1 Corinthians 14:13-25

New International Version

¹³ For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.^{(A) 14} For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,^(B) but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵ So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit,^(C) but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing^(D) with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. ¹⁶ Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,^[a] say “Amen”^(E) to your thanksgiving,^(F) since they do not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.^(G)

¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. ¹⁹ But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.^(H)

²⁰ Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.^(I) In regard to evil be infants,^(J) but in your thinking be adults. ²¹ In the Law^(K) it is written:

²² Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy,^(M) however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. ²³ So 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?^{(N) 24} But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, ²⁵ as the secrets^(O) of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”^(P)