Now I say this for your profit; not to make things hard for you, but because of what is right, and so that you may be able to give all your attention to the things of the Lord.

Even as I give way to all men in all things, not looking for profit for myself, but for the good of others, that they may get salvation.

Every man who takes part in prayer, or gives teaching as a prophet, with his head covered, puts shame on his head.

And to another the power of working wonders; and to another the prophet's word; and to another the power of testing spirits; to another different sorts of tongues; and to another the power of making clear the sense of the tongues:

And if I have a prophet's power, and have knowledge of all secret things; and if I have all faith, by which mountains may be moved from their place, but have not love, I am nothing.

And if I give all my goods to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it is of no profit to me.

Though the prophet's word may come to an end, tongues come to nothing, and knowledge have no more value, love has no end.

For our knowledge is only in part, and the prophet's word gives only a part of what is true:

Go after love; still desiring to have the things which the Spirit gives, but most of all that you may have the prophet's power.

But the word of the prophet gives men knowledge and comfort and strength.

He who makes use of tongues may do good to himself; but he who gives the prophet's word does good to the church.

Now though it is my desire for you all to have the power of tongues, it would give me more pleasure to be hearing the prophet's word from you; for this is a greater thing than using tongues, if the sense is not given at the same time, for the good of the church.

But, now, my brothers, if I come to you using tongues, what profit will it be to you, if I do not give you a revelation, or knowledge, or the word of the prophet, or teaching?

For your giving of the blessing is certainly well done, but of no profit to the man without knowledge.

But in the church it would be better for me to make use of five words of which the sense was clear, so that others might have profit, than ten thousand words in a strange tongue.

For this reason tongues are for a sign, not to those who have faith, but to those who have not: but the prophet's word is for those who have faith, and not for the rest who have not.

If any man seems to himself to be a prophet or to have the Spirit, let him take note of the things which I am writing to you, as being the word of the Lord.

If, after the way of men, I was fighting with beasts at Ephesus, what profit is it to me? If the dead do not come to life again, let us take our pleasure in feasting, for tomorrow we come to an end.