13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may (A)interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. (B)I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing (C)with the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” (D)at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers

20 Brethren, (E)do not be children in understanding; however, in malice (F)be babes, but in understanding be mature.

21 (G)In the law it is written:

(H)“With men of other tongues and other lips
I will speak to this people;
And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,”

says the Lord.

22 Therefore tongues are for a (I)sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, (J)will they not say that you are [a]out of your mind? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 [b]And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report (K)that God is truly among you.

Order in Church Meetings

26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, (L)has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. (M)Let all things be done for [c]edification.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:23 insane
  2. 1 Corinthians 14:25 NU omits And thus
  3. 1 Corinthians 14:26 building up

13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.(A) 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,(B) but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit,(C) but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing(D) with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,[a] say “Amen”(E) to your thanksgiving,(F) since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.(G)

18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.(H)

20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.(I) In regard to evil be infants,(J) but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Law(K) it is written:

“With other tongues
    and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
    but even then they will not listen to me,(L)
says the Lord.”[b]

22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy,(M) however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?(N) 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets(O) of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”(P)

Good Order in Worship

26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?(Q) When you come together, each of you(R) has a hymn,(S) or a word of instruction,(T) a revelation, a tongue(U) or an interpretation.(V) Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.(W)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:16 The Greek word for inquirer is a technical term for someone not fully initiated into a religion; also in verses 23 and 24.
  2. 1 Corinthians 14:21 Isaiah 28:11,12