1 Corinthians 14

¹Follow after love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

²For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God, for no one understands, but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

³But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.

⁴He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly.

⁵Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but even more that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.

⁶But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?

⁷Even lifeless things that make a sound, whether pipe or harp, if they didn’t give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped?

⁸For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war?

⁹So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air.

¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning.

¹¹If then I don’t know the meaning of the language, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me.