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The Holy Bible - God's Word for All Generations

I Corinthians Chapter 14

Other Translations

darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

1 Follow after love, and be emulous of spiritual [manifestations], but rather that ye may prophesy.
2 For he that speaks with a tongue does not speak to men but toGod: for no one hears; but in spirit he speaks mysteries.
3 But he that prophesies speaks to men [in] edification, and encouragement, and consolation.
4 He that speaks with a tongue edifies himself; but he that prophesies edifies [the] assembly.
5 Now I desire that ye should all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy. But greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interpret, that the assembly may receive edification.
6 And now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I shall speak to you either in revelation, or in knowledge, or in prophecy, or in teaching?
7 Even lifeless things giving a sound, whether pipe or harp, if they give not distinction to the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
8 For also, if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself for war?
9 Thus also ye with the tongue, unless ye give a distinct speech, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking to the air.
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of undistinguishable sound.
11 If therefore I do not know the power of the sound, I shall be to him that speaks a barbarian, and he that speaks a barbarian for me.
12 Thus ye also, since ye are desirous of spirits, seek that ye may abound for the edification of the assembly.
13 Wherefore let him that speaks with a tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray with a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing also with the understanding.
16 Since otherwise, if thou blessest with [the] spirit, how shall he who fills the place of the simple [Christian] say Amen, at thy giving of thanks, since he does not know what thou sayest?
17 For thou indeed givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thankGod I speak in a tongue more than all of you:
19 but in [the] assembly I desire to speak five words with my understanding, that I may instruct others also, [rather] than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20 Brethren, be not children in [your] minds, but in malice be babes; but in [your] minds be grown [men].
21 It is written in the law, By people of other tongues, and by strange lips, will I speak to this people; and neither thus will they hear me, saith the Lord.
22 So that tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers; but prophecy, not to unbelievers, but to those who believe.
23 If therefore the whole assembly come together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and simple [persons] enter in, or unbelievers, will not they say ye are mad?
24 But if all prophesy, and some unbeliever or simple [person] come in, he is convicted of all, he is judged of all;
25 the secrets of his heart are manifested; and thus, falling upon [his] face, he will do homage toGod, reporting thatGod is indeed amongst you.
26 What is it then, brethren? whenever ye 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 to edification.
27 If any one speak with a tongue, [let it be] two, or at the most three, and separately, and let one interpret;
28 but if there be no interpreter, let him be silent in [the] assembly, and let him speak to himself and toGod.
29 And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.
30 But if there be a revelation to another sitting [there], let the first be silent.
31 For ye can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all be encouraged.
32 And spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
33 ForGod is not [aGod] of disorder but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.
34 Let [your] women be silent in the assemblies, for it is not permitted to them to speak; but to be in subjection, as the law also says.
35 But if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in assembly.
36 Did the word ofGod go out from you, or did it come to you only?
37 If any one thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognise the things that I write to you, that it is [the] Lord's commandment.
38 But if any be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 So that, brethren, desire to prophesy, and do not forbid the speaking with tongues.
40 But let all things be done comelily and with order.

