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1 Corinthians
14
:
1
Be eager in your pursuit of this Love, and be earnestly ambitious for spiritual gifts, but let it be chiefly so in order that you may prophesy.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
2
For he who speaks in an unknown tongue is not speaking to men, but to God; for no one understands him. Yet in the Spirit he is speaking secret truths.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
3
But he who prophesies speaks to men words of edification, encouragement and comfort.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
4
He who speaks in an unknown tongue does good to himself, but he who prophesies does good to the Church.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
5
I should be right glad were you all to speak in 'tongues,' but yet more glad were you all to prophesy. And, in fact, the man who prophesies is superior to him who speaks in 'tongues,' except when the latter can interpret in order that the Church may get a blessing.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
6
But, brethren, as things are, if I come to you speaking in 'tongues,' what benefit shall I confer on you, if the utterance is neither in the form of a revelation nor of additional knowledge nor of prophecy nor of teaching?
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1 Corinthians
14
:
7
Even inanimate things--flutes or harps, for instance--when yielding a sound, if they make no distinction in the notes, how shall the tune which is played on the flute or the harp be known?
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1 Corinthians
14
:
8
If the bugle--to take another example--gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?
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1 Corinthians
14
:
9
And so with you; if with the living voice you fail to utter intelligible words, how will people know what you are saying? You will be talking to the winds.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
10
There are, we will suppose, a great number of languages in the world, and no creature is without a language.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
11
If, however, I do not know the meaning of the particular language, I shall seem to the speaker of it, and he to me, to be merely talking some foreign tongue.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
12
Therefore, seeing that you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in them so as to benefit the Church.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
13
Therefore let a man who has the gift of tongues pray for the power of interpreting them.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
14
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is barren.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
15
How then does the matter stand? I will pray in spirit, and I will pray with my understanding also. I will praise God in spirit, and I will praise Him with my understanding also.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
16
Otherwise, if you bless God in spirit only, how shall he who is in the position of an ungifted man say the 'Amen' to your giving of thanks, when he does not know what your words mean?
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1 Corinthians
14
:
17
Rightly enough you are giving thanks, and yet your neighbor is not benefited.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
19
but in the Church I would rather speak five words with my understanding--so as to instruct others also--than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
20
Brethren, do not prove yourselves to be children in your minds. As regards evil, indeed, be utter babes, but as regards your minds prove yourselves to be men of ripe years.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
21
In the Law it stands written, "'By men of unknown tongues and by the lips of an unknown nation will I speak to this People, but even then they will not listen to Me', says the Lord."
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1 Corinthians
14
:
22
This shows that the gift of tongues is intended as a sign not to those who believe but to unbelievers, but prophecy is intended not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
23
Accordingly if the whole Church has assembled and all are speaking in 'tongues,' and there come in ungifted men, or unbelievers, will they not say that you are all mad?
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1 Corinthians
14
:
24
If, on the other hand, every one is prophesying and an unbeliever or an ungifted man comes in, he is convicted by all and closely examined by all,
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1 Corinthians
14
:
25
and the hidden evils of his heart are brought to light. And, as the result, he will fall on his face and worship God, and will report to others that of a truth God is among you.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
26
What then, brethren? Whenever you assemble, there is not one of you who is not ready either with a song of praise, a sermon, a revelation, a 'tongue,' or an interpretation. Let everything be done with a view to the building up of faith and character.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
27
If there is speaking in an unknown tongue, only two or at the most three should speak, and they should do so one at a time, and one should interpret;
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1 Corinthians
14
:
28
or if there is no interpreter, let the man with the gift be silent in the Church, speaking to himself and to God.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
29
But if there are Prophets, let two or three speak and let the rest judge.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
30
And if anything is revealed to some one else who is seated there, let the first be silent.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
31
For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged:
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1 Corinthians
14
:
33
For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace, as He is in all the Churches of His people.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
34
Let married women be silent in the Churches, for they are not permitted to speak. They must be content with a subordinate place, as the Law also says;
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1 Corinthians
14
:
35
and if they wish to ask questions, they should ask their own husbands at home. For it is disgraceful for a married woman to speak at a Church assembly.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
36
Was it from you that God's Message first went forth, or is it to you only that it has come?
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1 Corinthians
14
:
37
If any one deems himself to be a Prophet or a man with spiritual gifts, let him recognize as the Lord's command all that I am now writing to you.
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1 Corinthians
14
:
39
The conclusion, my brethren, is this. Be earnestly ambitious to prophesy, and do not check speaking with tongues;