Prophecy and Tongues

¹Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

²For 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.

³But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.

⁴The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

⁵I 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.

⁶Now, 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?

⁷Even 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?

⁸Again, if the trumpet sounds a muffled call, who will prepare for battle?

⁹So 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.

¹⁰Assuredly, there are many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.

¹¹If, then, I do not know the meaning of someone’s language, I am a foreignerto the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me.

¹²It is the same with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, strive to excel in gifts that build up the church.

¹³Therefore, the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.

¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

¹⁵What 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.

¹⁶Otherwise, 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?

¹⁷You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other one is not edified.

¹⁸I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

¹⁹But in the church, I would rather speak five coherent words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

²⁰Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

²¹It is written in the Law:“By strange tongues and foreign lipsI will speak to this people,but even then they will not listen to Me,says the Lord.”

²²Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

²³So 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?

²⁴But if an unbeliever or uninstructed person comes in while everyone is prophesying, he will be convicted and called to account by all,

²⁵and 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

²⁶What 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.

²⁷If anyone speaks in a tongue, two, or at most three, should speak in turn, and someone must interpret.

²⁸But if there is no interpreter, he should remain silent in the church and speak only to himself and God.

²⁹Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

³⁰And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop.

³¹For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.

³²The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

³³For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.

³⁴Women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.

³⁵If 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.

³⁶Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?

³⁷If anyone considers himself a prophet or spiritual person, let him acknowledge that what I am writing you is the Lord’s command.

³⁸But if anyone ignores this, he himself will be ignored.

³⁹So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

⁴⁰But everything must be done in a proper and orderly manner.

Paul’s Apostolic Authority

¹Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.

²I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh.

³For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.

⁴The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

⁵We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

⁶And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.

⁷You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.

⁸For even if I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed.

⁹I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.

¹⁰For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is unimpressive, and his speaking is of no account.”

¹¹Such people should consider that what we are in our letters when absent, we will be in our actions when present.

¹²We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance.

¹³We, however, will not boast beyond our limits, but only within the field of influence that God has assigned to us—a field that reaches even to you.

¹⁴We are not overstepping our bounds, as if we had not come to you. Indeed, we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ.

¹⁵Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. But we hope that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase as well,

¹⁶so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. Then we will not be boasting in the work already done in another man’s territory.

¹⁷Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

¹⁸For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

God Loves a Cheerful Giver

¹Now about the service to the saints, there is no need for me to write to you.

²For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting to the Macedonians that since last year you in Achaia were prepared to give. And your zeal has stirred most of them to do likewise.

³But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove empty, but that you will be prepared, just as I said.

⁴Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—to say nothing of you—would be ashamed of having been so confident.

⁵So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you beforehand and make arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. This way, your gift will be prepared generously and not begrudgingly.

⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

⁷Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.

⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

⁹As it is written:“He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor;His righteousness endures forever.”

¹⁰Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.

¹¹You will be enriched in every way to be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will produce thanksgiving to God.

¹²For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.

¹³Because of the proof this ministry provides, the saints will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all the others.

¹⁴And their prayers for you will express their affection for you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

¹⁵Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

The Blessed Fear of the LORD

¹Hallelujah!Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,who greatly delights in His commandments.

²His descendants will be mighty in the land;the generation of the upright will be blessed.

³Wealth and riches are in his house,and his righteousness endures forever.

⁴Light dawns in the darkness for the upright—for the gracious, compassionate, and righteous.

⁵It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely,whose affairs are guided by justice.

⁶Surely he will never be shaken;the righteous man will be remembered forever.

⁷He does not fear bad news;his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

⁸His heart is assured; he does not fear,until he looks in triumph on his foes.

⁹He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;his righteousness endures forever;his horn will be lifted high in honor.

¹⁰The wicked man will see and be grieved;he will gnash his teeth and waste away;the desires of the wicked will perish.