1 Corinthians 14
Bishops' Bible of 1568 Par ▾ 

Prophecy and Tongues

1Folowe after loue, and couet spirituall giftes but most chiefelie that ye may prophesie. 2For he that speaketh with the tongue, speaketh not vnto men, but vnto God: For no man heareth hym. Howbeit, in the spirite he speaketh misteries. 3But he that prophesieth, speaketh vnto men to their edifiyng, to their exhortation, and to their comfort. 4He that speaketh with the tongue, edifieth hym selfe: he that prophesieth, edifieth the Churche. 5I woulde yt ye al spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: For greater is he that prophesieth, then he that speaketh with tongues, except he expounde it, that the Churche may haue edifiyng.

6Nowe brethren, yf I come vnto you speakyng with tongues, what shall I profite you, except I speake to you eyther by reuelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesiyng, or by doctrine? 7Moreouer, thynges without lyfe geuing sound, whether it be a pipe or an harpe, except they make a distinction in the soundes, howe shall it be knowen what is piped or harped? 8And also yf the trumpe geue an vncertayne sounde, who shall prepare him selfe to the warre? 9Euen so lykewyse, when ye speake with tongues, except ye speake wordes that haue signification, howe shall it be vnderstande what is spoken? For ye shall speake into the ayer. 10There are so many kyndes of voyces, as it commeth to passe in the worlde, and none of them are without signification. 11If I knowe not what the voyce meaneth, I shalbe lyke vnto hym that speaketh, an aliaunt: and he that speaketh, shalbe an aliaunt vnto me. 12Euen so, forasmuch as ye couet spirituall giftes seke that ye may excell, vnto the edifiyng of the Churche.

13Wherfore, let him that speaketh with tongue, pray that he may interprete. 14For yf I pray with tongue, my spirite prayeth, but my vnderstanding is without fruite. 15What is it then? I wyll pray with the spirite, and wyll pray with the vnderstandyng also. I wyll syng with the spirite, and wyll syng with the vnderstandyng also. 16Els, when thou blessest with the spirite, howe shall he that occupieth the rowme of the vnlearned, say Amen at thy geuyng of thankes, seyng he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest? 17Thou veryly geuest thankes well: but the other is not edified. 18I thanke my God, I speake with tongues more the ye all. 19Yet had I rather, in the Churche to speake fiue wordes with my vnderstandyng, to the information of other, then ten thousande wordes with the tongue.

20Brethren, be not chyldren in wytte: Howbeit, as concerning maliciousnesse, be chyldren: but in wytte, be perfect. 21In the lawe it is written: With sundry tongues, and with sundry lyppes, wyll I speake vnto this people, and yet for all that will they not heare me, sayth the Lorde. 22Wherfore, tongues are for a signe, not to them that beleue, but to them that beleue not: But prophesiyng serueth not for them that beleue not, but for them which beleue. 23If therfore, when all the Churche is come together in one, & all speake with tongues, there come in they that are vnlearned, or they which beleue not: wyll they not say yt ye are out of your wittes? 24But yf all prophesie, and there come in one ye beleueth not, or one vnlearned: he is rebuked of all men, and is iudged of euery man: 25And so are the secretes of his heart made manifest, and so falleth he downe on his face, and worshippeth God, and sayth that God is in you of a trueth.

Orderly Worship

26Howe is it then brethren? When ye come together, euery one of you hath a psalme, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a reuelation, hath interpretation. Let all thynges be done vnto edifiyng. 27Yf any man speake with tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course, and let one interprete. 28But yf there be no interpreter, let him kepe scilence in the Churche, and let him speake to hym selfe, and to God. 29Let the prophetes speake two or three, and let the other iudge. 30If any reuelation be made to another that sitteth by, let ye first holde his peace. 31For ye may all prophesie one by one, that all may learne, and all may haue comfort. 32And the spirites of the prophetes, are subiect to the prophetes. 33For God is not the aucthour of confusion, but of peace, as in all Churches of the saintes.

34Let your women kepe scilence in the Churches: For it is not permitted vnto them to speake, but to be vnder obedience, as sayth the lawe. 35If they wyll learne any thyng, let the aske their husbandes at home: For it is a shame for women to speake in the Churche. 36Sproung the worde of God from you? Either came it vnto you only?

37If any man thynke hym selfe to be a prophete, either spiritual, let him knowe that the thinges that I write vnto you, are ye commaundementes of the Lorde. 38But yf any man be ignoraunt, let hym be ignoraunt.

39Wherfore brethren, couet to prophesie, and forbyd not to speake with tongues. 40Let all thynges be done honestlie and in order.


Bishops' Bible of 1568

Section Headings Courtesy Berean Bible

1 Corinthians 13
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