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1 Corinthians 14

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1 Διώκετε τὴν ἀγάπην, ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ πνευματικά, μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε. 2 ὁ γὰρ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ ἀλλὰ θεῷ, οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀκούει, πνεύματι δὲ λαλεῖ μυστήρια: 3 ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ οἰκοδομὴν καὶ παράκλησιν καὶ παραμυθίαν. 4 ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ ἑαυτὸν οἰκοδομεῖ: ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ. 5 θέλω δὲ πάντας ὑμᾶς λαλεῖν γλώσσαις, μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε: μείζων δὲ ὁ προφητεύων ἢ ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσαις, ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ διερμηνεύῃ, ἵνα ἡ ἐκκλησία οἰκοδομὴν λάβῃ. 6 νῦν δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς γλώσσαις λαλῶν, τί ὑμᾶς ὠφελήσω, ἐὰν μὴ ὑμῖν λαλήσω ἢ ἐν ἀποκαλύψει ἢ ἐν γνώσει ἢ ἐν προφητείᾳ ἢ [ἐν] διδαχῇ; 7 ὅμως τὰ ἄψυχα φωνὴν διδόντα, εἴτε αὐλὸς εἴτε κιθάρα, ἐὰν διαστολὴν τοῖς φθόγγοις μὴ δῷ, πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ αὐλούμενον ἢ τὸ κιθαριζόμενον; 8 καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν ἄδηλον σάλπιγξ φωνὴν δῷ, τίς παρασκευάσεται εἰς πόλεμον; 9 οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς διὰ τῆς γλώσσης ἐὰν μὴ εὔσημον λόγον δῶτε, πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ λαλούμενον; ἔσεσθε γὰρ εἰς ἀέρα λαλοῦντες. 10 τοσαῦτα εἰ τύχοι γένη φωνῶν εἰσιν ἐν κόσμῳ, καὶ οὐδὲν ἄφωνον: 11 ἐὰν οὖν μὴ εἰδῶ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς φωνῆς, ἔσομαι τῷ λαλοῦντι βάρβαρος καὶ ὁ λαλῶν ἐν ἐμοὶ βάρβαρος. 12 οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς, ἐπεὶ ζηλωταί ἐστε πνευμάτων, πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ζητεῖτε ἵνα περισσεύητε. 13 διὸ ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ προσευχέσθω ἵνα διερμηνεύῃ.

1 Make charity your aim, the spiritual gifts your aspiration; and, by preference, the gift of prophecy. 2 The man who talks in a strange tongue is talking to God, not to men; nobody understands him, he is holding mysterious converse with his own spirit; 3 whereas the prophet speaks to edify, to encourage, to comfort his fellow men. 4 By talking in a strange tongue, a man may strengthen his own faith; by prophesying he can strengthen the faith of the church. 5 I would gladly see you all speaking with strange tongues, but I would rather you should prophesy, because the prophet ranks higher than the man who speaks with strange tongues. It would be different if he could translate them, to strengthen the faith of the church; 6 but as things are, brethren, what good can I do you by coming and talking to you in strange languages, instead of addressing you with a revelation, or a manifestation of inner knowledge, or a prophecy, or words of instruction? 7 Senseless things may be vocal, a flute, for example, or a harp; but even with these, there must be distinctions between the sounds they give, or how can we recognize what melody flute or harp is playing? 8 If a trumpet, for that matter, gives out an uncertain note, who will arm himself for battle? 9 So it is with you; how can it be known what your message is, if you speak in a language whose accents cannot be understood? Your words will fall on empty air. 10 No doubt all these different languages exist somewhere in the world, and each of them has its significance; 11 but if I cannot understand what the language means, the effect is that I am a foreigner to the man who is speaking, and he is a foreigner to me. 12 So the case stands with you. Since you have set your hearts on spiritual gifts, ask for them in abundant measure, but only so as to strengthen the faith of the church; 13 the man who can speak in a strange tongue should pray for the power to interpret it.

