More about Gifts from the Spirit
1 It is love, then, that you should strive for. Set your hearts on spiritual gifts, especially the gift of proclaiming God's message. 2 Those who speak in strange tongues do not speak to others but to God, because no one understands them. They are speaking secret truths by the power of the Spirit. 3 But those who proclaim God's message speak to people and give them help, encouragement, and comfort. 4 Those who speak in strange tongues help only themselves, but those who proclaim God's message help the whole church.
5 I would like for all of you to speak in strange tongues; but I would rather that you had the gift of proclaiming God's message. For the person who proclaims God's message is of greater value than the one who speaks in strange tongues—unless there is someone present who can explain what is said, so that the whole church may be helped. 6 So when I come to you, my friends, what use will I be to you if I speak in strange tongues? Not a bit, unless I bring you some revelation from God or some knowledge or some inspired message or some teaching.
7 Take such lifeless musical instruments as the flute or the harp—how will anyone know the tune that is being played unless the notes are sounded distinctly? 8 And if the one who plays the bugle does not sound a clear call, who will prepare for battle? 9 In the same way, how will anyone understand what you are talking about if your message given in strange tongues is not clear? Your words will vanish in the air! 10 There are many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 But if I do not know the language being spoken, those who use it will be foreigners to me and I will be a foreigner to them. 12 Since you are eager to have the gifts of the Spirit, you must try above everything else to make greater use of those which help to build up the church.
13 The person who speaks in strange tongues, then, must pray for the gift to explain what is said. 14 For if I pray in this way, my spirit prays indeed, but my mind has no part in it. 15 What should I do, then? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray also with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will sing also with my mind. 16 When you give thanks to God in spirit only, how can ordinary people taking part in the meeting say “Amen” to your prayer of thanksgiving? They have no way of knowing what you are saying. 17 Even if your prayer of thanks to God is quite good, other people are not helped at all.
18 I thank God that I speak in strange tongues much more than any of you. 19 But in church worship I would rather speak five words that can be understood, in order to teach others, than speak thousands of words in strange tongues.
20 Do not be like children in your thinking, my friends; be children so far as evil is concerned, but be grown up in your thinking. 21 In the Scriptures it is written,
“By means of people speaking strange languages
I will speak to my people, says the Lord.
I will speak through lips of foreigners,
but even then my people will not listen to me.”
22 So then, the gift of speaking in strange tongues is proof for unbelievers, not for believers, while the gift of proclaiming God's message is proof for believers, not for unbelievers.
23 If, then, the whole church meets together and everyone starts speaking in strange tongues—and if some ordinary people or unbelievers come in, won't they say that you are all crazy? 24 But if everyone is proclaiming God's message when some unbelievers or ordinary people come in, they will be convinced of their sin by what they hear. They will be judged by all they hear, 25 their secret thoughts will be brought into the open, and they will bow down and worship God, confessing, “Truly God is here among you!”
Order in the Church
26 This is what I mean, my friends. When you meet for worship, one person has a hymn, another a teaching, another a revelation from God, another a message in strange tongues, and still another the explanation of what is said. Everything must be of help to the church. 27 If someone is going to speak in strange tongues, two or three at the most should speak, one after the other, and someone else must explain what is being said. 28 But if no one is there who can explain, then the one who speaks in strange tongues must be quiet and speak only to himself and to God. 29 Two or three who are given God's message should speak, while the others are to judge what they say. 30 But if someone sitting in the meeting receives a message from God, the one who is speaking should stop. 31 All of you may proclaim God's message, one by one, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 The gift of proclaiming God's message should be under the speaker's control, 33 because God does not want us to be in disorder but in harmony and peace.
As in all the churches of God's people, 34 the women should keep quiet in the meetings. They are not allowed to speak; as the Jewish Law says, they must not be in charge. 35 If they want to find out about something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is a disgraceful thing for a woman to speak in a church meeting.
36 Or could it be that the word of God came from you? Or are you the only ones to whom it came? 37 If anyone supposes he is God's messenger or has a spiritual gift, he must realize that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38 But if he does not pay attention to this, pay no attention to him.
39 So then, my friends, set your heart on proclaiming God's message, but do not forbid the speaking in strange tongues. 40 Everything must be done in a proper and orderly way.
