1 Corinthians 14:13-25
Expanded Bible
13 [L Therefore] The one who has the gift of ·speaking in a different language [or ecstatic utterance; L tongues] should pray for the gift to interpret what is spoken. 14 If I pray ·in a different language [or with ecstatic utterance; L in a tongue], my spirit is praying, but my mind ·does nothing [L is unfruitful]. 15 So what should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will ·sing [sing praises/psalms] with my spirit, but I will also ·sing [sing praises/psalms] with my mind. 16 [L Otherwise] If you ·praise God [or pronounce a blessing] with your spirit, those persons there ·without understanding [or without the gift; or who are inquirers/seekers; vv. 23, 24] cannot say “Amen” [C from a Hebrew term meaning “it is true”; 1 Chr. 16:36] to your prayer of thanks, because they do not know what you are saying. 17 You may be thanking God ·in a good way [well enough], but the other person is not ·helped [edified; built up].
18 I thank God that I speak ·in different kinds of languages [or with ecstatic utterance; L in tongues] more than all of you. 19 But in the church meetings I would rather speak five words ·I understand [L with my mind] in order to teach others than thousands of words ·in a different language [or with ecstatic utterance; L in a tongue].
20 Brothers and sisters, do not think like children. In evil things be like ·babies [infants], but in your thinking you should be ·like adults [mature; grown-up]. 21 It is written in the ·Scriptures [L Law; C referring here to all of Scripture]:
“With people who use ·strange words [L different tongues/languages] and ·foreign languages [L different lips]
I will speak to these people.
But even then they will not ·listen to [or obey] me [Is. 28:11–12; see also Deut. 28:49],”
says the Lord. [C Israel didn’t listen when God used foreign-speaking Assyrians to punish them; similarly people won’t benefit from hearing tongues they don’t understand.]
22 So ·the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages [or ecstatic utterance; L tongues] is a sign for unbelievers, not for believers [C tongues served as a warning of judgment and a call to repentance; see Acts 2:4, 21, 38–40]. And prophecy is for believers, not for unbelievers. 23 Suppose the whole church meets together and everyone speaks in ·different languages [L tongues]. If some people come in who ·do not understand [or are inquirers/seekers; v. 16] or are unbelievers, they will say you are ·crazy [insane; C unintelligible tongues sound like babbling]. 24 But suppose everyone is prophesying and unbelievers or ·those who does not understand [or inquirers/seekers] come in. If everyone is prophesying, ·their sin will be shown to them [L they will be convicted by all], and they will be judged by ·all that they hear [L all]. 25 The secret things in their hearts will be made known. So they will ·bow down [L fall face down] and worship God saying, “Truly, God is ·with you [among you; in your midst].” [C Though prophecy is for believers (v. 22), it also convicts unbelievers better than uninterpreted (and so incoherent) tongues (see vv. 27–28), since it is a coherent message from God.]
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