October 29, 2025
1 Corinthians 14 ESV
Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. Now, 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? If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order.
Discussion Questions:
This chapter gives us an insight into how meetings were conducted in the early church. As we can see, they were very different from how they are conducted today.
1) Describe the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy and the gift of interpretation within an early church meeting:
- Who were they for?
- How were each to be used and how are they not to be used within the church setting?
Discussion Summary:
The gift of tongues is first recorded in Acts 2:4-13. This took place during the feast of Pentecost when many Jews who had traveled from other countries to Jerusalem heard the gospel preached in their own language. The apostles were miraculously given this ability as a sign of the power of the Holy Spirit that had been given to them. This also showed God’s beginning steps to reverse the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) and gather people back to himself. Acts 10:46 and Acts 19:6 also give instances of speaking in tongues. In these cases, it was not for the purpose of witnessing to those who could not understand, but it was an indication to others that the Holy Spirit had been given.
Some translations render “tongues” as “the language of ectasy,” while others translate it as “foreign languages.” The literal “tongues” is clearly described in Acts 2 and all subsequent instances should be read in that light.
The gift of prophecy was a higher or “better” gift than tongues because it was understandable to all. It was for the benefit of believers to teach them and to encourage their faith. An example of prophesying as “speaking forth” the word can be found when Philip preached to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40. An example of prophesying as “foretelling events” can be found when Agabus prophesied of a coming famine in Acts 11:27-30. (Note in this instance that the prophecy was not used to gain believers but for the edification of the brethren.)
The gift of interpretations was the ability to miraculously translate what was said in tongues. This was for the aid of the brethren when tongues were spoken in the meetings. There are no examples of this in the scriptures.
None of these gifts were to be used in a disorderly way in the congregation. Brethren were to take their turns, make sure there was proper translation and not repeat the same thought over and over. It shows that the Holy Spirit is to be controlled through the human mind that is developing in the fruits of the spirit.
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