1 Corinthians 14:1-25

Prophecy and Tongues

1 1Pursue love, and 2earnestly desire the 3spiritual gifts, especially that you may 4prophesy.
2 For 5one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.
4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.
5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but 6even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.
6 Now, brothers,[a] if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some 7revelation or knowledge or prophecy or 8teaching?
7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played?
8 And 9if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?
9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be 10speaking into the air.
10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning,
11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be 11a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.
12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret.
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.
15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; 12I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will 13sing with my mind also.
16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider[b] say 14"Amen" to 15your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?
17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up.
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20 Brothers, 16do not be children in your thinking. 17Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be 18mature.
21 19In the Law it is written, 20"By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord."
22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign[c] not for unbelievers but for believers.
23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, 21will they not say that you are out of your minds?
24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all,
25 22the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, 23falling on his face, he will worship God and 24declare that God is really among you.

Cross References 24

  • 1. 1 Corinthians 16:14
  • 2. 1 Corinthians 12:31
  • 3. 1 Corinthians 12:1
  • 4. See 1 Corinthians 11:4; 1 Corinthians 13:2
  • 5. ver. 18-23, 27, 28
  • 6. [Numbers 11:29]
  • 7. ver. 26; Ephesians 1:17
  • 8. ver. 26; Acts 2:42; Romans 6:17
  • 9. [Numbers 10:9; Isaiah 58:1; Jeremiah 4:19; Ezekiel 33:3-6; Joel 2:1]
  • 10. [1 Corinthians 9:26]
  • 11. See Acts 28:2
  • 12. [Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; James 5:13]
  • 13. Psalms 47:7
  • 14. 1 Chronicles 16:36; Nehemiah 5:13; Nehemiah 8:6; Psalms 106:48; Jeremiah 11:5; 2Nehemiah 8:6; Revelation 5:14; Revelation 7:12; Revelation 19:4; [2 Corinthians 1:20]
  • 15. 1 Corinthians 11:24
  • 16. Ephesians 4:14; Hebrews 5:12, 13
  • 17. [Psalms 131:2; Isaiah 28:9; Romans 16:19]; See Matthew 18:3
  • 18. 1 Corinthians 2:6
  • 19. See John 10:34
  • 20. Cited from Isaiah 28:11, 12; [Deuteronomy 28:49]
  • 21. [Acts 2:13]
  • 22. [Hebrews 4:12]
  • 23. Luke 17:16
  • 24. Isaiah 45:14; Zechariah 8:23

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Or brothers and sisters; also verses 20, 26, 39
  • [b]. Or of him that is without gifts
  • [c]. Greek lacks a sign
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.