I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all;

nevertheless, in church I prefer to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

In the Law it is written: “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.

So then, tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe.

Therefore if the whole church gathers together and all the people speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are insane?

What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification.

If anyone speaks in a tongue, it must be by two or at the most three, and each one in turn, and one is to interpret;

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

The Tongue Is a Fire

Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment.

So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!

And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our body’s parts as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

And the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain,