Book of Common Prayer

¹³ So then, the person who talks in a tongue of a different language, should ask God to help tell the meaning of the tongue.

¹⁴ If I pray to God in a tongue of a different language, then I am talking with my spirit, but I do not use my mind.

¹⁵ What then shall I do? I will talk to God with my spirit and I will talk to God with my mind. I will sing with my spirit and I will sing with my mind.

¹⁶ If you thank God with your spirit only, an ordinary person cannot say, `Amen, it is so!' He does not know what you say.

¹⁷ The way you thank God is good, but it does not help an ordinary person.

¹⁸ I thank God that I can talk in tongues more than any of you.

¹⁹ But in the church meeting it is better for me to say five words with my mind, so that I will teach other people also. This is better than to say ten thousand words in a tongue of a different language.

²⁰ My brothers, do not be like children in your thinking. When it comes to doing wrong things, be like small babies. But in your thinking be grown up people.

²¹ The holy writings say, `I will talk to these people by strangers and by people who talk in strange tongues. And yet, they will not listen to me.' This is what the Lord says.

²² So then, tongues are a sign to people who do not believe God. They are not a sign to those who believe him. But speaking words from God like a prophet is a sign to those who believe. It is not a sign to those who do not believe.

²³ Sometimes all the people of the church may be gathered together. If everyone talks in tongues, and if some people who do not know or believe come in, they will say that you are crazy.

²⁴ But what happens if everyone speaks words from God? If such people come in, then the words from God will prove to them that they have done wrong. They will all speak to the heart.

²⁵ Such a person sees everything that has been hidden in his heart. Then he will kneel down and worship God. He will say, `It is true. God is here among you.'

²⁴ `The one who learns is not better than his teacher. And the servant is not better than his master.

²⁵ The one who learns should want to be like his teacher. And the servant should want to be like his master. If they say the master belongs to the devil, they will say it all the more about those who work for him.'

²⁶ `So do not be afraid of people. Everything that is hidden will be seen. Everything that is hidden will be known.

²⁷ What I say to you in the dark, tell it in the light. What you hear in secret, shout to others from the tops of the houses.

²⁸ Do not fear people who can kill the body. They cannot kill the spirit. But fear the one who can destroy both spirit and body in hell.

²⁹ Are not two sparrows worth only a small amount of money? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father knowing about it.

³⁰ Even the number of hairs on your head is known.

³¹ So do not fear. You are worth more than many sparrows.'

³² `If anyone tells people that he knows me, I will also tell the Father in heaven that I know him.

³³ But anyone who tells people he does not know me, I will also tell my Father in heaven that I do not know him.'