1 Corinthians14

Paul instructs the Corinthian church on the proper use of spiritual gifts, prioritizing prophecy over speaking in tongues for the edification of the congregation. He emphasizes that public worship should be understandable and orderly, promoting the spiritual growth of all. While acknowledging the validity of tongues, he stresses the necessity of interpretation for the benefit of the church. All things are to be done decently and in order, for God is not the author of confusion.

Prophecy Superior to Tongues for Edification

1
Pursue the love, and seek earnestly the spiritual things, and rather that ye may prophecy,
2
for he who is speaking in an unknown tongue--to men he doth not speak, but to God, for no one doth hearken, and in spirit he doth speak secrets;
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and he who is prophesying to men doth speak edification, and exhortation, and comfort;
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he who is speaking in an unknown tongue, himself doth edify, and he who is prophesying, an assembly doth edify;
5
and I wish you all to speak with tongues, and more that ye may prophecy, for greater is he who is prophesying than he who is speaking with tongues, except one may interpret, that the assembly may receive edification.

The Need for Intelligibility in Worship

6
And now, brethren, if I may come unto you speaking tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophesying, or in teaching?
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yet the things without life giving sound--whether pipe or harp--if a difference in the sounds they may not give, how shall be known that which is piped or that which is harped?
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for if also an uncertain sound a trumpet may give, who shall prepare himself for battle?
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so also ye, if through the tongue, speech easily understood ye may not give--how shall that which is spoken be known? for ye shall be speaking to air.
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There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is unmeaning,
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if, then, I do not know the power of the voice, I shall be to him who is speaking a foreigner, and he who is speaking, is to me a foreigner;
12
so also ye, since ye are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, for the building up of the assembly seek that ye may abound;

Praying with the Spirit and the Mind

13
wherefore he who is speaking in an unknown tongue--let him pray that he may interpret;
14
for if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit doth pray, and my understanding is unfruitful.
15
What then is it? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing psalms with the spirit, and I will sing psalms also with the understanding;
16
since, if thou mayest bless with the spirit, he who is filling the place of the unlearned, how shall he say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, since what thou dost say he hath not known?
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for thou, indeed, dost give thanks well, but the other is not built up!
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I give thanks to my God--more than you all with tongues speaking--
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but in an assembly I wish to speak five words through my understanding, that others also I may instruct, rather than myriads of words in an unknown tongue.

Tongues as a Sign; Prophecy Brings Conviction

20
Brethren, become not children in the understanding, but in the evil be ye babes, and in the understanding become ye perfect;
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in the law it hath been written, that, `With other tongues and with other lips I will speak to this people, and not even so will they hear Me, saith the Lord;'
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so that the tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving; and the prophesy is not for the unbelieving, but for the believing,
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If, therefore, the whole assembly may come together, to the same place, and all may speak with tongues, and there may come in unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
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and if all may prophecy, and any one may come in, an unbeliever or unlearned, he is convicted by all, he is discerned by all,
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and so the secrets of his heart become manifest, and so having fallen upon his face, he will bow before God, declaring that God really is among you.

Rules for Orderly Public Worship

26
What then is it, brethren? whenever ye may come together, each of you hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation? let all things be for building up;
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if an unknown tongue any one do speak, by two, or at the most, by three, and in turn, and let one interpret;
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and if there may be no interpreter, let him be silent in an assembly, and to himself let him speak, and to God.
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And prophets--let two or three speak, and let the others discern,
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and if to another sitting anything may be revealed, let the first be silent;
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for ye are able, one by one, all to prophesy, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted,
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and the spiritual gift of prophets to prophets are subject,
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for God is not a God of tumult, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.

Instructions for Women in the Assembly

34
Your women in the assemblies let them be silent, for it hath not been permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law saith;
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and if they wish to learn anything, at home their own husbands let them question, for it is a shame to women to speak in an assembly.
36
From you did the word of God come forth? or to you alone did it come?

Final Exhortations: Authority and Order

37
if any one doth think to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge the things that I write to you--that of the Lord they are commands;
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and if any one is ignorant--let him be ignorant;
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so that, brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and to speak with tongues do not forbid;
40
let all things be done decently and in order.
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