| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. | 1Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. |
| 2For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. | 2For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. |
| 3But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. | 3But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. |
| 4He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. | 4Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. |
| 5I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. | 5I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified. |
| 6Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? | 6Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? |
| 7And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? | 7Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? |
| 8For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? | 8Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? |
| 9So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. | 9So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. |
| 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. | 10Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. |
| 11Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. | 11If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. |
| 12Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. | 12So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. |
| 13Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. | 13For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. |
| 14For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. | 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. |
| 15What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. | 15So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. |
| 16Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? | 16Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? |
| 17For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. | 17You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. |
| 18I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: | 18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. |
| 19Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. | 19But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. |
| 20Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. | 20Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. |
| 21In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. | 21In the Law it is written: "With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord." |
| 22Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. | 22Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. |
| 23If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? | 23So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? |
| 24But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: | 24But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, |
| 25And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. | 25as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" |
| 26How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. | 26What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. |
| 27If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. | 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. |
| 28But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. | 28If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God. |
| 29Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. | 29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. |
| 30If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. | 30And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. |
| 31For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. | 31For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. |
| 32And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. | 32The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. |
| 33For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. | 33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace--as in all the congregations of the Lord's people. |
| 34Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. | 34Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. |
| 35And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. | 35If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. |
| 36What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? | 36Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? |
| 37If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. | 37If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. |
| 38But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. | 38But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored. |
| 39Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. | 39Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. |
| 40Let all things be done decently and in order. | 40But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. |
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