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

¹ Follow after love: and desire spiritual gifts; but especially that ye may prophesy. ² For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not to men, but to God; for no one understandeth him, though by the Spirit he speaketh mysteries: ³ Whereas he that prophesieth, speaketh to men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. ⁴ He that speaketh in an unknown tongue, edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth, edifieth the church. ⁵ I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied; for he that prophesieth, is greater than he that speaketh with tongues, unless he interpret, that the church may receive edification.

⁶ Now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you, either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecy, or by doctrine? ⁷ So inanimate things which give a sound, whether pipe or harp, unless they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? ⁸ And if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for the battle? ⁹ So likewise unless ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye will speak to the air. ¹⁰ Let there be ever so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them without signification: ¹¹ Yet if I know not the meaning of the language, I shall be a barbarian to him that speaketh, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian to me. ¹² So ye also, seeing ye desire spiritual gifts, seek to abound in them, to the edifying of the church.

¹³ Therefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue, pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my Spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. ¹⁵ What then is my duty? I will pray with the Spirit; but I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the Spirit; but I will sing with the understanding also. ¹⁶ Otherwise if thou givest thanks with the Spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of a private person, say Amen to thy thanksgiving, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? ¹⁷ For thou verily givest thanks well; yet the other is not edified. ¹⁸ I thank God, that I speak with tongues more than you all. ¹⁹ Yet in the congregation I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

²⁰ Brethren, be not children in understanding: in wickedness be ye as infants, but in understanding be ye grown men. ²¹ It is written in the law, In foreign tongues and with foreign lips will I speak to this people; and neither so will they hear me, saith the Lord. ²² So that tongues are for a sign, not to believers, but to unbelievers; whereas prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for believers. ²³ Yet if the whole church be met together, and all speak with unknown tongues, and there come in ignorant persons or unbelievers, will they not say, that ye are mad? ²⁴ Whereas if all prophesy, and there come in an unbeliever, or an ignorant person, he is convicted by all, he is judged by all: ²⁵ The secrets of his heart are made manifest, and so falling down on his face, he will worship God, and declare that God is among you of a truth.