1 Corinthians 14 - J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)

Tongues are not the greatest gift

14 1a Follow, then, the way of love, while you set your heart on the gifts of the Spirit.

1b-4 The highest gift you can wish for is to be able to speak the messages of God. The man who speaks in a “tongue” addresses not men (for no one understands a word he says) but God: and only in his spirit is he speaking spiritual secrets. But he who preaches the word of God is using his speech for the building up of the faith of one man, the encouragement of another or the consolation of another. The speaker in a “tongue” builds up his own soul, but the preacher builds up the Church of God.

5 I should indeed like you all to speak with “tongues”, but I would much rather that you all preached the word of God. For the preacher of the word does a greater work than the speaker with “tongues”, unless of course the latter interprets his word for the benefit of the Church.

Unless “tongues” are interpreted do they help the Church?

6 For suppose I came to you, my brothers, speaking with “tongues!”, what good could I do unless I could give you some revelation of truth, some knowledge in spiritual things, some message from God, or some teaching about the Christian life?

7-9 Even in the case of inanimate objects which are capable of making sound, such as a flute or harp, if their notes all sound alike, who can tell what tune is being played? Unless the bugle-note is clear who will be called to arms? So, in your case, unless you make intelligible sounds with your “tongue” how can anyone know what you are talking about? You might just as well be addressing an empty room!

10-11 There are in the world a great variety of spoken sounds and each has a distinct meaning. But if the sounds of the speaker’s voice mean nothing to me I am a foreigner to him, and he is a foreigner to me.

12-13 So, with yourselves, since you are so eager to possess spiritual gifts, concentrate your ambition upon receiving those which make for the real growth of your church. And that means if one of your number speaks with a “tongue”, he should pray that he may be able to interpret what he says.

14-19 If I pray in a “tongue” my spirit is praying but my mind is inactive. I am therefore determined to pray with my spirit and my mind, and if I sing I will sing with both spirit and mind. Otherwise, if you are blessing God with your spirit, how can those who are ungifted say amen to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are talking about? You may be thanking God splendidly, but it doesn’t help the other man at all. I thank God that I have a greater gift of “tongues” than any of you, yet when I am in Church I would rather speak five words with my mind (which might teach something to other people) than ten thousand words in a “tongue” which nobody understands.

You must use your minds in this matter of tongues

20-21 My brothers, don’t be like excitable children but use your intelligence! By all means be innocent as babes as far as evil is concerned, but where your minds are concerned be full-grown men! In the Law it is written: ‘With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; and yet, for all that, they will not hear me’.

22-25 That means that tongues are a sign of God’s power, not for those who are unbelievers, but to those who already believe. Preaching the word of God, on the other hand, is a sign of God’s power to those who do not believe rather than to believers. So that, if at a full church meeting you are all speaking with tongues and men come in who are both uninstructed and without faith, will they not say that you are insane? But if you are preaching God’s word and such a man should come in to your meeting, he is convicted and challenged by your united speaking of the truth. His secrets are exposed and he will fall on his knees acknowledging God and saying that God is truly among you!

Some practical regulations for the exercise of spiritual gifts

26 Well then, my brothers, whenever you meet let everyone be ready to contribute a psalm, a piece of teaching, a spiritual truth, or a “tongue” with an interpreter. Everything should be done to make your church strong in the faith.

27-28 If the question of speaking with a “tongue” arises, confine the speaking to two or three at the most and have someone to interpret what is said. If you have no interpreter then let the speaker with a “tongue” keep silent in the church and speak only to himself and God.

29-33 Don’t have more than two or three preachers either, while the others think over what has been said. But should a message of truth come to one who is seated, then the original speaker should stop talking. For in this way you can all have opportunity to give a message, one after the other, and everyone will learn something and everyone will have his faith stimulated. The spirit of a true preacher is under that preacher’s control, for God is not a God of disorder but of harmony, as is plain in all the churches.

The speaking of women in church is forbidden

34-35 Let women be silent in church; they are not to be allowed to speak. They must submit to this regulation, as the Law itself instructs. If they have questions to ask they must ask their husbands at home, for there is something indecorous about a woman’s speaking in church.

You must accept the rules I have given by authority

36-38 Do I see you questioning my instructions? Are you beginning to imagine that the Word of God originated in your church, or that you have a monopoly of God’s truth? If any of your number thinks himself a true preacher and a spiritually-minded man, let him recognise that what I have written is by divine command! As for those who don’t know it, well, we may just leave them in ignorance.

39-40 In conclusion then, my brothers, set your heart on preaching the word of God, while not forbidding the use of “tongues”. Let everything be done decently and in order.

You Might Also Like:

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

1 Corinthians 14 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Tongues and Prophecy14 Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. 2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues,[a] you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be...
Read More

1 Corinthians 14 - New Life Version (NLV)

Speaking in Special Sounds Is Not the Greatest Gift14 You should want to have this love. You should want the gifts of the Holy Spirit and most of all to be able to speak God’s Word. 2 The man who speaks in special sounds speaks to God. He is not speaking to men. No one understands. He is speaking s...
Read More

1 Corinthians 14 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Prophecy and Tongues14 Pursue love, and (A)desire spiritual gifts, (B)but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who (C)speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks (D)edification and...
Read More