Prophecy and Tongues 1 UDB Strive for how to love others and for gifts that strengthen your fellow believers. Especially strive to be able to proclaim his messages that he gives you to say. BSB BSB: Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
2 UDB When a person speaks in a language given by the Spirit, he is not speaking to people, because no one can understand him, but he is speaking to God. He is saying things to him as the Spirit leads him. BSB BSB: For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
3 UDB On the other hand, the prophet who proclaims the messages from God speaks directly to people. He does this in order to help them by making them stronger, to help them be unshakable, and to give them comfort so they can be happy even in hardship. BSB BSB: But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.
4 UDB A person who speaks in a language given by the Spirit builds himself up and gives himself help, but a person who proclaims the messages of God builds everyone up and helps everyone in the church to be stronger in their faith. BSB BSB: The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
5 UDB Now I wish that all of you spoke in such languages, but it would be far better for the entire church if more and more of you had the gift of speaking God's messages. Anyone who speaks messages from God is helping to strengthen his fellow believers. For this reason, what he is doing is more important than the work of those who proclaim messages in various other languages—unless someone is able to interpret those messages. BSB BSB: I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified.
6 UDB If I come to you and am only speaking in languages given by the Spirit, how can that help you? That cannot help you unless I speak to you and help you know matters that were hidden from you, or unless I help you understand facts you did not know, or unless I proclaim to you some message you did not hear before, or unless I teach you some rule that you never learned before. BSB BSB: Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
7 UDB If someone is playing the flute or harp (which are not living things), and if the notes on the flute or harp sounded no different from each other, no one would be able to tell which tune is being played. BSB BSB: Even in the case of lifeless instruments, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone recognize the tune they are playing unless the notes are distinct?
8 UDB And if a soldier blows the trumpet poorly, the army will not know whether or not to get ready for battle. BSB BSB: Again, if the trumpet sounds a muffled call, who will prepare for battle?
9 UDB This is what it is like when you say words that no one can understand: No one will know what you have said. BSB BSB: So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.
10 UDB There are certainly many languages in the world, and all of them give meaning to those who understand them. BSB BSB: Assuredly, there are many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.
11 UDB But if I do not understand someone's language, I will be like a foreigner to him, and he will be like one to me. BSB BSB: If, then, I do not know the meaning of someone’s language, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me.
12 UDB So because you want very much for the Spirit to work in you, try to help the believers in the church to trust Christ and obey him. BSB BSB: It is the same with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, strive to excel in gifts that build up the church.
13 UDB For that reason, pray that God will enable you to interpret what you say in a language that God has given you. BSB BSB: Therefore, the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.
14 UDB If anyone prays in such a language, his spirit certainly prays, but his mind does not. BSB BSB: For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
15 UDB Therefore, we should pray with our spirit, but also pray with our mind. And it is the same if we sing praise to God. BSB BSB: What then shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
16 UDB If you insist on praising God only in your spirit, the outsider will never understand what you are saying and will never be able to agree with the message. BSB BSB: Otherwise, if you speak a blessing in spirit, how can someone who is uninstructed say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?
17 UDB For if you give thanks in your spirit, that is well and good for you, but you are not helping the other believers. BSB BSB: You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other one is not edified.
18 UDB I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you do. BSB BSB: I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
19 UDB But to the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, words with which I can teach others, than say ten thousand words in a strange language. BSB BSB: But in the church, I would rather speak five coherent words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20 UDB Brothers and sisters, you should think like adults. But when you think about evil things, you should think like small children. Your thinking should be sensible. BSB BSB: Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
21 UDB In the law it is written that God says, "I will speak to my people Israel by foreigners, men who speak in strange languages; but my people will still not understand me." BSB BSB: It is written in the Law: “By strange tongues and foreign lips I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to Me, says the Lord.”
22 UDB So if a believer speaks in a language that God has given him, this impresses the unbelievers who might be listening. But if a believer speaks a message from God, this impresses the other believers. BSB BSB: Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.
23 UDB You can see how confusing it would be if all the believers met together and spoke in different languages. Any unbeliever who heard them would call them all crazy. BSB BSB: So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who are uninstructed or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?
24 UDB But if you were all taking turns speaking true messages from God, any unbeliever would realize that he was guilty of sinning against God. BSB BSB: But if an unbeliever or uninstructed person comes in while everyone is prophesying, he will be convicted and called to account by all,
25 UDB This unbeliever would become aware of what was deep in his consciousness. He would fall down with his face to the ground in wonder and fright, and he would praise God and say that God is truly with you. BSB BSB: and the secrets of his heart will be made known. So he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is truly among you!”
Orderly Worship 26 UDB Brothers and sisters, it should be this way when you worship God together. Each of you should come with a psalm to sing, or something to teach from the scriptures, or something that God has told you, or with a message in a language that God has given, or with an interpretation of such a message. Everything you do together should encourage each other, for you are Christ's church. BSB BSB: What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.
27 UDB If there are any who wish to speak a message in a language from the Spirit, there should be no more than two or three such persons. They should speak one at a time, and someone should interpret the messages. BSB BSB: If anyone speaks in a tongue, two, or at most three, should speak in turn, and someone must interpret.
28 UDB However, if there is no one able to interpret those messages, then those who speak in languages from the Spirit should keep silent and speak only to God. BSB BSB: But if there is no interpreter, he should remain silent in the church and speak only to himself and God.
29 UDB If there are any who want to speak a message from God, there should be only two or three such persons; and everyone else should judge those messages according to what the scriptures say. BSB BSB: Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
30 UDB But if God allows someone seated in the assembly to understand a message, then the one speaking the message should stop speaking. In this way, all the believers can listen to the meaning of the message. BSB BSB: And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop.
31 UDB For each of those who proclaim the messages of God should do so. But they must do so one by one, in order, so that all the believers can learn and receive courage to love God better. BSB BSB: For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
32 UDB For those who truly speak God's messages control the spirit in which they do so. BSB BSB: The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
33 UDB For God does not create confusion; instead, he makes peace. This next question is answered the same way in all the churches of God's people. BSB BSB: For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.
35 UDB When women want to learn, instead of interrupting the worship, they should speak with their husbands at home. It dishonors her husband for a woman to interrupt the service. BSB BSB: If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.
36 UDB Were you the people by whom God gave us his word? Or are you the only ones to whom it came? BSB BSB: Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?
37 UDB Those of you who think you are prophets or spiritual should agree that the things I write are what the Lord has commanded and follow what I have written. BSB BSB: If anyone considers himself a prophet or spiritual person, let him acknowledge that what I am writing you is the Lord’s command.
38 UDB But as for those who do not acknowledge what I have written, you should not acknowledge them in your assembly. BSB BSB: But if anyone ignores this, he himself will be ignored.
39 UDB So, brothers and sisters, with earnest desire speak God's messages to the church, and do not forbid anyone from speaking in languages that God gives. BSB BSB: So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
40 UDB Do all that you do in the worship of the church in a pleasant and orderly way. BSB BSB: But everything must be done in a proper and orderly manner.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.