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1 Corinthians 14 - American Standard Version bible

1 Corinthians 14

¹Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

²For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

³But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and exhortation, and consolation.

⁴He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

⁵Now I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

⁶But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?

⁷Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

⁸For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war?

⁹So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air.

¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is without signification.

¹¹If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me.

¹²So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church.

¹³Wherefore let him that speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

¹⁵What 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.

¹⁶Else if thou bless with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest?

¹⁷For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

¹⁸I thank God, I speak with tongues more than you all:

¹⁹howbeit in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

²⁰Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men.

²¹In the law it is written, By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak unto this people; and not even thus will they hear me, saith the Lord.

²²Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to them that believe.

²³If therefore the whole church be assembled together and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are mad?

²⁴But if all prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved by all, he is judged by all;

²⁵the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.

²⁶What is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

²⁷If any man speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and that in turn; and let one interpret:

²⁸but if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

²⁹And let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others discern.

³⁰But if a revelation be made to another sitting by, let the first keep silence.

³¹For ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted;

³²and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets;

³³for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

³⁴let the women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law.

³⁵And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church.

³⁶What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?

³⁷If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.

³⁸But if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

³⁹Wherefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

⁴⁰But let all things be done decently and in order.