²⁶So, brothers and sisters, what should you do? When you meet together, one person has a song, and another has a teaching. Another has a new truth from God. Another speaks in a different language, ⁿ and another person interprets that language. The purpose of all these things should be to help the church grow strong. ²⁷When you meet together, if anyone speaks in a different language, it should be only two, or not more than three, who speak. They should speak one after the other, and someone should interpret. ²⁸But if there is no interpreter, then those who speak in a different language should be quiet in the church meeting. They should speak only to themselves and to God.

²⁹Only two or three prophets should speak, and the others should judge what they say. ³⁰If a message from God comes to another person who is sitting, the first speaker should stop. ³¹You can all prophesy one after the other. In this way all the people can be taught and encouraged. ³²The spirits of prophets are under the control of the prophets themselves. ³³God is not a God of confusion but a God of peace.

As is true in all the churches of God’s people, ³⁴women should keep quiet in the church meetings. They are not allowed to speak, but they must yield to this rule as the law says. ³⁵If they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands at home. It is shameful for a woman to speak in the church meeting. ³⁶Did God’s teaching come from you? Or are you the only ones to whom it has come?

³⁷Those who think they are prophets or spiritual persons should understand that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. ³⁸Those who ignore this will be ignored by God. ⁿ

³⁹So my brothers and sisters, you should truly want to prophesy. But do not stop people from using the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages. ⁴⁰But let everything be done in a right and orderly way.

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Footnotes

nlanguage This can also be translated “tongue.”
nThose … God. Some Greek copies read “Those who are ignorant of this will stay ignorant.”