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Follow after charity,anddesirespiritual gifts, butratherthat ye may prophesy.
2
For he that speaketh in an unknown tonguespeakethnot unto men,but unto God:for no manunderstandeth[a] him; howbeit in the spirit he speakethmysteries.
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But he that prophesiethspeaketh unto men to edification,andexhortation,andcomfort.
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He that speaketh in an unknown tongueedifiethhimself;but he that prophesiethedifieth the church.
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Iwould that yeallspake with tongues,butratherthat ye prophesied: forgreater is he that prophesieththan he that speaketh with tongues,exceptheinterpret, that the church may receiveedifying.
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Now,brethren,if I comeuntoyouspeaking with tongues,what shall I profityou,except I shall speak to youeitherbyrevelation,orbyknowledge,orbyprophesying,orbydoctrine?
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And even things without lifegivingsound,whetherpipeorharp,except they give a distinction in the sounds,[b]how shall it be known what is pipedorharped?
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For*if the trumpetgive an uncertainsound,who shall prepare himselfto the battle?
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Solikewiseye,except ye utterby the tonguewords easy to be understood,how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shallspeakinto the air.
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Thereare, it may be, so manykinds of voicesin the world,and none of them is without signification*.
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Thereforeif I knownot the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian,and he that speaketh shall be a barbarianuntome.
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Evensoye, forasmuch as ye arezealous of spiritual gifts, seekthat ye may excelto the edifying of the church.
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Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tonguepraythat he may interpret.
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Forif I pray in an unknown tongue,myspiritprayeth, butmyunderstandingisunfruitful.
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What is itthen? I will pray with the spirit,and I will pray with the understandingalso: I will sing with the spirit,and I will sing with the understandingalso.
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Elsewhen thou shalt bless with the spirit,how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearnedsayAmenatthy giving of thanks,seeing he understandethnotwhat thou sayest?
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Forthouverily givest thankswell,but the otherisnotedified.
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I thankmyGod, I speak with tongues more thanyeall:
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Yetin the church I had ratherspeakfivewordswithmyunderstanding,that by my voice I might teachothersalso,than ten thousandwordsin an unknown tongue.
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Brethren,benotchildren in understanding:howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understandingbemen.[c]
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In the law it is written*, With men of other tonguesandother*lips will I speak unto thispeople;and yet for all that will theynothearme,saith the Lord.
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Whereforetonguesarefor a sign,not to them that believe, but to them that believe not:butprophesying serveth not for them that believe not,but for them which believe.
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Iftherefore the wholechurch be come togetherinto one place,andallspeak with tongues,and there come in those that are unlearned,orunbelievers, will theynotsaythat ye are mad?
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Butifallprophesy, and there come inone that believeth not,or one unlearned, he is convincedofall, he is judgedofall:
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Andthusare the secrets of hisheartmademanifest;andso falling downon his face he will worshipGod, and reportthatGodisinyou of a truth.
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How is itthen,brethren?when ye come together, every one of youhath a psalm,hath a doctrine,hath a tongue,hath a revelation,hath an interpretation.Let all things be doneuntoedifying.
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If any manspeak in an unknown tongue, let it be bytwo,[d]or at the most by three,and that bycourse;andletoneinterpret.
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Butif there benointerpreter, let him keep silencein the church;and let him speak to himself,and to God.
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Let the prophetsspeaktwoorthree,andlet the otherjudge.
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Ifany thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
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For ye mayallprophesy one by one*, thatall may learn, andall may be comforted.
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And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
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ForGodisnot the author of confusion,[e]but of peace,asinallchurches of the saints.
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Letyourwomen keep silencein the churches:for it isnotpermitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, asalsosaith the law.
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Andif they willlearn any thing, let them asktheirhusbandsathome:for it is a shame for women to speakin the church.
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What?came the word of Godoutfromyou?or came ituntoyouonly?
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If any man think himself to be a prophet,orspiritual, let him acknowledgethat the things that I write unto youare the commandments of the Lord.
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But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
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Wherefore,brethren,covet to prophesy, andforbidnot to speak with tongues.