14:1 Pursue love, yet earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
14:2 For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people, but to God; for no one ①understands, but ②in his spirit he speaks mysteries.
▷ ①Lit hears ②Or by the Spirit
14:3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification, ①exhortation, and consolation.
▷ ①Or encouragement
14:4 The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
14:5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but rather that you would prophesy; and greater is the one who prophesies than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edification.
14:6 But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophecy, or of teaching?
14:7 Yet even lifeless instruments, whether 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?
14:8 For if the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?
14:9 So you too, unless you produce intelligible speech by the tongue, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will just be talking to the air.
14:10 There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of ①languages in the world, and none is incapable of meaning.
▷ ①Lit voices
14:11 So if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be unintelligible to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks will be unintelligible ①to me.
▷ ①Or in my estimation
14:12 So you too, since you are eager to possess ①spiritual gifts, strive to excel for the edification of the church.
▷ ①Lit spirits
14:13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue is to pray that he may interpret.
14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive.
14:15 What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the mind also.
14:16 For otherwise, if you bless God ①in the spirit only, how will the one who occupies the place of the ②outsider know to say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you are saying?
▷ ①Or with the ②Lit private person
14:17 For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified.
14:18 I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all;
14:19 nevertheless, in church I prefer to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.
14:20 Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
14:21 In the ①Law it is written: “BY 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 Lord.
▷ ①I.e., Old Testament, Isaiah
14:22 So then, tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe.
14:23 Therefore if the whole church gathers together and all the people speak in tongues, and ①outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are insane?
▷ ①See note 2 v 16
14:24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ①outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all;
▷ ①See note 2 v 16
14:25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.
14:26 What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification.
14:27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it must be by two or at the most three, and each one in turn, and one is to interpret;
14:28 but if there is no interpreter, he is to keep silent in church; and have him speak to himself and to God.
14:29 Have two or three prophets speak, and have the others pass judgment.
14:30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, then the first one is to keep silent.
14:31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be ①exhorted;
▷ ①Or encouraged
14:32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets;
14:33 for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the ①saints,
▷ ①I.e., God’s people
14:34 the women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.
14:35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is ①improper for a woman to speak in church.
▷ ①Or disgraceful
14:36 Or was it from you that the word of God first went out? Or has it come to you only?
14:37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment.
14:38 But if anyone does not recognize this, ①he is not recognized.
▷ ①Two early mss let him continue not to recognize it
14:39 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
14:40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly way.