14Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. ²For the person who speaks in a tongue^a is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit.^D ³On the other hand, the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening,^E encouragement, and consolation. ⁴The person who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵I wish all of you spoke in tongues, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.

⁶So now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation^b or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? ⁷Even lifeless instruments that produce sounds—whether flute or harp^c—if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized? ⁸In fact, if the bugle makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle?^d ⁹In the same way, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech, how will what is spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰There are doubtless many different kinds of languages in the world, none is without meaning. ¹¹Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner^G to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. ¹²So also you—since you are zealous^e for spiritual gifts,^H^f seek to excel in building up the church.

¹³Therefore the person who speaks in a tongue should pray that he can interpret. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit^g prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.^h ¹⁵What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing praise with the spirit, and I will also sing praise with my understanding. ¹⁶Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit,^A how will the outsider^B say “Amen”ⁱ at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

DOr in spirit, or in his spirit
E building up
G barbaros, or barbarian
H zealous of spirits
AOr praise by the Spirit
B the one filling the place of the uninformed

Cross references

a 1Co 12:10
b 1Pt 4:13
c Rv 5:8; 14:2; 15:2
d Nm 10:9; Is 58:1; Jr 4:19; Ezk 33:3–6; Jl 2:1
e Nm 25:13; Gl 1:14
f Ps 51:11; Lk 11:34; Jn 1:33; Ac 2:4; Rm 8:9; Gl 5:25; Ti 3:5; 1Jn 4:1; Rv 3:22
g Ps 51:12
h Gl 5:22; Ti 3:14
i Ps 72:19; Rv 22:21