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20 Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind. 21 It is written in the Scriptures[a]:

“I will speak to my own people
    through strange languages
    and through the lips of foreigners.
But even then, they will not listen to me,”[b]
    says the Lord.

22 So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:21a Greek in the law.
  2. 14:21b Isa 28:11-12.

Instruction for the Church

20 (A)Brothers and sisters, (B)do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil (C)be infants, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In (D)the [a]Law it is written: “(E)By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. 22 So then, tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but (F)prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:21 I.e., Old Testament, Isaiah