1 Corinthians 14:13-19

New International Version

¹³For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.^(A) ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,^(B) but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit,^(C) but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing^(D) with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. ¹⁶Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,^[a] say “Amen”^(E) to your thanksgiving,^(F) since they do not know what you are saying? ¹⁷You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.^(G)

¹⁸I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. ¹⁹But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.^(H)

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Footnotes

1 Corinthians 14:16 The Greek word for inquirer is a technical term for someone not fully initiated into a religion; also in verses 23 and 24.

1 Corinthians 14:13-19

International Standard Version

¹³Therefore, the person who speaks in a foreign language should pray for the ability to interpret it. ¹⁴For if I pray in a foreign language, my spirit prays but my mind is not productive. ¹⁵What 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. ¹⁶Otherwise, 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? ¹⁷It’s good for you to give thanks, but it does not build up the other person. ¹⁸I thank God that I speak in foreign languages more than all of you. ¹⁹But in church I would rather speak five words with my mind to instruct others than 10,000 words in a foreign language.