1 Sectamini caritatem, æmulamini spiritualia: magis autem ut prophetetis. 2 Qui enim loquitur lingua, non hominibus loquitur, sed Deo: nemo enim audit. Spiritu autem loquitur mysteria. 3 Nam qui prophetat, hominibus loquitur ad ædificationem, et exhortationem, et consolationem. 4 Qui loquitur lingua, semetipsum ædificat: qui autem prophetat, ecclesiam Dei ædificat. 5 Volo autem omnes vos loqui linguis: magis autem prophetare. Nam major est qui prophetat, quam qui loquitur linguis; nisi forte interpretetur ut ecclesia ædificationem accipiat. 6 Nunc autem, fratres, si venero ad vos linguis loquens: quid vobis prodero, nisi vobis loquar aut in revelatione, aut in scientia, aut in prophetia, aut in doctrina? 7 Tamen quæ sine anima sunt vocem dantia, sive tibia, sive cithara; nisi distinctionem sonituum dederint, quomodo scietur id quod canitur, aut quod citharizatur? 8 Etenim si incertam vocem det tuba, quis parabit se ad bellum? 9 Ita et vos per linguam nisi manifestum sermonem dederitis: quomodo scietur id quod dicitur? eritis enim in aëra loquentes. 10 Tam multa, ut puta genera linguarum sunt in hoc mundo: et nihil sine voce est. 11 Si ergo nesciero virtutem vocis, ero ei, cui loquor, barbarus: et qui loquitur, mihi barbarus. 12 Sic et vos, quoniam æmulatores estis spirituum, ad ædificationem ecclesiæ quærite ut abundetis. 13 Et ideo qui loquitur lingua, oret ut interpretetur.

14 ἐὰν γὰρ προσεύχωμαι γλώσσῃ, τὸ πνεῦμά μου προσεύχεται, ὁ δὲ νοῦς μου ἄκαρπός ἐστιν. 15 τί οὖν ἐστιν; προσεύξομαι τῷ πνεύματι, προσεύξομαι δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ: ψαλῶ τῷ πνεύματι, ψαλῶ δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ. 16 ἐπεὶ ἐὰν εὐλογῇς [ἐν] πνεύματι, ὁ ἀναπληρῶν τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου πῶς ἐρεῖ τὸ ἀμήν ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ, ἐπειδὴ τί λέγεις οὐκ οἶδεν; 17 σὺ μὲν γὰρ καλῶς εὐχαριστεῖς, ἀλλ' ὁ ἕτερος οὐκ οἰκοδομεῖται. 18 εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ, πάντων ὑμῶν μᾶλλον γλώσσαις λαλῶ: 19 ἀλλὰ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ θέλω πέντε λόγους τῷ νοΐ μου λαλῆσαι, ἵνα καὶ ἄλλους κατηχήσω, ἢ μυρίους λόγους ἐν γλώσσῃ. 20 ἀδελφοί, μὴ παιδία γίνεσθε ταῖς φρεσίν, ἀλλὰ τῇ κακίᾳ νηπιάζετε, ταῖς δὲ φρεσὶν τέλειοι γίνεσθε. 21 ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γέγραπται ὅτι ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ ἐν χείλεσιν ἑτέρων λαλήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ, καὶ οὐδ' οὕτως εἰσακούσονταί μου, λέγει κύριος. 22 ὥστε αἱ γλῶσσαι εἰς σημεῖόν εἰσιν οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις, ἡ δὲ προφητεία οὐ τοῖς ἀπίστοις ἀλλὰ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν. 23 ἐὰν οὖν συνέλθῃ ἡ ἐκκλησία ὅλη ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ πάντες λαλῶσιν γλώσσαις, εἰσέλθωσιν δὲ ἰδιῶται ἢ ἄπιστοι, οὐκ ἐροῦσιν ὅτι μαίνεσθε; 24 ἐὰν δὲ πάντες προφητεύωσιν, εἰσέλθῃ δέ τις ἄπιστος ἢ ἰδιώτης, ἐλέγχεται ὑπὸ πάντων, ἀνακρίνεται ὑπὸ πάντων, 25 τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ φανερὰ γίνεται, καὶ οὕτως πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον προσκυνήσει τῷ θεῷ, ἀπαγγέλλων ὅτι ὄντως ὁ θεὸς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστιν.

