1 Corinthians 14 - Good News Translation (GNT)

More about Gifts from the Spirit

14 It is love, then, that you should strive for. Set your hearts on spiritual gifts, especially the gift of proclaiming God's message. 2 Those who speak in strange tongues do not speak to others but to God, because no one understands them. They are speaking secret truths by the power of the Spirit. 3 But those who proclaim God's message speak to people and give them help, encouragement, and comfort. 4 Those who speak in strange tongues help only themselves, but those who proclaim God's message help the whole church.

5 I would like for all of you to speak in strange tongues; but I would rather that you had the gift of proclaiming God's message. For the person who proclaims God's message is of greater value than the one who speaks in strange tongues—unless there is someone present who can explain what is said, so that the whole church may be helped. 6 So when I come to you, my friends, what use will I be to you if I speak in strange tongues? Not a bit, unless I bring you some revelation from God or some knowledge or some inspired message or some teaching.

7 Take such lifeless musical instruments as the flute or the harp—how will anyone know the tune that is being played unless the notes are sounded distinctly? 8 And if the one who plays the bugle does not sound a clear call, who will prepare for battle? 9 In the same way, how will anyone understand what you are talking about if your message given in strange tongues is not clear? Your words will vanish in the air! 10 There are many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 But if I do not know the language being spoken, those who use it will be foreigners to me and I will be a foreigner to them. 12 Since you are eager to have the gifts of the Spirit, you must try above everything else to make greater use of those which help to build up the church.

13 The person who speaks in strange tongues, then, must pray for the gift to explain what is said. 14 For if I pray in this way, my spirit prays indeed, but my mind has no part in it. 15 What should I do, then? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray also with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will sing also with my mind. 16 When you give thanks to God in spirit only, how can ordinary people taking part in the meeting say “Amen” to your prayer of thanksgiving? They have no way of knowing what you are saying. 17 Even if your prayer of thanks to God is quite good, other people are not helped at all.

18 I thank God that I speak in strange tongues much more than any of you. 19 But in church worship I would rather speak five words that can be understood, in order to teach others, than speak thousands of words in strange tongues.

20 Do not be like children in your thinking, my friends; be children so far as evil is concerned, but be grown up in your thinking. 21 (A)In the Scriptures it is written,

“By means of people speaking strange languages
I will speak to my people, says the Lord.
I will speak through lips of foreigners,
but even then my people will not listen to me.”

22 So then, the gift of speaking in strange tongues is proof for unbelievers, not for believers, while the gift of proclaiming God's message is proof for believers, not for unbelievers.

23 If, then, the whole church meets together and everyone starts speaking in strange tongues—and if some ordinary people or unbelievers come in, won't they say that you are all crazy? 24 But if everyone is proclaiming God's message when some unbelievers or ordinary people come in, they will be convinced of their sin by what they hear. They will be judged by all they hear, 25 their secret thoughts will be brought into the open, and they will bow down and worship God, confessing, “Truly God is here among you!”

Order in the Church

26 This is what I mean, my friends. When you meet for worship, one person has a hymn, another a teaching, another a revelation from God, another a message in strange tongues, and still another the explanation of what is said. Everything must be of help to the church. 27 If someone is going to speak in strange tongues, two or three at the most should speak, one after the other, and someone else must explain what is being said. 28 But if no one is there who can explain, then the one who speaks in strange tongues must be quiet and speak only to himself and to God. 29 Two or three who are given God's message should speak, while the others are to judge what they say. 30 But if someone sitting in the meeting receives a message from God, the one who is speaking should stop. 31 All of you may proclaim God's message, one by one, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 The gift of proclaiming God's message should be under the speaker's control, 33 because God does not want us to be in disorder but in harmony and peace.

As in all the churches of God's people, 34 the women should keep quiet in the meetings. They are not allowed to speak; as the Jewish Law says, they must not be in charge. 35 If they want to find out about something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is a disgraceful thing for a woman to speak in a church meeting.

36 Or could it be that the word of God came from you? Or are you the only ones to whom it came? 37 If anyone supposes he is God's messenger or has a spiritual gift, he must realize that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38 But if he does not pay attention to this, pay no attention to him.

39 So then, my friends, set your heart on proclaiming God's message, but do not forbid the speaking in strange tongues. 40 Everything must be done in a proper and orderly way.

Cross references

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:21 : Isa 28:11; Isa 28:12

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1 Corinthians 14 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

14 Pursue the love, and seek earnestly the spiritual things, and rather that ye may prophecy, 2 for he who is speaking in an [unknown] tongue -- to men he doth not speak, but to God, for no one doth hearken, and in spirit he doth speak secrets; 3 and he who is prophesying to men doth speak edificati...
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1 Corinthians 14 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

14 Follow ye charity, love ye spiritual things, but more that ye prophesy. 2 And he that speaketh in tongue, speaketh not to men, but to God; for no man heareth. But the Spirit speaketh mysteries. 3 For he that prophesieth, speaketh to men to edification, and admonishing, and comforting. 4 He tha...
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1 Corinthians 14 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

14 Love is the thing you should want more than anything else. But you should also want other things the Spirit gives. You should want very much to be able to speak words from God. 2 The person who talks in tongues of a different language does not talk to people, but to God. People do not understand ...
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1 Corinthians 14 - World English Bible (WEB)

14 Follow after love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhort...
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1 Corinthians 14 - The Voice (VOICE)

14 So in everything strive to love. Passionately seek the gifts of the Spirit, especially the gift of prophecy. 2 You see, a person speaking in an unknown language is not addressing the church because he is really addressing God—those who overhear don’t understand because he is speaking in the Spir...
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1 Corinthians 14 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Orderly Governing of the Gifts14 Pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to people but to God—for no one understands, but in the Ruach he speaks mysteries. 3 But one who prophesies speaks to people for buildi...
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1 Corinthians 14 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Gifts of Prophecy and Tongues14 Make love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, he who prophesies s...
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1 Corinthians 14 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

14 Pursue love, and desire spiritual things, more so that you may prophesy. 2 For the one who speaks in a tongue, speaks not to man, but to God. For no one hears. But in the spirit he speaks secret things. 3 But the one who prophesies, speaks to man for edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4 T...
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1 Corinthians 14 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Priorities in Worship14 Pursue love; and long for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 Someone who speaks in a tongue, you see, isn’t speaking to human beings but to God. Nobody can understand such speakers, because they speak mysteries in the spirit. 3 But the one who prophesi...
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1 Corinthians 14 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Gifts of Prophecy and Tongues14 Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts and especially that you may prophesy.(A)2 For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to other people but to God, for no one understands them, since they are speaking mysteries in the Spirit.(B)3 But those who prophesy s...
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1 Corinthians 14 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

Paul shows that the gift of prophecy (that is, of interpreting or preaching) excels the gift of languages, and how they both ought to be used. 14 Labour for love, and covet spiritual gifts, and most chiefly to prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to people, but to God, for ...
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1 Corinthians 14 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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1 Corinthians 14 - New Life Version (NLV)

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