New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy.
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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 those who speak in a tongue do not speak to other people but to God; for nobody understands them, since they are speaking mysteries in the Spirit.
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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 On the other hand, those who prophesy speak to other people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.
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But the word of the prophet gives men knowledge and comfort and strength.
4 Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves, but those who prophesy build up the church.
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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 I would like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.
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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 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you in some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
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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 It is the same way with lifeless instruments that produce sound, such as the flute or the harp. If they do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is being played?
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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 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?
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For if the war-horn gives out an uncertain note, who will get ready for the fight?
9 So with yourselves; if in a tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is being said? For you will be speaking into the air.
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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 doubtless many different kinds of sounds in the world, and nothing is without sound.
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There are, it may be, a number of different voices in the world, and no voice is without sense.
11 If then I do not know the meaning of a sound, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.
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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 with yourselves; since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive to excel in them for building up the church.
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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 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret.
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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 pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unproductive.
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For if I make use of tongues in my prayers, my spirit makes the prayer, but not my mind.
15 What should I do then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will sing praise with the spirit, but I will sing praise with the mind also.
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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 Otherwise, if you say a blessing with the spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say the "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since the outsider does not know what you are saying?
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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 you may give thanks well enough, but the other person is not built up.
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For your giving of the blessing is certainly well done, but of no profit to the man without knowledge.
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you;
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I give praise to God that I am able to make use of tongues more than you all:
19 nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
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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 Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; rather, be infants in evil, but in thinking be adults.
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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 written, "By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people; yet even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord.
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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 Tongues, then, are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.
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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, 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 mind?
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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 prophesy, an unbeliever or outsider who enters is reproved by all and called to account by all.
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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 After the secrets of the unbeliever's heart are disclosed, that person will bow down before God and worship him, declaring, "God is really among you."
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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 should be done then, my friends? 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.
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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 anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn; and let one interpret.
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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 interpret, let them be silent in church and speak to themselves and to God.
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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 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.
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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 If a revelation is made to someone else sitting nearby, let the first person be silent.
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But if a revelation is given to another who is seated near, let the first be quiet.
31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged.
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For you may all be prophets in turn so that all may get knowledge and comfort;
32 And the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets,
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And the spirits of the prophets are controlled by the prophets;
33 for God is a God not of disorder but of peace. (As in all the churches of the saints,
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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 women should be silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as the law also says.
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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 If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
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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 Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?)
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What? was it from you that the word of God went out? or did it only come in to you?
37 Anyone who claims to be a prophet, or to have spiritual powers, must acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord.
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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 Anyone who does not recognize this is not to be recognized.
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But if any man is without knowledge, let him be so.
39 So, my friends, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues;
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So then, my brothers, let it be your chief desire to be prophets; but let no one be stopped from using tongues.
40 but all things should be done decently and in order.
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Let all things be done in the right and ordered way.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.