Book of Common Prayer

Paul shows that the gift of prophecy (that is, of interpreting or preaching) excels the gift of languages, and how they both ought to be used.

14 Labour for love, and covet spiritual gifts, and most chiefly to prophesy. ² For he who speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to people, but to God, for no one understands him. However, in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. ³ But he who prophesies speaks to people, for edifying, for exhortation, and for comfort. ⁴ He who speaks in an unknown tongue, profits himself; he who prophesies, edifies the congregation.

⁵ I would that you all spoke with tongues, but rather that you prophesied. For greater is he who prophesies than he who speaks with tongues – unless he expounds it also, so that the congregation may have edifying. ⁶ Now brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, how do I profit you, unless I speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by instruction?

⁷ Moreover, when things without life give sound, whether it be a pipe or a harp, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how can it be known what is piped or harped? ⁸ And also, if the trumpet gives an uncertain call, who will prepare himself to fight? ⁹ So also likewise, when you speak with tongues, unless you speak words that have meaning, how can it be understood what is spoken? For you will be but speaking in the air.

¹⁰ Many kinds of voices are in the world, and none of them are without signification. ¹¹ If I do not know what the voice means, I will be as a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. ¹² So then, since you covet spiritual gifts, seek to have them in plenty for the edifying of the congregation.

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.

³⁰ And they left that place, and took their journey through Galilee. But Jesus did not want anyone to know of it, ³¹ because he was teaching his disciples. And he said to them, The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And after he has been killed, he will arise again on the third day. ³² But they did not comprehend what that saying meant, and were afraid to ask him.

³³ And they came to Capernaum. And once he was indoors, he asked them, What was it that you were disputing between yourselves along the way? ³⁴ And they held their peace, for on the road they had been debating among themselves who should be chief. ³⁵ And he sat down and called the twelve to him and said to them, If any man desires to be first, let him be last of all, and servant to all. ³⁶ And he took a child and set him in the midst of them, and took him in his arms and said to them, ³⁷ Whosoever receives any such a child in my name, receives me. And whosoever receives me, receives not me, but him who sent me.

³⁸ John answered him, saying, Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out devils in your name, and we told him not to because he does not follow us. ³⁹ But Jesus said, Do not forbid him. For no one who does a miracle in my name can lightly speak evil of me. ⁴⁰ Whosoever is not against you, is on your side.

⁴¹ And whosoever gives you a cup of water to drink for my name’s sake, because you belong to Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.