1 Corinthians 14 is Paul’s practical ordering of spiritual gifts in the Corinthian church, where tongues and prophecy had become sources of confusion rather than edification. Written from Ephesus around AD 53-55, this chapter extends the love framework of chapter 13 into concrete instruction: every gift exercised in pu

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Lyrics

Follow after love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts But especially that you may prophesy For he who speaks in another language Speaks not to men but to God For no one understands but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries

But he who prophesies speaks to men For their edification exhortation and consolation He who speaks in another language edifies himself But he who prophesies edifies the assembly Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages But even more that you would prophesy

For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks With other languages unless he interprets That the assembly may be built up But now brothers if I come to you Speaking with other languages what would I profit you Unless I speak to you either by way of revelation Or of knowledge or of prophesying or of teaching

Even lifeless things that make a sound Whether pipe or harp if they didn’t give a distinction in the sounds How would it be known what is piped or harped For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound Who would prepare himself for war

So also you unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand How would it be known what is spoken For you would be speaking into the air There are it may be so many kinds of languages in the world And none of them is without meaning

If then I don’t know the meaning of the language I would be to him who speaks a foreigner And he who speaks would be a foreigner to me So also you since you are zealous for spiritual gifts Seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret

For if I pray in another language my spirit prays But my understanding is unfruitful What should I do 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

Otherwise if you bless with the spirit How will he who fills the place of the unlearned Say the Amen at your giving of thanks Seeing he doesn’t know what you say For you most certainly give thanks well But the other person is not built up

I thank my God I speak with other languages more than you all However in the assembly I would rather speak five words With my understanding that I might instruct others also Than ten thousand words in another language

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1 Corinthians 14 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.

Published 2026-05-22 · Last updated 2026-06-06
Written by Reid Wender, Editorial Director at Psalmody Press