^{1 Ref} Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

^{2 Ref} For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

^{3 Ref} But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.

^{4 Ref} He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly.

^{5 Ref} Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.

^{6 Ref} But now, brothers,{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?

^{7 Ref} Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they didn't give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped?

^{8 Ref} For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war?

^{9 Ref} So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air.

¹⁰ There are, it may be, so many kinds of sounds in the world, and none of them is without meaning.

^{11 Ref} If then I don't know the meaning of the sound, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me.

^{12 Ref} So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.

^{13 Ref} Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret.

^{14 Ref} For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

^{15 Ref} What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

^{16 Ref} Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, seeing he doesn't know what you say?

^{17 Ref} For you most assuredly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up.

^{18 Ref} I thank my God, I speak with other languages more than you all.

^{19 Ref} However in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language.

^{20 Ref} Brothers, don't be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.

^{21 Ref} In the law it is written, "By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. Not even thus will they hear me, says the Lord."

^{22 Ref} Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe.

^{23 Ref} If therefore the whole assembly is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won't they say that you are crazy?

^{24 Ref} But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all.

^{25 Ref} And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.

^{26 Ref} What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.

^{27 Ref} If any man speaks in another language, let it be two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret.

²⁸ But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the assembly, and let him speak to himself, and to God.

^{29 Ref} Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern.

^{30 Ref} But if a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent.

^{31 Ref} For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted.

^{32 Ref} The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets,

^{33 Ref} for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the assemblies of the saints,

^{34 Ref} let your wives keep silent in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as the law also says.

^{35 Ref} If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a woman to chatter in the assembly.

^{36 Ref} What? Was it from you that the word of God went out? Or did it come to you alone?

^{37 Ref} If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.

^{38 Ref} But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

^{39 Ref} Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and don't forbid speaking with other languages.

^{40 Ref} Let all things be done decently and in order.

^{1 Ref} Pursue the love, and seek earnestly the spiritual things, and rather that ye may prophecy,

^{2 Ref} for he who is speaking in an `unknown' tongue -- to men he doth not speak, but to God, for no one doth hearken, and in spirit he doth speak secrets;

^{3 Ref} and he who is prophesying to men doth speak edification, and exhortation, and comfort;

^{4 Ref} he who is speaking in an `unknown' tongue, himself doth edify, and he who is prophesying, an assembly doth edify;

^{5 Ref} and I wish you all to speak with tongues, and more that ye may prophecy, for greater is he who is prophesying than he who is speaking with tongues, except one may interpret, that the assembly may receive edification.

^{6 Ref} And now, brethren, if I may come unto you speaking tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophesying, or in teaching?

^{7 Ref} yet the things without life giving sound -- whether pipe or harp -- if a difference in the sounds they may not give, how shall be known that which is piped or that which is harped?

^{8 Ref} for if also an uncertain sound a trumpet may give, who shall prepare himself for battle?

^{9 Ref} so also ye, if through the tongue, speech easily understood ye may not give -- how shall that which is spoken be known? for ye shall be speaking to air.

¹⁰ There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is unmeaning,

^{11 Ref} if, then, I do not know the power of the voice, I shall be to him who is speaking a foreigner, and he who is speaking, is to me a foreigner;

^{12 Ref} so also ye, since ye are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, for the building up of the assembly seek that ye may abound;

^{13 Ref} wherefore he who is speaking in an `unknown' tongue -- let him pray that he may interpret;

^{14 Ref} for if I pray in an `unknown' tongue, my spirit doth pray, and my understanding is unfruitful.

^{15 Ref} What then is it? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing psalms with the spirit, and I will sing psalms also with the understanding;

^{16 Ref} since, if thou mayest bless with the spirit, he who is filling the place of the unlearned, how shall he say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, since what thou dost say he hath not known?

^{17 Ref} for thou, indeed, dost give thanks well, but the other is not built up!

^{18 Ref} I give thanks to my God -- more than you all with tongues speaking --

^{19 Ref} but in an assembly I wish to speak five words through my understanding, that others also I may instruct, rather than myriads of words in an `unknown' tongue.

^{20 Ref} Brethren, become not children in the understanding, but in the evil be ye babes, and in the understanding become ye perfect;

^{21 Ref} in the law it hath been written, that, `With other tongues and with other lips I will speak to this people, and not even so will they hear Me, saith the Lord;'

^{22 Ref} so that the tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving; and the prophesy `is' not for the unbelieving, but for the believing,

^{23 Ref} If, therefore, the whole assembly may come together, to the same place, and all may speak with tongues, and there may come in unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

^{24 Ref} and if all may prophecy, and any one may come in, an unbeliever or unlearned, he is convicted by all, he is discerned by all,

^{25 Ref} and so the secrets of his heart become manifest, and so having fallen upon `his' face, he will bow before God, declaring that God really is among you.

^{26 Ref} What then is it, brethren? whenever ye may come together, each of you hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation? let all things be for building up;

^{27 Ref} if an `unknown' tongue any one do speak, by two, or at the most, by three, and in turn, and let one interpret;

²⁸ and if there may be no interpreter, let him be silent in an assembly, and to himself let him speak, and to God.

^{29 Ref} And prophets -- let two or three speak, and let the others discern,

^{30 Ref} and if to another sitting `anything' may be revealed, let the first be silent;

^{31 Ref} for ye are able, one by one, all to prophesy, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted,

^{32 Ref} and the spiritual gift of prophets to prophets are subject,

^{33 Ref} for God is not `a God' of tumult, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.

^{34 Ref} Your women in the assemblies let them be silent, for it hath not been permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law saith;

^{35 Ref} and if they wish to learn anything, at home their own husbands let them question, for it is a shame to women to speak in an assembly.

^{36 Ref} From you did the word of God come forth? or to you alone did it come?

^{37 Ref} if any one doth think to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge the things that I write to you -- that of the Lord they are commands;

^{38 Ref} and if any one is ignorant -- let him be ignorant;

^{39 Ref} so that, brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and to speak with tongues do not forbid;

^{40 Ref} let all things be done decently and in order.

^{1 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} But the word of the prophet gives men knowledge and comfort and strength.

^{4 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} For if the war-horn gives out an uncertain note, who will get ready for the fight?

^{9 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} For if I make use of tongues in my prayers, my spirit makes the prayer, but not my mind.

^{15 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} For your giving of the blessing is certainly well done, but of no profit to the man without knowledge.

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

^{19 Ref} 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 Ref} My brothers, do not be children in mind: in evil be as little children, but in mind be of full growth.

^{21 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} But if a revelation is given to another who is seated near, let the first be quiet.

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

^{32 Ref} And the spirits of the prophets are controlled by the prophets;

^{33 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} What? was it from you that the word of God went out? or did it only come in to you?

^{37 Ref} 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 Ref} But if any man is without knowledge, let him be so.

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

^{40 Ref} Let all things be done in the right and ordered way.