Tongues

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples

and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” “No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

“Into what then were you baptized?” he asked them. “Into John’s baptism,” they replied.

Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”

When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to speak in other tongues and to prophesy.

Now there were about twelve men in all.

to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another, different kinds of tongues, to another, interpretation of tongues.

Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

For the person who speaks in another tongue is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit.

On the other hand, the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation.

The person who speaks in another tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

I wish all of you spoke in other tongues, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.

So now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in other tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

Even lifeless instruments that produce sounds — whether flute or harp  — if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized?

In fact, if the bugle makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle?

In the same way, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech, how will what is spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air.

There are doubtless many different kinds of languages in the world, none is without meaning.

Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me.

So also you — since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in building up the church.

Therefore the person who speaks in another tongue should pray that he can interpret.

For if I pray in another tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing praise with the spirit, and I will also sing praise with my understanding.

Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit, how will the outsider say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?

For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up.

I thank God that I speak in other tongues more than all of you;

yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than ten thousand words in another tongue.

Brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking.

It is written in the law, I will speak to this people by people of other tongues and by the lips of foreigners, and even then, they will not listen to me, says the Lord.

Speaking in other tongues, then, is intended as a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.

If, therefore, the whole church assembles together and all are speaking in other tongues and people who are outsiders or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

But if all are prophesying and some unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convicted by all and is called to account by all.

The secrets of his heart will be revealed, and as a result he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is really among you.”

What then, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, another tongue, or an interpretation. Everything is to be done for building up.

If anyone speaks in another tongue, there are to be only two, or at the most three, each in turn, and let someone interpret.

But if there is no interpreter, that person is to keep silent in the church and speak to himself and God.

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

But everything is to be done decently and in order.