to remain quiet in the assemblies, since they have no permission to speak: theirs is a subordinate part, as the Law itself says.

34. Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but [they are commanded] to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

35. If there is anything they want to know, they should ask their husbands at home: it is shameful for a woman to speak in the assembly.

35. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

36. Do you really think that you are the source of the word of God? Or that you are the only people to whom it has come?

36. What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

37. Anyone who claims to be a prophet, or to have any spiritual powers must recognise that what I am writing to you is a commandment from the Lord.

37. If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

38. If anyone does not recognise this, it is because that person is not recognised himself.

38. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

39. So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not suppress the gift of speaking in tongues.

39. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

40. But make sure that everything is done in a proper and orderly fashion.

40. Let all things be done decently and in order.