1 Corinthians 14:20-25

New King James Version

Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers

²⁰Brethren, ^(A)do not be children in understanding; however, in malice ^(B)be babes, but in understanding be mature.

²¹^(C)In the law it is written:

^(D)“With men of other tongues and other lips
I will speak to this people;
And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,”

says the Lord.

²²Therefore tongues are for a ^(E)sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. ²³Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, ^(F)will they not say that you are ^[a]out of your mind? ²⁴But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. ²⁵^[b]And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report ^(G)that God is truly among you.

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Footnotes

1 Corinthians 14:23 insane
1 Corinthians 14:25 NU omits And thus

1 Corinthians 14:20-25

New International Version

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

“With other tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me,^(D)
says the Lord.”^[a]

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