New Testament in a Year

Prophecy and Tongues

14 ^(A)Pursue love, yet ^(B)earnestly desire ^(C)spiritual gifts, but especially that you may ^(D)prophesy. ² For one who ^(E)speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one ^[a]understands, but ^[b]in his spirit he speaks ^(F)mysteries. ³ But one who prophesies speaks to men for ^(G)edification and ^(H)exhortation and encouragement. ⁴ One who ^(I)speaks in a tongue ^(J)edifies himself; but one who ^(K)prophesies ^(L)edifies the church. ⁵ But I wish that you all ^(M)spoke in tongues, but ^(N)even more that you would prophesy. And greater is one who prophesies than one who ^(O)speaks in tongues, unless he ^[c]translates, so that the church may receive ^(P)edification.

⁶ But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of ^(Q)revelation or of ^(R)knowledge or of ^(S)prophecy or of ^(T)teaching? ⁷ Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? ⁸ For if ^(U)the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? ⁹ So also you, unless you utter by the tongue a word that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be ^(V)speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of sounds in the world, and none is without meaning. ¹¹ If then I do not know the meaning of the sound, I will be to the one who speaks a ^[d](W)barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a ^[e]barbarian ^[f]to me. ¹² So also you, since you are zealous for ^[g]spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the ^(X)edification of the church.

¹³ Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may ^[h]translate. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ^15 (Y)What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will ^(Z)sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. ¹⁶ Otherwise if you bless ^[i]in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ^[j]uninformed say ^(AA)the “Amen” at your ^(AB)giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not ^(AC)edified. ¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all; ¹⁹ however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

^20 (AD)Brothers, ^(AE)do not be children in your thinking; rather in evil ^(AF)be infants, but in your thinking be mature.