Book of Common Prayer

¹³ Therefore let him who speaks in an unknown tongue pray such that he may interpret also. ¹⁴ If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding brings no one fruit. ¹⁵ What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and will pray with the meaning also. I will sing with the spirit, and will sing with the meaning also. ¹⁶ For otherwise, when you bless with the spirit, how can the person who is unlearned say Amen at your giving of thanks, seeing he does not understand what you say? ¹⁷ You give thanks well, but the other is not edified. ¹⁸ I thank my God that I speak with tongues more than you all, ¹⁹ yet in the congregation I would rather speak five words with my meaning for the information of others, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

²⁰ Brethren, do not be children in understanding. As concerning evil, be children, but in understanding be mature. ²¹ In the law it is written: With other tongues and with other lips I will speak to this people, and yet for all that, they will not hear me, says the Lord. ²² Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to those who believe not. On the other hand, prophesying serves not for those who don’t believe, but for those who believe.

²³ If, therefore, when all the congregation has come together and all speak with tongues, there come in people who are unlearned, or those who do not believe, will they not say that you are out of your minds? ²⁴ But if all prophesy and there comes in one who does not believe, or one unlearned, he is convicted by everyone, and is judged by everyone. ²⁵ And in this way the secrets of his heart are opened, and so he falls down on his face and worships God, and says that God is with you indeed.

²⁴ The disciple is not above his teacher, nor yet the servant above his lord. ²⁵ It is enough for the disciple to be as his teacher is, and that the servant be as his lord is. If they have called the Lord of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household so? ²⁶ Fear them not therefore. There is nothing so closed that it will not be opened, and nothing so hid that it will not be known.

²⁷ What I tell you in darkness, that speak in light. And what you hear in the ear, that preach on the house tops. ²⁸ And fear not those who kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body into hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And yet none of them lights on the ground without your Father. ³⁰ And now all the hairs of your heads are numbered. ³¹ Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.

³² Whosoever therefore acknowledges me before men, him will I acknowledge also before my Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whosoever denies me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.