Book of Common Prayer

14 ¹ Be pursuing^[a] love.

Be Zealous For Spiritual Gifts, But Especially To Prophesy And Edify The Church

Now be zealous-for the spiritual gifts, but even-more^[b] that you might be prophesying. ² For the one speaking in a tongue is not speaking^[c] to people, but to God— for no one hears^[d], but he speaks mysteries^[e] with his spirit^[f]. ³ But the one prophesying is speaking edification and exhortation and consolation^[g] to people. ⁴ The one speaking in a tongue is edifying himself ^[h], but the one prophesying is edifying the church. ⁵ And I wish^[i] that you all were speaking in tongues, but even-more^[j] that you might be prophesying. But^[k] the one prophesying is greater^[l] than one speaking in tongues— unless^[m] he interprets in order that the church may receive edification.

Speaking In Tongues Is Just Speaking Into The Air Unless It Is Understood

⁶ But now^[n], brothers, if I come to you speaking^[o] in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either^[p] by^[q] a revelation or by knowledge or by a prophecy or by a teaching? ⁷ Likewise the lifeless things giving a sound— whether a flute or harp— if it does not give a distinction in the tones, how will the thing being fluted or the thing being harped be known? ⁸ For indeed, if a trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle? ⁹ So also you with the tongue— if you do not give a clear word, how will the thing being spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air! ¹⁰ There are perhaps so-many kinds of spoken sounds^[r] in the world, and none is meaningless. ¹¹ If then I do not know the force of the spoken sound, I will be a barbarian to the one speaking, and the one speaking a barbarian with me. ¹² So also^[s] you— since you are zealots^[t] for spiritual gifts, be seeking that you may abound for the edification of the church.

20 ¹ For the kingdom of the heavens is like a man who is a house-master, who went out together-with early-morning to hire workers into his vineyard. ² And having made-an-agreement with the workers for a denarius^[a] for the day, he sent them out into his vineyard. ³ And having gone out around the third^[b] hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace. ⁴ And to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will give you whatever may be right’. ⁵ And the ones went. And again having gone out around the sixth and the ninth hour, he did similarly. ⁶ And having gone out around the eleventh^[c] hour, he found others standing there. And he says to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle the whole day? ⁷ They say to him, ‘Because no one hired us’. He says to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard’. ⁸ And having become evening, the master of the vineyard says to his manager^[d], ‘Call the workers, and pay them the wages— beginning from the last ones, up to the first ones’. ⁹ And having come, the ones hired around the eleventh hour received a denarius apiece. ¹⁰ And having come, the first ones thought that they would receive more. And they also themselves received the denarius apiece. ¹¹ And having received it, they were grumbling against the house-master, ¹² saying, ‘These last ones did one hour, and you made them equal to us— the ones having borne the burden of the day and the burning-heat’. ¹³ But the one, having responded, said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am not wronging you. Did you not make-an-agreement with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take what is yours and go. But I want to give to this last one as I also gave to you. ¹⁵ Or is it not lawful for me to do what I want with my things? Or is your eye^[e] evil because I am good?’ ¹⁶ Thus the last ones will be first, and the first ones, last”.