1 Corinthians 14:1-25 - Appropriate Use Of Prophecy And Tongues

¹ Keep on pursuing love, and keep on desiring spiritual gifts, especially the ability to prophesy. ² For the person who speaks in a foreign language is not actually speaking to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands him, because he is talking about secrets by the Spirit. ³ But the person who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding, encouragement, and comfort. ⁴ The person who speaks in a foreign language builds himself up, but the person who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵ Now I wish that all of you could speak in foreign languages, but especially that you could prophesy. The person who prophesies is more important than the person who speaks in a foreign language, unless he interprets it so that the church may be built up.

⁶ Indeed, brothers, if I come to you speaking in foreign languages, what good will I be to you unless I speak to you in some revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or teaching? ⁷ In the same way, lifeless instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. But if there's no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played? ⁸ For example, if a bugle doesn't sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? ⁹ In the same way, unless you speak an intelligible message with your language, how will anyone know what is being said? You'll be talking into the air! ¹⁰ There are, I suppose, many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. ¹¹ If I don't know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. ¹² In the same way, since you're so desirous of spiritual gifts, you must keep on desiring them for building up the church.

¹³ Therefore, the person who speaks in a foreign language should pray for the ability to interpret it. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a foreign language, my spirit prays but my mind is not productive. ¹⁵ What does this mean? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing psalms with my spirit, but I will also sing psalms with my mind. ¹⁶ Otherwise, if you say a blessing with your spirit, how can an otherwise uneducated person say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you're saying? ¹⁷ It's good for you to give thanks, but it does not build up the other person. ¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in foreign languages more than all of you. ¹⁹ But in church I would rather speak five words with my mind to instruct others than 10,000 words in a foreign language.

²⁰ Brothers, stop being childish in your thinking. Be like infants with respect to evil, but think like adults. ²¹ In the Law it is written, "By means of foreign languages and through the mouths of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me," declares the Lord. ²² Foreign languages, then, are meant to be a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers, while prophecy is meant, not for unbelievers, but for believers. ²³ Now if the whole church gathers in the same place and everyone is speaking in foreign languages, when uneducated people or unbelievers come in, they will say that you are out of your mind, won't they? ²⁴ But if everyone is prophesying, when an unbeliever or an uneducated person comes in he will be convicted and examined by everything that's happening. ²⁵ His secret, inner heart will become known, and so he will bow down to the ground and worship God, declaring, "God is truly among you!"