^14:5I wish you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be strengthened.

^14:6Now, brothers and sisters,⁴ if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I speak to you with a revelation or with knowledge or prophecy or teaching? ^14:7It is similar for lifeless things that make a sound, like a flute or harp. Unless they make a distinction in the notes, how can what is played on the flute or harp be understood? ^14:8If, for example, the trumpet makes an unclear sound, who will get ready for battle? ^14:9It is the same for you. If you do not speak clearly with your tongue, how will anyone know what is being said? For you will be speaking into the air. ^14:10There are probably many kinds of languages in the world, and none is without meaning. ^14:11If then I do not know the meaning of a language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. ^14:12It is the same with you. Since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit,⁵ seek to abound in order to strengthen the church.

^14:13So then, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. ^14:14If⁶ I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. ^14:15What should I do?⁷ I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praises with my spirit, but I will also sing praises with my mind. ^14:16Otherwise, if you are praising God with your spirit, how can someone without the gift⁸ say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? ^14:17For you are certainly giving thanks well, but the other person is not strengthened. ^14:18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you, ^14:19but in the church I want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

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Footnotes

4 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
5 Grk “eager for spirits.” The plural is probably a shorthand for the Spirit’s gifts, especially in this context, tongues.
6 Most witnesses, including some important ones (א A Ds Ψ 048 𝔐 lat sy bo), have γάρ (gar, “for”) here, while an equally impressive array of witnesses lack the conjunction (𝔓46 B F G 0243 1739 1881 sa). This conjunction was frequently added by scribes in epistolary literature as a clarifying word, making the connection with the preceding more explicit. As such, it has the earmarks of being a motivated reading and thus should be rejected. places the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
7 Grk “what then is it?”
8 Grk “how can someone who fills the place of the unlearned say ‘Amen.’ ”