1 P ursue the love, and seek earnestly the spiritual things, and rather that ye may prophecy,

Follow after love; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

2 f or he who is speaking in an tongue -- to men he doth not speak, but to God, for no one doth hearken, and in spirit he doth speak secrets;

For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

3 a nd he who is prophesying to men doth speak edification, and exhortation, and comfort;

But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and exhortation, and consolation.

4 h e who is speaking in an tongue, himself doth edify, and he who is prophesying, an assembly doth edify;

He that speaketh in a tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

5 a nd I wish you all to speak with tongues, and more that ye may prophecy, for greater is he who is prophesying than he who is speaking with tongues, except one may interpret, that the assembly may receive edification.

Now I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

6 A nd now, brethren, if I may come unto you speaking tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophesying, or in teaching?

But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?

7 y et the things without life giving sound -- whether pipe or harp -- if a difference in the sounds they may not give, how shall be known that which is piped or that which is harped?

Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

8 f or if also an uncertain sound a trumpet may give, who shall prepare himself for battle?

For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war?

9 s o also ye, if through the tongue, speech easily understood ye may not give -- how shall that which is spoken be known? for ye shall be speaking to air.

So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air.

10 T here are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is unmeaning,

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is without signification.

11 i f, then, I do not know the power of the voice, I shall be to him who is speaking a foreigner, and he who is speaking, is to me a foreigner;

If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me.

12 s o also ye, since ye are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, for the building up of the assembly seek that ye may abound;

So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church.

13 w herefore he who is speaking in an tongue -- let him pray that he may interpret;

Wherefore let him that speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

14 f or if I pray in an tongue, my spirit doth pray, and my understanding is unfruitful.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

15 W hat then is it? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing psalms with the spirit, and I will sing psalms also with the understanding;

What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

16 s ince, if thou mayest bless with the spirit, he who is filling the place of the unlearned, how shall he say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, since what thou dost say he hath not known?

Else if thou bless with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest?

17 f or thou, indeed, dost give thanks well, but the other is not built up!

For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

18 I give thanks to my God -- more than you all with tongues speaking --

I thank God, I speak with tongues more than you all:

19 b ut in an assembly I wish to speak five words through my understanding, that others also I may instruct, rather than myriads of words in an tongue.

howbeit in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20 B rethren, become not children in the understanding, but in the evil be ye babes, and in the understanding become ye perfect;

Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men.

21 i n the law it hath been written, that, `With other tongues and with other lips I will speak to this people, and not even so will they hear Me, saith the Lord;'

In the law it is written, By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak unto this people; and not even thus will they hear me, saith the Lord.

22 s o that the tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving; and the prophesy not for the unbelieving, but for the believing,

Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelieving: but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to them that believe.

23 I f, therefore, the whole assembly may come together, to the same place, and all may speak with tongues, and there may come in unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

If therefore the whole church be assembled together and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are mad?

24 a nd if all may prophecy, and any one may come in, an unbeliever or unlearned, he is convicted by all, he is discerned by all,

But if all prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved by all, he is judged by all;

25 a nd so the secrets of his heart become manifest, and so having fallen upon face, he will bow before God, declaring that God really is among you.

the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.

26 W hat then is it, brethren? whenever ye may come together, each of you hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation? let all things be for building up;

What is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

27 i f an tongue any one do speak, by two, or at the most, by three, and in turn, and let one interpret;

If any man speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and that in turn; and let one interpret:

28 a nd if there may be no interpreter, let him be silent in an assembly, and to himself let him speak, and to God.

but if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

29 A nd prophets -- let two or three speak, and let the others discern,

And let the prophets speak by two or three, and let the others discern.

30 a nd if to another sitting may be revealed, let the first be silent;

But if a revelation be made to another sitting by, let the first keep silence.

31 f or ye are able, one by one, all to prophesy, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted,

For ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted;

32 a nd the spiritual gift of prophets to prophets are subject,

and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets;

33 f or God is not of tumult, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.

for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

34 Y our women in the assemblies let them be silent, for it hath not been permitted to them to speak, but to be subject, as also the law saith;

let the women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law.

35 a nd if they wish to learn anything, at home their own husbands let them question, for it is a shame to women to speak in an assembly.

And if they would learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church.

36 F rom you did the word of God come forth? or to you alone did it come?

What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?

37 i f any one doth think to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge the things that I write to you -- that of the Lord they are commands;

If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.

38 a nd if any one is ignorant -- let him be ignorant;

But if any man is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

39 s o that, brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and to speak with tongues do not forbid;

Wherefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

40 l et all things be done decently and in order.

But let all things be done decently and in order.