14 If I use a strange tongue when I offer prayer, my spirit is praying, but my mind reaps no advantage from it. 15 What, then, is my drift? Why, I mean to use mind as well as spirit when I offer prayer, use mind as well as spirit when I sing psalms. 16 If thou dost pronounce a blessing in this spiritual fashion, how can one who takes his place among the uninstructed say Amen to thy thanksgiving? He cannot tell what thou art saying.[1] 17 Thou, true enough, art duly giving thanks, but the other’s faith is not strengthened. 18 Thank God, I can speak any of the tongues you use;[2] 19 but in the church, I would rather speak five words which my mind utters, for your instruction, than ten thousand in a strange tongue. 20 Brethren, do not be content to think childish thoughts; keep the innocence of children, with the thoughts of grown men. 21 We read in the law, I will speak to this people with an unknown tongue, with the lips of strangers, and even so they will not listen to me, says the Lord.[3] 22 Thus talking with a strange tongue is a sign given to unbelievers, not to the faithful; whereas prophecy is meant for the faithful, not for unbelievers. 23 And now, what will happen if the uninstructed or the unbelievers come in when the whole church has met together, and find everyone speaking with strange tongues at once? Will they not say you are mad? 24 Whereas, if some unbeliever or some uninstructed person comes in when all alike are prophesying, everyone will read his thoughts, everyone will scrutinize him, 25 all that is kept hidden in his heart will be revealed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, publicly confessing that God is indeed among you.[4]

14 Nam si orem lingua, spiritus meus orat, mens autem mea sine fructu est. 15 Quid ergo est? Orabo spiritu, orabo et mente: psallam spiritu, psallam et mente. 16 Ceterum si benedixeris spiritu, qui supplet locum idiotæ, quomodo dicet: Amen, super tuam benedictionem? quoniam quid dicas, nescit. 17 Nam tu quidem bene gratias agis, sed alter non ædificatur. 18 Gratias ago Deo meo, quod omnium vestrum lingua loquor. 19 Sed in ecclesia volo quinque verba sensu meo loqui, ut et alios instruam: quam decem millia verborum in lingua. 20 Fratres, nolite pueri effici sensibus, sed malitia parvuli estote: sensibus autem perfecti estote. 21 In lege scriptum est: Quoniam in aliis linguis et labiis aliis loquar populo huic: et nec sic exaudient me, dicit Dominus. 22 Itaque linguæ in signum sunt non fidelibus, sed infidelibus: prophetiæ autem non infidelibus, sed fidelibus. 23 Si ergo conveniat universa ecclesia in unum, et omnes linguis loquantur, intrent autem idiotæ, aut infideles: nonne dicent quod insanitis? 24 Si autem omnes prophetent, intret autem quis infidelis, vel idiota, convincitur ab omnibus, dijudicatur ab omnibus: 25 occulta cordis ejus manifesta fiunt: et ita cadens in faciem adorabit Deum, pronuntians quod vere Deus in vobis sit.

26 Τί οὖν ἐστιν, ἀδελφοί; ὅταν συνέρχησθε, ἕκαστος ψαλμὸν ἔχει, διδαχὴν ἔχει, ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει, γλῶσσαν ἔχει, ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει: πάντα πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν γινέσθω. 27 εἴτε γλώσσῃ τις λαλεῖ, κατὰ δύο ἢ τὸ πλεῖστον τρεῖς, καὶ ἀνὰ μέρος, καὶ εἷς διερμηνευέτω: 28 ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ διερμηνευτής, σιγάτω ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαλείτω καὶ τῷ θεῷ. 29 προφῆται δὲ δύο ἢ τρεῖς λαλείτωσαν, καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι διακρινέτωσαν: 30 ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλῳ ἀποκαλυφθῇ καθημένῳ, ὁ πρῶτος σιγάτω. 31 δύνασθε γὰρ καθ' ἕνα πάντες προφητεύειν, ἵνα πάντες μανθάνωσιν καὶ πάντες παρακαλῶνται, 32 καὶ πνεύματα προφητῶν προφήταις ὑποτάσσεται: 33 οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀκαταστασίας ὁ θεὸς ἀλλὰ εἰρήνης. Ὡς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῶν ἁγίων, 34 αἱ γυναῖκες ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις σιγάτωσαν, οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτρέπεται αὐταῖς λαλεῖν: ἀλλὰ ὑποτασσέσθωσαν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ νόμος λέγει. 35 Εἰ δέ τι μαθεῖν θέλουσιν, ἐν οἴκῳ τοὺς ἰδίους ἄνδρας ἐπερωτάτωσαν, αἰσχρὸν γάρ ἐστιν γυναικὶ λαλεῖν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ. 36 ἢ ἀφ' ὑμῶν ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξῆλθεν, ἢ εἰς ὑμᾶς μόνους κατήντησεν; 37 Εἴ τις δοκεῖ προφήτης εἶναι ἢ πνευματικός, ἐπιγινωσκέτω ἃ γράφω ὑμῖν ὅτι κυρίου ἐστὶν: ἐντολή 38 εἰ δέ τις ἀγνοεῖ, ἀγνοεῖται. 39 ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου, ζηλοῦτε τὸ προφητεύειν, καὶ τὸ λαλεῖν μὴ κωλύετε γλώσσαις: 40 πάντα δὲ εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τάξιν γινέσθω.

