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| 14 | 1 Corinthians |
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| 1 |
Put love first; but there are other gifts of the Spirit at which you should aim also, and above all prophecy. | Tongues and Prophecy 1Cor.14.1-25 |
| 2 |
When a man is using the language of ecstasy he is talking with God, not with men, for no man understands him; he is no doubt inspired, but he speaks mysteries. | |
| 3 |
On the other hand, when a man prophesies, he is talking to men, and his words have power to build; they stimulate and they encourage. | |
| 4 |
The language of ecstasy is good for the speaker himself, but it is prophecy that builds up a Christian community. | |
| 5 |
I should be pleased for you all to use the tongues of ecstasy, but better pleased for you to prophesy. The prophet is worth more than the man of ecstatic speech - unless indeed he can explain its meaning, and so help to build up the community. | |
| 6 |
Suppose, my friends, that when I come to you I use ecstatic language: what good shall I do you, unless what I say contains something by way of revelation, or enlightenment, or prophecy, or instruction?
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| 7 |
Even with inanimate things that produce sounds - a flute, say, or a lyre - unless their notes mark definite intervals, how can you tell what tune is being played? | |
| 8 |
Or again, if the trumpet-call is not clear, who will prepare for battle? | |
| 9 |
In the same way if your ecstatic utterance yields no precise meaning, how can anyone tell what you are saying? You will be talking into the air. | |
| 10 |
How many different kinds of sound there are, or may be, in the world! Nothing is altogether soundless. | |
| 11 |
Well then, if I do not know the meaning of the sound the speaker makes, his words will be gibberish to me, and mine to him. | |
| 12 |
You are, I know, eager for gifts of the Spirit; then aspire above all to excel in those which build up the church.
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| 13 |
I say, then, that the man who falls into ecstatic utterance should pray for the ability to interpret. | |
| 14 |
If I use such language in my prayer, the Spirit in me prays, but my intellect lies fallow. | |
| 15 |
What then? I will pray as I am inspired to pray, but I will also pray intelligently. I will sing hymns as I am inspired to sing, but I will sing intelligently too. | |
| 16 |
Suppose you are praising God in the language of inspiration: how will the plain man who is present be able to say 'Amen' to your thanksgiving, when he does not know what you are saying? | |
| 17 |
Your prayer of thanksgiving n may be all that could be desired, but it is no help to the other man. | |
| 18 |
Thank God, I am more gifted in is ecstatic utterance than any of you, | |
| 19 |
but in the congregation I would rather speak five intelligible words, for the benefit of others as well as myself, than thousands of words in the language of ecstasy.
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| 20 |
Do not be childish, my friends. Be as innocent of evil as babes, but at least be grown-up in your thinking. | |
| 21 |
We read in the Law: 'I will speak to this nation through men of strange tongues, and by the lips of foreigners; and even so they will not heed me, says the Lord.' | - By men of strange tongues 1Cor.14.21 - Is.28.11-12, Dt.28.49 |
| 22 |
Clearly then these 'strange tongues' are not intended as a sign for believers, but for unbelievers, whereas prophecy is des-gned not for unbelievers but for those who hold the faith. | |
| 23 |
So if the whole congregation is assembled and all are using the 'strange tongues' of ecstasy, and some uninstructed persons or unbelievers should enter, will they not think you are mad? | |
| 24 |
But if all are uttering prophecies, the visitor, when he enters, hears from everyone something that searches his conscience and brings conviction, | |
| 25 |
and the secrets of his heart are laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, crying, 'God is certainly among you!'
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| 26 |
To sum up, my friends: when you meet for worship, each of you contributes a hymn, some instruction, a revelation, an ecstatic utterance, or the interpretation of such an utterance. All of these must aim at one thing: to build up the church. | All Things to be Done in Order 1Cor.14.26-40 |
| 27 |
If it is a matter of ecstatic utterance, only two should speak, or at most three, one at a time, and someone must interpret. | |
| 28 |
If there is no interpreter, the speaker had better not address the meeting at all, but speak to himself and to God. | |
| 29 |
Of the prophets, two or three may speak, while the rest exercise their judgement upon what is said. | |
| 30 |
If someone else, sitting in his place, receives a revelation, let the first speaker stop. | |
| 31 |
You can all prophesy, one at a time, so that the whole congregation may receive instruction and encouragement. | |
| 32 |
It is for prophets to control prophetic inspiration, | |
| 33 |
for the God who inspires them is not a God of disorder but of peace.
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| 34 |
As in all congregations of God's people, women should not address the meeting. They have no licence to speak, but should keep their place as the law directs. | |
| 35 |
If there is something they want to know, they can ask their own husbands at home. It is a shocking thing that a woman should address the congregation. | |
| 36 |
Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people to whom it came? | |
| 37 |
If anyone claims to be inspired or a prophet, let him recognize that what I write has the Lord's authority. | |
| 38 |
If he does not recognize this, he himself should not be recognized. | |
| 39 |
In short, my friends, be eager to prophesy; do not forbid ecstatic utterance; | |
| 40 |
but let all be done decently and in order.
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