13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; (A)I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will (B)sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider[a] say (C)“Amen” to (D)your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:16 Or of him that is without gifts

13 Therefore, the person who speaks in a foreign language should pray for the ability to interpret it. 14 For if I pray in a foreign language, my spirit prays but my mind is not productive. 15 What does this mean? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing psalms with my spirit, but I will also sing psalms with my mind. 16 Otherwise, if you say a blessing with your spirit, how can an otherwise uneducated person[a] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you’re saying? 17 It’s good for you to give thanks, but it does not build up the other person. 18 I thank God that I speak in foreign languages more than all of you. 19 But in church I would rather speak five words with my mind to instruct others than 10,000 words in a foreign language.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:16 Lit. the person who occupies the place of the uneducated