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Sectamini charitatem, æmulamini spiritualia: magis autem ut prophetetis.
2 Qui enim loquitur lingua, non hominibus loquitur, sed Deo: nemo enim audit. Spiritu autem loquitur mysteria.
3 nam qui prophetat, hominibus loquitur ad ædificationem, et exhortationem, et consolationem.
4 Qui loquitur lingua, semetipsum ædificat: qui autem prophetat, Ecclesiam Dei ædificat.
5 Volo autem omnes vos loqui linguis: magis autem prophetare. Nam maior est qui prophetat, quam qui loquitur linguis: nisi forte interpretetur ut Ecclesia ædificationem accipiat.
6 Nunc autem, fratres, si venero ad vos linguis loquens: quid vobis prodero, nisi vobis loquar aut in revelatione, aut in scientia, aut in prophetia, aut in doctrina?
7 Tamen quæ sine anima sunt vocem dantia, sive tibia, sive cithara: nisi distinctionem sonituum dederint, quomodo scietur id, quod canitur, aut quod citharizatur?
8 Etenim si incertam vocem det tuba, quis parabit se ad bellum?
9 Ita et vos per linguam nisi manifestum sermonem dederitis: quomodo scietur id, quod dicitur? eritis enim in aera loquentes.
10 Tam multa, ut puta genera linguarum sunt in hoc mundo: et nihil sine voce est.
11 Si ergo nesciero virtutem vocis, ero ei, cui loquor, barbarus: et qui loquitur, mihi barbarus:
12 Sic et vos, quoniam æmulatores estis spirituum, ad ædificationem Ecclesiæ quærite ut abundetis.
13 Et ideo qui loquitur lingua: oret ut interpretetur.
14 Nam si orem lingua, spiritus meus orat, mens autem mea sine fructu est.
15 Quid ergo est? Orabo spiritu, orabo et mente: psallam spiritu, psallam et mente.
16 Ceterum si benedixeris spiritu: qui supplet locum idiotæ, quomodo dicet, Amen, super tuam benedictionem? quoniam quid dicas, nescit.
17 nam tu quidem bene gratias agis: sed alter non ædificatur.
18 Gratias ago Deo meo, quod omnium vestrum lingua loquor.
19 Sed in Ecclesia volo quinque verba sensu meo loqui, ut et alios instruam: quam decem millia verborum in lingua.
20 Fratres, nolite pueri effici sensibus, sed malitia parvuli estote: sensibus autem perfecti estote.
21 In lege scriptum est: Quoniam in aliis linguis et labiis aliis loquar populo huic: et nec sic exaudient me, dicit Dominus.
22 Itaque linguæ in signum sunt non fidelibus, sed infidelibus: prophetiæ autem non infidelibus, sed fidelibus.
23 Si ergo conveniat universa Ecclesia in unum, et omnes linguis loquantur, intrent autem idiotæ, aut infideles: nonne dicent quod insanitis?
24 Si autem omnes prophetent, intret autem quis infidelis, vel idiota, convincitur ab omnibus, diiudicatur ab omnibus:
25 occulta cordis eius manifesta fiunt: et ita cadens in faciem adorabit Deum, pronuncians quod vere Deus in vobis sit.
26 Quid ergo est, fratres? cum convenitis, unusquisque vestrum psalmum habet, doctrinam habet, apocalypsim habet, linguam habet, interpretationem habet: omnia ad ædificationem fiant.
27 Sive lingua quis loquitur, secundum duos, aut ut multum tres, et per partes, et unus interpretatur.
28 Si autem non fuerit interpres, taceat in Ecclesia, sibi autem loquatur, et Deo.
29 Prophetæ autem duo, aut tres dicant, et ceteri diiudicent.
30 Quod si alii revelatum fuerit sedenti, prior taceat.
31 Potestis enim omnes per singulos prophetare: ut omnes discant, et omnes exhortentur:
32 et spiritus prophetarum prophetis subiecti sunt.
33 Non enim est dissensionis Deus, sed pacis: sicut et in omnibus Ecclesiis sanctorum doceo.
34 Mulieres in Ecclesiis taceant, non enim permittitur eis loqui, sed subditas esse, sicut et lex dicit.
35 Si quid autem volunt discere, domi viros suos interrogent. Turpe est enim mulieri loqui in Ecclesia.
36 An a vobis verbum Dei processit? aut in vos solos pervenit?
37 Si quis videtur propheta esse, aut spiritualis, cognoscat quæ scribo vobis, quia Domini sunt mandata.
38 Si quis autem ignorat, ignorabitur.
39 Itaque fratres æmulamini prophetare: et loqui linguis nolite prohibere.
40 Omnia autem honeste, et secundum ordinem fiant.

ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

1 Pursue the love, and seek earnestly the spiritual things, and rather that ye may prophecy,
2 for he who is speaking in an <FI>unknown<Fi> tongue--to men he doth not speak, but to God, for no one doth hearken, and in spirit he doth speak secrets;
3 and he who is prophesying to men doth speak edification, and exhortation, and comfort;
4 he who is speaking in an <FI>unknown<Fi> tongue, himself doth edify, and he who is prophesying, an assembly doth edify;
5 and 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.
6 And 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?
7 yet 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?
8 for if also an uncertain sound a trumpet may give, who shall prepare himself for battle?
9 so 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.
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is unmeaning,
11 if, 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;
12 so also ye, since ye are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, for the building up of the assembly seek that ye may abound;
13 wherefore he who is speaking in an <FI>unknown<Fi> tongue--let him pray that he may interpret;
14 for if I pray in an <FI>unknown<Fi> tongue, my spirit doth pray, and my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What 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;
16 since, 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?
17 for thou, indeed, dost give thanks well, but the other is not built up!
18 I give thanks to my God--more than you all with tongues speaking--
19 but 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 <FI>unknown<Fi> tongue.
20 Brethren, become not children in the understanding, but in the evil be ye babes, and in the understanding become ye perfect;
21 in 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;'
22 so that the tongues are for a sign, not to the believing, but to the unbelieving; and the prophesy <FI>is<Fi> not for the unbelieving, but for the believing,
23 If, 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?
24 and if all may prophecy, and any one may come in, an unbeliever or unlearned, he is convicted by all, he is discerned by all,
25 and so the secrets of his heart become manifest, and so having fallen upon <FI>his<Fi> face, he will bow before God, declaring that God really is among you.
26 What 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;
27 if an <FI>unknown<Fi> tongue any one do speak, by two, or at the most, by three, and in turn, and let one interpret;
28 and if there may be no interpreter, let him be silent in an assembly, and to himself let him speak, and to God.
29 And prophets--let two or three speak, and let the others discern,
30 and if to another sitting <FI>anything<Fi> may be revealed, let the first be silent;
31 for ye are able, one by one, all to prophesy, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted,
32 and the spiritual gift of prophets to prophets are subject,
33 for God is not <FI>a God<Fi> of tumult, but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the saints.
34 Your 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;
35 and 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.
36 From you did the word of God come forth? or to you alone did it come?
37 if 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;
38 and if any one is ignorant--let him be ignorant;
39 so that, brethren, earnestly desire to prophesy, and to speak with tongues do not forbid;
40 let all things be done decently and in order.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).