|
Chapter 14 |
| 1 | Follow after
charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
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| 2 | For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but
unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh
mysteries. |
| 3
| But he that prophesieth speaketh unto 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 greater
is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret,
that the church may receive edifying. |
| 6 | Now, brethren, if I come unto
you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you
either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
|
| 7 | And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except
they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or
harped? |
| 8 |
For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare
himself to the battle? |
| 9 | So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue
words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall
speak into the air. |
| 10 | There are, it may be, so many kinds of
voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. |
| 11 |
Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that
speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
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| 12 | Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye
may excel to the edifying of the church. |
|
13 | Wherefore 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 is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I
will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will
sing with the understanding also. |
| 16 | Else when thou shalt bless
with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen
at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
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| 17 | For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
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| 18 | I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: |
| 19 | Yet
in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my
voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown
tongue. |
| 20
| Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in
malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. |
| 21 | In the law
it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this
people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. |
| 22 |
Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that
believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for
them which believe. |
| 23 | If therefore the whole church be come
together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those
that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
|
| 24 | But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one
unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: |
| 25 | And thus are
the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will
worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. |
| 26 | How is it
then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a
doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all
things be done unto edifying. |
|
27 | If any man speak in an unknown tongue,
let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one
interpret. |
| 28
| But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in
the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. |
| 29 | Let the
prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. |
| 30 | If any thing
be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
|
| 31 | For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be
comforted. |
| 32
| And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the
prophets. |
| 33
| For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as
in all churches of the saints. |
| 34 | Let your women keep silence
in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are
commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law. |
| 35 | And if they
will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame
for women to speak in the church. |
| 36 | What? came the word of God
out from you? or came it unto you only? |
|
37 | If any man think himself
to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write
unto you are the commandments of the Lord. |
|
38 | But if any man be
ignorant, let him be ignorant. |
| 39 | Wherefore, brethren, covet to
prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. |
| 40 | Let all
things be done decently and in order. |
