| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. | 1Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and above all that you may prophesy. |
| 2For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. | 2For the person who speaks in another language is not speaking to men but to God, since no one understands him; however, he speaks mysteries in the Spirit. |
| 3But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. | 3But the person who prophesies speaks to people for edification, encouragement, and consolation. |
| 4He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. | 4The person who speaks in another language builds himself up, but he who prophesies builds up the church. |
| 5I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. | 5I wish all of you spoke in other languages, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in languages, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up. |
| 6But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? | 6But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in other languages, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? |
| 7Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? | 7Even inanimate things that produce sounds--whether flute or harp--if they don't make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized? |
| 8For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? | 8In fact, if the trumpet makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle? |
| 9So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. | 9In the same way, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech, how will what is spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air. |
| 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. | 10There are doubtless many different kinds of languages in the world, and all have meaning. |
| 11Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. | 11Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. |
| 12Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. | 12So also you--since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in building up the church. |
| 13Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. | 13Therefore the person who speaks in another language should pray that he can interpret. |
| 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. | 14For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. |
| 15What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. | 15What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with my understanding. |
| 16Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? | 16Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit, how will the uninformed person say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? |
| 17For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. | 17For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up. |
| 18I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; | 18I thank God that I speak in other languages more than all of you; |
| 19yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. | 19yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than 10,000 words in another language. |
| 20Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. | 20Brothers, don't be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking. |
| 21In the law it is written: “With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord. | 21It is written in the law: I will speak to these people by people of other languages and by the lips of foreigners, and even then, they will not listen to Me, says the Lord. |
| 22Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. | 22It follows that speaking in other languages is intended as a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers. But prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. |
| 23Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? | 23Therefore, if the whole church assembles together and all are speaking in other languages and people who are uninformed or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds? |
| 24But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. | 24But if all are prophesying and some unbeliever or uninformed person comes in, he is convicted by all and is judged by all. |
| 25And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. | 25The secrets of his heart will be revealed, and as a result he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, "God is really among you." |
| 26How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. | 26What then is the conclusion, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, another language, or an interpretation. All things must be done for edification. |
| 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. | 27If any person speaks in another language, there should be only two, or at the most three, each in turn, and someone must interpret. |
| 28But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. | 28But if there is no interpreter, that person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God. |
| 29Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. | 29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate. |
| 30But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. | 30But if something has been revealed to another person sitting there, the first prophet should be silent. |
| 31For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. | 31For you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may learn and everyone may be encouraged. |
| 32And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. | 32And the prophets' spirits are under the control of the prophets, |
| 33For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. | 33since God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, |
| 34Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. | 34the women should be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak, but should be submissive, as the law also says. |
| 35And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. | 35And if they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church meeting. |
| 36Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? | 36Did the word of God originate from you, or did it come to you only? |
| 37If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. | 37If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, he should recognize that what I write to you is the Lord's command. |
| 38But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. | 38But if anyone ignores this, he will be ignored. |
| 39Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. | 39Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in other languages. |
| 40Let all things be done decently and in order. | 40But everything must be done decently and in order. |
|
