Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

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Tongues Must Be Interpreted

But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by (A)revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without [a]significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a [b]foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:10 meaning
  2. 1 Corinthians 14:11 Lit. barbarian

Now, brothers,[a] if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some (A)revelation or knowledge or prophecy or (B)teaching? If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? And (C)if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be (D)speaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be (E)a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:6 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 20, 26, 39

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 (A)revelation, or of (B)knowledge, or of (C)prophecy, or of (D)teaching? 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? For if (E)the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? So you too, unless you produce intelligible speech by the tongue, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will just be (F)talking to the air. 10 There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of [a]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 (G)unintelligible to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks will be unintelligible [b]to me.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:10 Lit voices
  2. 1 Corinthians 14:11 Or in my estimation