1 Corinthians 14:1–17

Prophecy a Superior Gift

^1aPursue love, yet ^bdesire earnestly ^cspiritual gifts, but especially that you may ^dprophesy.

²For one who ^aspeaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one ¹understands, but ²in his spirit he speaks ^bmysteries.

³But one who prophesies speaks to men for ^aedification and ^bexhortation and consolation.

⁴One who ^aspeaks in a tongue ^bedifies himself; but one who ^cprophesies edifies the church.

⁵Now I wish that you all ^aspoke in tongues, but ^beven more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive ^cedifying.

⁶But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of ^arevelation or of ^bknowledge or of ^cprophecy or of ^dteaching?

⁷Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?

⁸For if ^athe ¹bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?

⁹So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be ^aspeaking into the air.

¹⁰There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of ¹languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning.

¹¹If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a ^1abarbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian ²to me.

¹²So also you, since you are zealous of ¹spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the ^aedification of the church.

¹³Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

^15aWhat is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will ^bsing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.

¹⁶Otherwise if you bless ¹in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ²ungifted say ^athe “Amen” at your ^bgiving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?

¹⁷For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not ^aedified.