1 Corinthians 14:5-26 I wish, indeed, that you all spoke in foreign languages; but rather that you prophesied: for greater is he who prophesies, than he who speaks in foreign languages, unless, indeed, he interpret, that the congregation may receive edification.

Living_Oracles⁽ⁱ⁾ ⁵ I wish, indeed, that you all spoke in foreign languages; but rather that you prophesied: for greater is he who prophesies, than he who speaks in foreign languages, unless, indeed, he interpret, that the congregation may receive edification. ⁶ For now, brethren, if I should come to you speaking in foreign languages, what shall I profit you, unless I shall speak to you intelligibly; either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecy, or by doctrine? ⁷ In like manner, things without life, giving sound; whether pipe, or harp; unless they give a difference to the notes, how shall it be known what is piped, or harped? ⁸ And, therefore, if the trumpet give and unintelligible sound, who will prepare himself for battle? ⁹ So, also, you, unless with the tongue you give intelligible speech, how shall it be known what is spoken? Therefore, you will be speaking to the air. ¹⁰ There are, perhaps, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without signification. ¹¹ Yet, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be to him who speaks, a foreigner; and he who speaks, will be a foreigner to me. ¹² Wherefore, you, also, since you are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, seek them, that you may abound for the edification of the congregation. ¹³ For which cause, let him who prays in a foreign language, pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a foreign language, my spirit prays; but my understanding is unfruitful. ¹⁵ What, then, is to be done? I will pray with the Spirit, but I will pray also with understanding: I will sing with the Spirit; but I will sing also with understanding. ¹⁶ Else, when you shall bless with the spirit, how shall he who fills up the place of the unlearned, say the Amen to your thanksgiving, since he knows not what you say? ¹⁷ For you, indeed, give thanks well; but the other is not edified. ¹⁸ I give thanks to God, speaking in more foreign languages than all of you; ¹⁹ yet, in the congregation, I would rather speak five sentences with my meaning understood, that I may instruct others, also, than ten thousand sentences in a foreign language. ²⁰ Brethren, be not children in understanding; but in evil be children, and in understanding be full grown men. ²¹ In the law it is written, "Surely, with other tongues, and with other lips, I will speak to this people; yet not even then will they hearken to me, says the Lord." ²² So that foreign languages are for a sign; not to believers, but to unbelievers: but prophecy is for a sign; not to unbelievers, but to believers. ²³ If, then, the whole congregation be come together in one place, and all speak in foreign languages; and there come in unlearned persons, or unbelievers, will they not say that you are mad? ²⁴ But if all prophesy, and there come in an unbeliever, or an unlearned person, he is corrected by all, he is examined by all; ²⁵ the hidden things of his heart are made manifest: and so, falling on his face, he will worship God, publishing that God is actually among you. ²⁶ What is it, then, brethren? When you are come together, each of you has a psalm, has a discourse, has a foreign language, has a revelation, has an interpretation! Let all things be done to edification.