⁵I wish that all of you could speak in other languages, but especially that you could speak what God has revealed. The person who speaks what God has revealed is more important than the person who speaks in other languages. This is true unless he can interpret what he says to help the church grow. ⁶Brothers and sisters, it wouldn’t do you any good if I came to you speaking in other languages, unless I explained revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or doctrine to you.

⁷Musical instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. If there is no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played? ⁸For example, if the trumpet doesn’t sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? ⁹In the same way, if you don’t speak in a way that can be understood, how will anyone know what you’re saying? You will be talking into thin air.

¹⁰No matter how many different languages there are in the world, not one of them is without meaning. ¹¹If I don’t know what a language means, I will be a foreigner to the person who speaks it and that person will be a foreigner to me. ¹²In the same way, since you’re eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in them so that you help the church grow. ¹³So the person who speaks in another language should pray for an interpretation of what he says.

¹⁴If I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my mind is not productive. ¹⁵So what does this mean? It means that I will pray with my spirit, and I will pray with my mind. I will sing psalms with my spirit, and I will sing psalms with my mind. ¹⁶Otherwise, if you praise God only with your spirit, how can outsiders say “Amen!” to your prayer of thanksgiving? They don’t know what you’re saying. ¹⁷Your prayer of thanksgiving may be very good, but it doesn’t help other people grow. ¹⁸I thank God that I speak in other languages more than any of you. ¹⁹Yet, in order to teach others in church, I would rather say five words that can be understood than ten thousand words in another language.

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