¹Pursue love, and be zealous for the spiritual gifts – preferably that you may prophesy. ²For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. For no-one understands him; rather, he speaks mysteries by the spirit. ³But he who prophesies speaks edification and encouragement and consolation to men. ⁴He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. ⁵I would like you all to speak in tongues, but more so that you should prophesy. For he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church receives edification. ⁶And now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you, unless I speak to you either in the form of revelation or in knowledge, or in prophecy or in teaching? ⁷Likewise, when inanimate objects give sound, whether the flute or the harp, if they do not show a distinction in the tones, how will the flute-playing or harp-playing tune be identified? ⁸For indeed, if a trumpet gives an unclear sound, who will prepare himself for war? ⁹So you too, if you do not give clear speech through the tongue, how will that which is spoken be understood? For you will just be speaking into the air. ¹⁰Now for all the kinds of languages which there might be in the world, not one of them is meaningless. ¹¹So if I do not know the force of the sound, I will be to him who is speaking a barbarian, and he who is speaking will be a barbarian to me. ¹²So you too, since you are zealots for spiritual gifts, seek them so that you may excel in the edification of the church. ¹³So let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is without fruit. ¹⁵What is the issue then? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in my mind. I will sing psalms in the spirit, and I will also sing psalms in my mind. ¹⁶Otherwise, if you bless in the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the layman say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷For you give thanks well, but the other person is not edified. ¹⁸I give thanks to my God that I speak in tongues more than all of you, ¹⁹but in the church I would rather speak five words mindfully, so that I might instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. ²⁰Brothers, do not be children in mentality. However, act like an infant with regard to evil, but become fully mature in mentality. ²¹In the law it stands written: ²²So tongues are a sign not to those who believe, but to unbelievers. But prophecy is not for unbelievers, but for believers. ²³So if the whole church meets together and all speak in tongues, and laymen or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are mad? ²⁴But if all prophesy, and some unbeliever or layman comes in, he is confronted by all – he is challenged by all. ²⁵And in this way the secret things of his heart become manifest, and so he will fall face down and worship God, declaring that God really is among you. ²⁶What is the issue then, brothers? Whenever you meet, each of you has a psalm – has teaching, has a tongue, has revelation, has interpretation. Let everything be for edification. ²⁷And if anyone speaks in a tongue, let it be two on an occasion or at most three, and in turn, and let one interpret, ²⁸but if there is no interpreter, let him be silent in the church, and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹However, let two or three prophets speak, and let the others use their discernment. ³⁰And if anything is revealed to anyone else sitting there, let the first one be silent. ³¹For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all learn and all are encouraged. ³²And the spiritual gifts of the prophets are under control of the prophets. ³³For God is not characterized by disorder, but peace, as in all the churches of the saints. ³⁴Let your women in the churches be silent. For it is not permitted for them to speak, but to be in subjection, as the law also says. ³⁵But if they wish to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for women to speak in church. ³⁶Now was it from you that the word of God went out? Or was it to you alone that it came? ³⁷If anyone considers himself to be a prophet or spiritual person, let him acknowledge that what I write to you is the Lord's commandments. ³⁸But if anyone is ignorant of them, let him be ignorant. ³⁹So, brothers, be zealous about prophesying, and do not prevent speaking in tongues. ⁴⁰Let everything take place decently and in an orderly way.

Reference(s) in Chapter 14: v.21 ↔ Isaiah 28:11, Isaiah 28:12 ● v.34 ↔ Genesis 3:16.