13 Therefore the person who speaks in another language should pray that he can interpret. 14 For if I pray in another language, my spirit(A) prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.(B) 15 What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit,[a] how will the uninformed person[b] say “Amen”(C) at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank(D) God that I speak in other languages more than all of you; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words(E) with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than 10,000 words in another language.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:16 Or praise by the Spirit
  2. 1 Corinthians 14:16 Lit the one filling the place of the uninformed

13 Therefore the one who speaks in a tongue must pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unproductive. 15 Therefore what should I do[a]? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will also sing praise with my mind. 16 For otherwise, if you praise in your spirit, how will the one who fills the place of the outsider say the “amen” at your thanksgiving, because he does not know what you are saying? 17 For indeed you are giving thanks well, but the other person is not edified. 18 I give thanks to God that I speak with tongues more than all of you, 19 but in the church I prefer to speak five words with my mind, in order that I may instruct other people, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:15 Literally “what therefore is it”