1 Corinthians 14:20-28

New International Version

²⁰ Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.^(A) In regard to evil be infants,^(B) but in your thinking be adults. ²¹ In the Law^(C) it is written:

²² Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy,^(E) however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. ²³ So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?^{(F) 24} But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, ²⁵ as the secrets^(G) of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”^(H)

Good Order in Worship

²⁶ What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?^(I) When you come together, each of you^(J) has a hymn,^(K) or a word of instruction,^(L) a revelation, a tongue^(M) or an interpretation.^(N) Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.^{(O) 27} If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. ²⁸ If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.