1 Continually pursue love, and eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit, especially the gift of prophecy. 2 If someone is speaking in a tongue,+ you see, it is not people to whom he is speaking, but God, since no one can understand him; it is mysteries, by the power of the Spirit,+ that he is speaking. 3 If someone prophesies, however, it is to people that he is speaking, words that build them up and exhort them and give them encouragement. 4 If a person speaks in a tongue, it is himself whom he is building up; if a person prophesies, however, it is the assembly that he is building up. 5 Although I desire all of you to speak in tongues, I would especially like you to prophesy. Someone who prophesies is of indeed greater usefulness than the person who speaks in tongues, unless the latter interprets, so that the whole assembly may be built up.

6 As it is, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I be to you of any help at all, unless, to you, I speak in the form of a revelation, or of knowledge, or of a prophecy, or of teaching? 7 Even in the case of lifeless instruments making sounds, like the flute or the harp—if there is in their tones no clear distinction, how will anyone know what tune is being played on the flute or the harp? 8 Indeed, if a trumpet blasts forth a signal that is unrecognizable, who is going to get ready for battle? 9 In the same way, you, too, with the tongue—if it isn’t an intelligible message that you are speaking, how will anyone understand what is being spoken? You might as well be talking into the air! 10 There are in the world I don’t know how many different kinds of languages, and all of them have sounds. 11 If I don’t understand a person’s language, therefore, I will be to the person speaking a foreigner, and the person speaking will himself be a foreigner in my own eyes. 12 In the same way, you, too, since you are so eager for the gifts of the Spirit, be eager to excel in this: Building up the assembly. 13 That is why someone who is speaking in a tongue is to pray for the ability to interpret. 14 If I am praying in a tongue, it is my spirit that is praying; my mind, however, is unfruitful. 15 What should I do, then? I will pray with my spirit, and I will pray with my mind, too. I will sing praises with my spirit, and I will sing praises with my mind, too. 16 Otherwise, if ˢyou are giving praise and thanks to God with your spirit, how can someone who is present and showing interest in the faith say “Amen” to your prayer of thanksgiving, since he has no idea at all what ˢyou’re saying? 17 Indeed, although ˢyou, for your part, are giving thanks in a good way, the other person isn’t being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in the assembly I would rather speak a mere five words with my mind, so that I can provide instruction, too, for others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Don’t be like children, brothers and sisters, in your way of thinking. No, it is in regard to wickedness that you are to be like children. In your way of thinking, however, become mature. 21 In the Scriptures it is written:

22 So then, tongues are a sign of warning, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers, but for believers. 23 If the entire assembly gathers together, therefore, and everyone is speaking in tongues, and people interested in the faith or unbelievers come in, they will say that you’ve lost your minds, won’t they? 24 If all are prophesying, though, and an unbeliever or a person interested in the faith comes in, he will be convicted of his sin by what he hears everyone saying and will be called to account by all. 25 The secrets of his heart will come out into the open, and as a result, throwing himself facedown to the ground, he will worship God, exclaiming, “ Truly God is among you!”

26 In light of these things, brothers and sisters, what should you do? Whenever you gather, one person has a psalm, another has a teaching, another has a revelation, another has a message through a tongue, another has an interpretation. All things are to be done with this end in view: Building up. 27 If it is a tongue in which someone desires to speak, two, or at the most three, should do so, one at a time, and somebody must interpret. 28 If there is no one present who can interpret, however, the person is to remain quiet in the assembly. It is to himself and to God that he is to speak. 29 As for prophets, only two or three are to speak, and the others are to carefully evaluate what is being said. 30 If something is revealed to another, however, who is sitting there, the first speaker should stop. 31 You can all prophesy, you see, one by one, so that everyone can learn, and everyone be exhorted; 32 people with the gift of prophecy over their wills still have control. 33 God is a God not of disorder, you see, but of peace.

As in all the assemblies of the Lord’s holy people,+34 women+ must in the assemblies remain quiet. They are not permitted to speak, but must submit themselves, just as Torah, too, itself says. 35 Now if there is something about which they have questions, their own husbands are the ones they should ask, at home. It is shameful, you see, for a woman+ to speak in an assembly. 36 Or was it with you that the word of God originated? Or are you the only ones to whom it has come? 37 If someone considers himself to be a prophet, or a person governed by the Spirit, he must acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command, from the Lord himself. 38 If someone disregards this, however, he will be disregarded.

39 So then, brothers and sisters, eagerly desire the gift of prophecy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40 All things must be done, however, in a proper and orderly way.