1 Followe after loue, and couet spirituall giftes, and rather that ye may prophecie. 2 For hee that speaketh a strange tongue, speaketh not vnto men, but vnto God: for no man heareth him: howbeit in the spirit he speaketh secret things. 3 But he that prophecieth, speaketh vnto me to edifying, and to exhortation, and to comfort. 4 He that speaketh strange language, edifieth himselfe: but hee that prophecieth, edifieth the Church. 5 I would that ye all spake strange languages, but rather that ye prophecied: for greater is hee that prophecieth, then hee that speaketh diuers tongues, except hee expound it, that the Church may receiue edification. 6 And nowe, brethren, if I come vnto you speaking diuers tongues, what shall I profite you, except I speake to you, either by reuelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecying, or by doctrine? 7 Moreouer things without life which giue a sounde, whether it be a pipe or an harpe, except they make a distinction in the soundes, how shall it be knowen what is piped or harped? 8 And also if the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound, who shall prepare himselfe to battell? 9 So likewise you, by the tongue, except yee vtter wordes that haue signification, howe shall it be vnderstand what is spoken? for ye shall speake in the ayre. 10 There are so many kindes of voyces (as it commeth to passe) in the world, and none of them is dumme. 11 Except I know then the power of ye voyce, I shall be vnto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh, shalbe a barbarian vnto me. 12 Euen so, forasmuch as ye couet spirituall giftes, seeke that ye may excell vnto the edifying of the Church. 13 Wherefore, let him that speaketh a strange tongue, pray, that he may interprete. 14 For if I pray in a strange togue, my spirit prayeth: but mine vnderstading is without fruite. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, but I wil pray with the vnderstanding also: I wil sing with the spirite, but I will sing with the vnderstanding also. 16 Else, when thou blessest with the spirit, howe shall hee that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned, say Amen, at thy giuing of thankes, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest? 17 For thou verely giuest thankes well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thanke my God, I speake languages more then ye all. 19 Yet had I rather in the Church to speake fiue wordes with mine vnderstanding, that I might also instruct others, then ten thousande wordes in a strange tongue. 20 Brethren, be not children in vnderstanding, but as concerning maliciousnes be children, but in vnderstanding be of a ripe age. 21 In the Lawe it is written, By men of other tongues, and by other languages will I speake vnto this people: yet so shall they not heare me, sayth the Lord. 22 Wherefore strange tongues are for a signe, not to them that beleeue, but to them that beleeue not: but prophecying serueth not for them that beleeue not, but for them which beleeue. 23 If therefore when the whole Church is come together in one, and all speake strange tongues, there come in they that are vnlearned, or they which beleeue not, will they not say, that ye are out of your wittes? 24 But if all prophecie, and there come in one that beleeueth not, or one vnlearned, hee is rebuked of all men, and is iudged of all, 25 And so are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and so he will fall downe on his face and worship God, and say plainely that God is in you in deede. 26 What is to be done then, brethren? when ye come together, according as euery one of you hath a Psalme, or hath doctrine, or hath a tongue, or hath reuelation, or hath interpretation, let all things be done vnto edifying. 27 If any man speake a strange tongue, let it be by two, or at the most, by three, and that by course, and let one interprete. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keepe silence in the Church, which speaketh languages, and let him speake to himselfe, and to God. 29 Let the Prophets speake two, or three, and let the other iudge. 30 And if any thing be reueiled to another that sitteth by, let the first holde his peace. 31 For ye may all prophecie one by one, that all may learne, and all may haue comfort. 32 And the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as we see in all ye Churches of the Saints. 34 Let your women keepe silence in the Churches: for it is not permitted vnto them to speake: but they ought to be subiect, as also the Lawe sayth. 35 And if they will learne any thing, let them aske their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speake in the Church. 36 Came the worde of God out from you? either came it vnto you onely? 37 If any man thinke him selfe to be a Prophet, or spirituall, let him acknowledge, that the things, that I write vnto you, are the commandements of the Lord. 38 And if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. 39 Wherefore, brethren, couet to prophecie, and forbid not to speake languages. 40 Let all things be done honestly, and by order.