Common English Bible CEB
English Standard Version ESV
1 Pursue love, and use your ambition to try to get spiritual gifts but especially so that you might prophesy.
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Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.
2 This is because those who speak in a tongue don't speak to people but to God; no one understands it—they speak mysteries by the Spirit.
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For one 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 Those who prophesy speak to people, building them up, and giving them encouragement and comfort.
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On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.
4 People who speak in a tongue build up themselves; those who prophesy build up the church.
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The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.
5 I wish that all of you spoke in tongues, but I'd rather you could prophesy. Those who prophesy are more important than those who speak in tongues, unless they are able to interpret them so that the church might be built up.
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Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even 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 After all, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I speak to you with a revelation, some knowledge, a prophecy, or a teaching?
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Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
7 Likewise, things that aren't alive like a harp or a lyre can make a sound, but if there aren't different notes in the sounds they make, how will the tune from the harp or the lyre be recognized?
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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 if a trumpet call is unrecognizable, then who will prepare for battle?
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And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?
9 It's the same way with you: If you don't use language that is easy to understand when you speak in a tongue, then how will anyone understand what is said?
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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 speaking into the air.
10 It will be as if you are speaking into the air! There are probably many language families in the world, and none of them are without meaning.
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There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning,
11 So if I don't know the meaning of the language, then I will be like a foreigner to those who speak it, and they will be like foreigners to me.
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but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.
12 The same holds true for you: since you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, use your ambition to try to work toward being the best at building up the church.
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So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
13 Therefore, those who speak in a tongue should pray to be able to interpret.
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Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.
14 If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind isn't productive.
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For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.
15 What should I do? I'll pray in the Spirit, but I'll pray with my mind too; I'll sing a psalm in the Spirit, but I'll sing the psalm with my mind too.
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What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.
16 After all, if you praise God in the Spirit, how will the people who aren't trained in that language say "Amen!" to your thanksgiving, when they don't know what you are saying?
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Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?
17 You may offer a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving, but the other person is not being built up.
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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.
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I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
19 But in the church I'd rather speak five words in my right mind than speak thousands of words in a tongue so that I can teach others.
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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 and sisters, don't be like children in the way you think. Well, be babies when it comes to evil, but be adults in your thinking.
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Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
21 In the Law it is written: I will speak to this people with foreign languages and foreigners' lips, but they will not even listen to me this way, says the Lord.
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In the Law it is written, “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 So then, tongues are a sign for those who don't believe, not for those who believe. But prophecy is a sign for believers, not for those who don't believe.
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Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.
23 So suppose that the whole church is meeting and everyone is speaking in tongues. If people come in who are outsiders or unbelievers, won't they say that you are out of your minds?
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If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?
24 But if everyone is prophesying when an unbeliever or outsider comes in, they are tested by all and called to account by all.
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But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all,
25 The secrets of their hearts are brought to light. When that happens, they will fall on their faces and worship God, proclaiming out loud that truly God is among you!
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the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
26 What is the outcome of this, brothers and sisters? When you meet together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All these things must be done to build up the church.
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What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
27 If some speak in a tongue, then let two or at most three speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
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If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret.
28 However, if there is no interpreter, then they should keep quiet in the meeting. They should speak privately to themselves and to God.
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But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.
29 In the case of prophets, let two or three speak and have the rest evaluate what is said.
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Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.
30 And if some revelation comes to someone else who is sitting down, the first one should be quiet.
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If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent.
31 You can all prophesy one at a time so that everyone can learn and be encouraged.
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For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged,
32 The spirits of prophets are under the control of the prophets.
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and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
33 God isn't a God of disorder but of peace. Like in all the churches of God's people,
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For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,
34 the women should be quiet during the meeting. They are not allowed to talk. Instead, they need to get under control, just as the Law says.
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the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.
35 If they want to learn something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is disgraceful for a woman to talk during the meeting.
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If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
36 Did the word of God originate with you? Has it come only to you?
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Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached?
37 If anyone thinks that they are prophets or "spiritual people," then let them recognize that what I'm writing to you is the Lord's command.
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If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.
38 If someone doesn't recognize this, they aren't recognized.
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If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.
39 So then, brothers and sisters, use your ambition to try to get the gift of prophecy, but don't prevent speaking in tongues.
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So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
40 Everything should be done with dignity and in proper order.
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But all things should be done decently and in order.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025