1Corinthians:14:1-25

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* SEEK love earnestly , be eager for spiritual gifts , but most to prophesy . * For he who speaks with a tongue speaks not to men , but to God . For no one understands , and he speaks mysteries in the Spirit . * But he who prophesies speaks to men what will build up , encourage , and comfort . * He who speaks in a tongue builds himself up , but he who prophesies builds up the church . * I wish you all to speak with tongues , but I wish more to have you prophesy . He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues , unless he interprets so that the church may receive upbuilding . * Now , brethren , if I come to you speaking with tongues , what benefit will I be to you unless I speak to you in a revelation or in knowledge or in prophecy or in teaching . * Inanimate things that give a sound , such as the flute or harp , \'97 unless they give a distinction in the sounds , how will it be known what is being played on flute or harp ? * If the trumpet gives a dubious sound , who will prepare himself for battle ? * And so you , if you do not give by the tongue words easy to understand , how will it be known what is said ? For you will be talking into the air . * There are , it may be , so many kinds of languages in the world , and none without meaning . * If then I do not know the meaning of the language , I shall be a barbarian to him who is speaking , and he will be a barbarian to me . * And so you , since you are eager for spiritual gifts , seek to abound in what will build up the church . * Therefore let him who speaks with a tongue pray to interpret . * For if I pray in a tongue my spirit prays , but my understanding is unfruitful . * What then ? I will pray with the spirit and with the understanding . I will sing with the spirit and with the understanding . * If you thank God with the spirit , how shall he who fills the place of the ordinary man say Amen to your thanksgiving ? For he does not know what you are saying . * You give thanks excellently , but the other is not helped by it . * I thank God that I speak with tongues more than any of you . * But in church I would rather speak five words with my understanding so as to instruct others , than to speak ten thousand words in a tongue . * Brethren , be not children in intelligence , but be babes in wickedness . In intelligence be adults . * In the Law it is written , "By men of strange speech and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people , and not even thus will they listen to me , says the Lord ." * So then tongues are for a sign not to believers , but to unbelievers , and prophecy is not for unbelievers , but for believers . * If therefore the whole church assembles and all speak with tongues and ordinary men or unbelievers come in , will they not say that you are insane ? * But if all prophesy and any unbeliever or ordinary man comes in , he is convinced by all , he is judged by all , * the secrets of his heart become manifest , and so falling on his face he worships God , declaring that God is really among you .

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