1 Corinthians 14:26-33
Expanded Bible
Meetings Should Help the Church
26 So, brothers and sisters, what should you do? When you meet together, one person has a ·song [psalm; hymn], and another has a teaching. Another has a ·new truth from God [L revelation]. Another speaks ·in a different language [or with ecstatic utterance; L tongue], and another person ·interprets that language [L an interpretation]. The purpose of all these things should be ·to help the church grow strong [L for edification/building up]. 27 When you meet together, if anyone speaks ·in a different language [or with ecstatic utterance; L in a tongue], it should be only two, or not more than three, who speak. They should speak one after the other, and someone should interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, then they should ·be quiet [remain silent] in the church meeting. They should speak only to themselves and to God.
29 Only two or three prophets should speak, and the others should ·judge [evaluate; consider; weigh] what they say. 30 If a ·message from God [L revelation] comes to another person who is sitting, the first speaker should stop. 31 [L For] You can all prophesy one after the other. In this way all the people can be taught and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are ·under the control of [subject to] the prophets themselves [C unlike in pagan religions, where a spirit would seize control of a speaker, causing frenzy, mania or ecstasy]. 33 [L For] God is not a God of ·confusion [disorder] but a God of peace.
As is true in all the ·churches [assemblies] of ·God’s people [T the saints; C some commentators take this clause as part of the previous sentence],
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