Parallel Bible results for "1 corinthians 14"

1 Corinthians 14

The Bible in Basic English BBE

1 Go after love; still desiring to have the things which the Spirit gives, but most of all that you may have the prophet's power.

2 For he who makes use of tongues is not talking to men but to God; because no one has the sense of what he is saying; but in the Spirit he is talking of secret things.

3 But the word of the prophet gives men knowledge and comfort and strength.

4 He who makes use of tongues may do good to himself; but he who gives the prophet's word does good to the church.

5 Now though it is my desire for you all to have the power of tongues, it would give me more pleasure to be hearing the prophet's word from you; for this is a greater thing than using tongues, if the sense is not given at the same time, for the good of the church.

6 But, now, my brothers, if I come to you using tongues, what profit will it be to you, if I do not give you a revelation, or knowledge, or the word of the prophet, or teaching?

7 Even things without life, having a voice, such as a music-pipe or other instrument, if they do not give out different sounds, who may be certain what is being played?

8 For if the war-horn gives out an uncertain note, who will get ready for the fight?

9 So if you, in using a strange tongue, say words which have no sense, how will anyone take in what you are saying? for you will be talking to the air.

10 There are, it may be, a number of different voices in the world, and no voice is without sense.

11 But if the sense of the voice is not clear to me, I am like a man from a strange country to him who is talking, and he will be the same to me.

12 So if you are desiring the things which the Spirit gives, let your minds be turned first to the things which are for the good of the church.

13 For this reason, let the man who has the power of using tongues make request that he may, at the same time, be able to give the sense.

14 For if I make use of tongues in my prayers, my spirit makes the prayer, but not my mind.

15 What then? let my prayer be from the spirit, and equally from the mind; let my song be from the spirit, and equally from mind.

16 For if you give a blessing with the spirit, how will the man who has no knowledge say, So be it, after your prayer, seeing that he has not taken in what you are saying?

17 For your giving of the blessing is certainly well done, but of no profit to the man without knowledge.

18 I give praise to God that I am able to make use of tongues more than you all:

19 But in the church it would be better for me to make use of five words of which the sense was clear, so that others might have profit, than ten thousand words in a strange tongue.

20 My brothers, do not be children in mind: in evil be as little children, but in mind be of full growth.

21 In the law it is said, By men of other tongues and by strange lips will my words come to this people; and not even so will they give ear to me, says the Lord.

22 For this reason tongues are for a sign, not to those who have faith, but to those who have not: but the prophet's word is for those who have faith, and not for the rest who have not.

23 If, then, the church has come together, and all are using tongues, and there come in men without knowledge or faith, will they not say that you are unbalanced?

24 But if all are teaching as prophets, and a man without faith or knowledge comes in, he is tested by all, he is judged by all;

25 The secrets of his heart are made clear; and he will go down on his face and give worship to God, saying that God is truly among you.

26 What is it then, my brothers? when you come together everyone has a holy song, or a revelation, or a tongue, or is giving the sense of it. Let everything be done for the common good.

27 If any man makes use of a tongue, let it not be more than two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let someone give the sense:

28 But if there is no one to give the sense, let him keep quiet in the church; and let his words be to himself and to God.

29 And let the prophets give their words, but not more than two or three, and let the others be judges of what they say.

30 But if a revelation is given to another who is seated near, let the first be quiet.

31 For you may all be prophets in turn so that all may get knowledge and comfort;

32 And the spirits of the prophets are controlled by the prophets;

33 For God is not a God whose ways are without order, but a God of peace; as in all the churches of the saints.

34 Let women keep quiet in the churches: for it is not right for them to be talking; but let them be under control, as it says in the law.

35 And if they have a desire for knowledge about anything, let them put questions to their husbands privately: for talking in the church puts shame on a woman.

36 What? was it from you that the word of God went out? or did it only come in to you?

37 If any man seems to himself to be a prophet or to have the Spirit, let him take note of the things which I am writing to you, as being the word of the Lord.

38 But if any man is without knowledge, let him be so.

39 So then, my brothers, let it be your chief desire to be prophets; but let no one be stopped from using tongues.

40 Let all things be done in the right and ordered way.

Good News Translation GNT

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!"

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.