I Corinthians 14

¹Sue ye charite, loue ye spiritual thingis, but more that ye prophecien.

²And he that spekith in tunge, spekith not to men, but to God; for no man herith. But the spirit spekith mysteries.

³For he that prophecieth, spekith to men to edificacioun, and monestyng, and coumfortyng.

⁴He that spekith in tunge, edifieth hym silf; but he that prophecieth, edifieth the chirche of God.

⁵And Y wole, that alle ye speke in tungis, but more that ye prophecie. For he that prophecieth, is more than he that spekith in langagis; but perauenture he expoune, that the chirche take edificacioun.

⁶But now, britheren, if Y come to you, and speke in langagis, what schal Y profite to you, but if Y speke to you ethir in reuelacioun, ethir in science, ethir in prophecie, ether in techyng?

⁷For tho thingis that ben withouten soule, and yyueth voices, ethir pipe, ether harpe, but tho yyuen distinccioun of sownyngis, hou schal it be knowun that is sungun, ether that that is trumpid?

⁸For if a trumpe yyue an vncerteyn soune, who schal make hym silf redi to batel?

⁹So but ye yyuen an opyn word bi tunge, hou schal that that is seid be knowun? For ye schulen be spekynge in veyn.

¹⁰There ben many kyndis of langagis in this world, and no thing is with outen vois.

¹¹But if Y knowe not the vertu of a vois, Y schal be to hym, to whom Y schal speke, a barbarik; and he that spekith to me, schal be a barbarik.

¹²So ye, for ye ben loueris of spiritis, seke ye that ye be plenteuouse to edificacioun of the chirche.

¹³And therfor he that spekith in langage, preie, that he expowne.

¹⁴For if Y preye in tunge, my spirit preieth; myn vndurstondyng is with outen fruyt.

¹⁵What thanne? Y schal preye in spirit, Y schal preye in mynde; Y schal seie salm, in spirit, Y schal seie salm also in mynde.

¹⁶For if thou blessist in spirit, who fillith the place of an ydiot, hou schal he seie Amen on thi blessyng, for he woot not, what thou seist?

¹⁷For thou doist wel thankyngis, but an othir man is not edefied.

¹⁸Y thanke my God, for Y speke in the langage of alle you;

¹⁹but in the chirche Y wole speke fyue wordis in my wit, that also Y teche othere men, than ten thousynde of wordis in tunge.

²⁰Britheren, nyle ye be maad children in wittis, but in malice be ye children; but in wittis be ye parfit.

²¹For in the lawe it is writun, That in othere tungis and othere lippis Y schal speke to this puple, and nether so thei schulen here me, seith the Lord.

²²Therfor langagis ben in to tokene, not to feithful men, but to men out of the feith; but prophecies ben not to men out of the feith, but to feithful men.

²³Therfor if alle the chirche come togidere in to oon, and alle men speken in tungis, if idiotis, ether men out of the feith, entren, whether thei schulen not seie, What ben ye woode?

²⁴But if alle men prophecien, if ony vnfeithful man or idiot entre, he is conuyct of alle, he is wiseli demyd of alle.

²⁵For the hid thingis of his herte ben knowun, and so he schal falle doun on the face, and schal worschipe God, and schewe verili that God is in you.

²⁶What thanne, britheren? Whanne ye comen togidere, ech of you hath a salm, he hath techyng, he hath apocalips, he hath tunge, he hath expownyng; alle thingis be thei don to edificacioun.

²⁷Whether a man spekith in tunge, bi twei men, ethir thre at the moste, and bi partis, that oon interprete.

²⁸But if there be not an interpretour, be he stille in the chirche, and speke he to hym silf and to God.

²⁹Prophetis tweine or thre seie, and othere wiseli deme.

³⁰But if ony thing be schewid to a sittere, the formere be stille.

³¹For ye moun `prophecie alle, ech bi hym silf, that alle men lerne, and alle moneste.

³²And the spiritis of prophetis ben suget to prophetis;

³³for whi God is not of discencioun, but of pees; as in alle chirchis of hooli men `Y teche.

³⁴Wymmen in chirchis be stille; for it is not suffrid to hem to speke, but to be suget, as the lawe seith.

³⁵But if thei wolen ony thing lerne, `at home axe thei her hosebondis; for it is foule thing to a womman to speke in chirche.

³⁶Whether `of you the word of God cam forth, or to you aloone it cam?

³⁷If ony man is seyn to be a prophete, or spiritual, knowe he tho thingis that Y write to you, for tho ben the comaundementis of the Lord.

³⁸And if ony man vnknowith, he schal be vnknowun.

³⁹`Therfor, britheren, loue ye to prophecie, and nyle ye forbede to speke in tungis.

⁴⁰But be alle thingis don onestli, and bi due ordre in you.

I Corinthians 14

¹Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

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.

³But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

⁴He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth 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.

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?

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?

⁸For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the 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.

¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

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.

¹²Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

¹³Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

¹⁴For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding 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.

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?

¹⁷For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

¹⁸I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:

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.

²⁰Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

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.

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.

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?

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:

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.

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.

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.

²⁸But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

²⁹Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

³⁰If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.

³¹For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

³²And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

³³For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

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.

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.

³⁶What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

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.

³⁸But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

³⁹Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

⁴⁰Let all things be done decently and in order.