The Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
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| The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians |
| | | XIV |
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| [1] | FOLLOW after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. |
| [2] | For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; 1 but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. |
| [3] | But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and exhortation, 2 and consolation. |
| [4] | He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth 3 himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth 4 the church. |
| [5] | Now I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. |
| [6] | But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? |
| [7] | Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? |
| [8] | For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war? |
| [9] | So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air. |
| [10] | There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no 5 kind is without signification. |
| [11] | If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto 6 me. |
| [12] | So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual 7 gifts, seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church. |
| [13] | Wherefore let him that speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret. |
| [14] | For if I pray in a 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 if thou bless with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the 8 unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest? |
| [17] | For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. 9 |
| [18] | I thank God, I speak with tongues more than you all: |
| [19] | Howbeit in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. |
| [20] | Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men. 10 |
| [21] | In the law it is written, By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak unto this people; and not even thus will they hear me, saith the Lord. |
| [22] | Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to them that believe. |
| [23] | If therefore the whole church be assembled together and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are mad? |
| [24] | But if all prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved 11 by all, he is judged by all; |
| [25] | the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among 12 you indeed. |
| [26] | What is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. |
| [27] | If any man speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and that in turn; 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] | And let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others discern. 13 |
| [30] | But if a revelation be made to another sitting by, let the first keep silence. |
| [31] | For ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted; 14 |
| [32] | and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets; |
| [33] | for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints, |
| [34] | let the women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law. |
| [35] | And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church. |
| [36] | What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone? |
| [37] | If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord. |
| [38] | But 15 if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant. |
| [39] | Wherefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. |
| [40] | But let all things be done decently and in order. |
| | | Note 1. Gr. heareth. [back] |
| Note 2. Or, comfort. [back] |
| Note 3. Gr. buildeth up. [back] |
| Note 4. Gr. buildeth up. [back] |
| Note 5. Or, nothing is without voice. [back] |
| Note 6. Or, in my case. [back] |
| Note 7. Gr. spirits. [back] |
| Note 8. Or, him that is without gifts: and so in ver. 23, 24. [back] |
| Note 9. Gr. builded up. [back] |
| Note 10. Gr. of full age, Comp. ch. 2. 6. [back] |
| Note 11. Or, convicted. [back] |
| Note 12. Or, in. [back] |
| Note 13. Gr. discriminate. [back] |
| Note 14. Or, comforted. [back] |
| Note 15. Many ancient authorities read But if any man knoweth not, he is not known, Comp. ch. 8. 3. [back] |
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