1Cor 14 | NASB2020 | STEP | Pursue love , yet earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy .

1 Corinthians 14

Prophecy a Superior Gift

1 ^aPursue love, yet earnestly ^bdesire ^cspiritual gifts, but especially that you may ^dprophesy. 2 For the one who ^espeaks in a tongue does not speak to people, but to God; for no one ^{▼▼Lit hears}understands, but ^{▼▼Or by the Spirit}in his spirit he speaks ^hmysteries. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for ⁱedification, ^{▼▼Or encouragement
,} ^kexhortation, and consolation. 4 The one who ^lspeaks in a tongue ^medifies himself; but the one who ⁿprophesies ^oedifies the church. 5 Now I wish that you all ^pspoke in tongues, but ^qrather that you would prophesy; and greater is the one who prophesies than the one who ^rspeaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive ^sedification.

6 But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either by way of ^trevelation, or of ^uknowledge, or of ^vprophecy, or of ^wteaching? 7 Yet even lifeless instruments, whether flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? 8 For if ^xthe trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? 9 So you too, unless you produce intelligible speech by the tongue, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will just be ^ytalking to the air. 10 There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of ^{▼▼Lit voices}languages in the world, and none is incapable of meaning. 11 So if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be ^aaunintelligible to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks will be unintelligible ^{▼▼Or in my estimation}to me. 12 So you too, since you are eager to possess ^{▼▼Lit spirits}spiritual gifts, strive to excel for the ^adedification of the church.

13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue is to pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. 15 ^aeWhat is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will ^afsing with the spirit, but I will sing with the mind also. 16 For otherwise, if you bless God ^{▼▼Or with the}in the spirit only, how will the one who occupies the place of the ^{▼▼Lit private person}outsider know to say ^aithe “Amen” at your ^ajgiving of thanks, since he does not understand what you are saying? 17 For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not ^akedified. 18 I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; 19 nevertheless, in church I prefer to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Instruction for the Church

20 ^alBrothers and sisters, ^amdo not be children in your thinking; yet in evil ^anbe infants, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In ^aothe ^{▼▼I.e., Old Testament, Isaiah}Law it is written: “ ^aqBy men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. 22 So then, tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but ^arprophecy is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church gathers together and all the people speak in tongues, and ^{▼▼See note 2 v 16}outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that ^atyou are insane? 24 But if all ^auprophesy, and an unbeliever or an ^{▼▼See note 2 v 16}outsider enters, he is ^awconvicted by all, he is called to account by all; 25 ^axthe secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will ^ayfall on his face and worship God, ^azdeclaring that God is certainly among you.

26 ^baWhat is the outcome then, ^bbbrothers and sisters? When you assemble, ^bceach one has a ^bdpsalm, has a ^beteaching, has a ^bfrevelation, has a ^bgtongue, has an ^bhinterpretation. ^biAll things are to be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a ^bjtongue, it must be by two or at the most three, and each one in turn, and one is to ^bkinterpret; 28 but if there is no interpreter, he is to keep silent in church; and have him speak to himself and to God. 29 Have two or three ^blprophets speak, and have the others ^bmpass judgment. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, then the first one is to keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be ^{▼▼Or encouraged}exhorted; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33 for God is not a God of ^boconfusion, but of peace.

As in ^bpall the churches of the ^{▼▼I.e., God’s people
,} ^brsaints, 34 the women are to ^bskeep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but ^btare to subject themselves, just as ^buthe Law also says. 35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is ^{▼▼Or disgraceful}improper for a woman to speak in church. 36 Or was it from you that the word of God first went out? Or has it come to you only?

37 ^bwIf anyone thinks that he is a prophet or ^bxspiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you ^byare the Lord’s commandment. 38 But if anyone does not recognize this, ^{▼▼Two early mss let him continue not to recognize it}he is not recognized.

39 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, ^caearnestly desire to ^cbprophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But ^ccall things must be done properly and in an orderly way.