26 What am I urging, then, brethren? Why, when you meet together, each of you with a psalm to sing, or some doctrine to impart, or a revelation to give, or ready to speak in strange tongues, or to interpret them, see that all is done to your spiritual advantage. 27 If there is speaking with strange tongues, do not let more than two speak, or three at the most; let each take his turn, with someone to interpret for him, 28 and if he can find nobody to interpret, let him be silent in the church, conversing with his own spirit and with God. 29 As for the prophets, let two or three of them speak, while the rest sit in judgement on their prophecies. 30 If some revelation comes to another who is sitting by, let him who spoke first keep silence; 31 there is room for you all to prophesy one by one, so that the whole company may receive instruction and comfort; 32 and it is for the prophets to exercise control over their own spiritual gifts. 33 God is the author of peace, not of disorder; such is the teaching I give in all the churches of the saints.[5] 34 And women are to be silent in the churches; utterance is not permitted to them; let them keep their rank, as the law tells them: 35 if they have any question to raise, let them ask their husbands at home. That a woman should make her voice heard in the church is not seemly. 36 Tell me, was it from you that God’s word was sent out? Are you the only people it has reached? 37 If anybody claims to be a prophet, or to have spiritual gifts, let him prove it by recognizing that this message of mine to you is God’s commandment. 38 If he does not recognize it, he himself shall receive no recognition.[6] 39 Set your hearts, then, brethren, on prophesying; and as for speaking with strange tongues, do not interfere with it. 40 Only let us have everything done suitably, and with right order.

26 Quid ergo est, fratres? Cum convenitis, unusquisque vestrum psalmum habet, doctrinam habet, apocalypsim habet, linguam habet, interpretationem habet: omnia ad ædificationem fiant. 27 Sive lingua quis loquitur, secundum duos, aut ut multum tres, et per partes, et unus interpretatur. 28 Si autem non fuerit interpres, taceat in ecclesia: sibi autem loquatur, et Deo. 29 Prophetæ autem duo, aut tres dicant, et ceteri dijudicent. 30 Quod si alii revelatum fuerit sedenti, prior taceat. 31 Potestis enim omnes per singulos prophetare: ut omnes discant, et omnes exhortentur: 32 et spiritus prophetarum prophetis subjecti sunt. 33 Non enim est dissensionis Deus, sed pacis: sicut et in omnibus ecclesiis sanctorum doceo. 34 Mulieres in ecclesiis taceant, non enim permittitur eis loqui, sed subditas esse, sicut et lex dicit. 35 Si quid autem volunt discere, domi viros suos interrogent. Turpe est enim mulieri loqui in ecclesia. 36 An a vobis verbum Dei processit? aut in vos solos pervenit? 37 Si quis videtur propheta esse, aut spiritualis, cognoscat quæ scribo vobis, quia Domini sunt mandata. 38 Si quis autem ignorat, ignorabitur. 39 Itaque fratres æmulamini prophetare: et loqui linguis nolite prohibere. 40 Omnia autem honeste, et secundum ordinem fiant.

[1] ‘One who takes his place among the uninstructed’; probably in the literal sense of sitting in a particular part of the church. It would seem likely, from a comparison with verse 23, that the uninstructed are the catechumens, as opposed to the baptized Christians. The words ‘blessing’ and ‘thanksgiving’ are sometimes used in connexion with the Holy Eucharist, but we can hardly suppose that they have this sense here.

[2] The Greek here has ‘I can speak with tongues more than any of you’; the Latin ‘I can speak with the tongues of all of you’.

[3] Is. 28.11; the form of the quotation differs considerably from the Septuagint text.

[4] vv. 22-25: The sequence of thought here is difficult; perhaps St Paul means that an outsider might be impressed by hearing one Christian speaking in a language he had never learned, but would only be disgusted by a babel of competing voices. Prophecy, on the other hand, is primarily meant to edify believers; but even an unbeliever might be impressed by finding several people who could read the secrets of his heart.

[5] ‘Such is the teaching I give in all the churches’; according to most Greek manuscripts, the sense is rather ‘all the churches of the saints give proof of it’.

[6] ‘He himself shall receive no recognition’, possibly in the congregation, but more probably in the sight of God (Cf. 13.12 above). Some Greek manuscripts read ‘let him go on in his ignorance’.

Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd