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1 Corinthians 14

Prophecy a Superior Gift

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 aPursue love, yet  bdesire earnestly  cspiritual gifts, but especially that you may  dprophesy.

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For one who  aspeaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one  1understands, but  2in his spirit he speaks  bmysteries.

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But one who prophesies speaks to men for  aedification and  bexhortation and consolation.

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One who  aspeaks in a tongue  bedifies himself; but one who  cprophesies  bedifies the church.

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Now I wish that you all  aspoke in tongues, but  beven more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who  aspeaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive  cedifying.

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But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of  arevelation or of  bknowledge or of  cprophecy or of  dteaching?

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Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?

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For if  athe  1bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?

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So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be  aspeaking into the air.

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There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of  1languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning.

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If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a  1 abarbarian, and the one who speaks will be a  1barbarian  2to me.

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So also you, since you are zealous of  1spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the  aedification of the church.

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Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

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For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

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 aWhat is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will  bsing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.

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Otherwise if you bless  1in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the  2ungifted say  athe "Amen" at your  bgiving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?

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For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not  aedified.

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I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all;

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however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Instruction for the Church

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 aBrethren,  bdo not be children in your thinking; yet in evil  cbe infants, but in your thinking be mature.

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In  athe Law it is written, " bBY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME," says the Lord.

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So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but  aprophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe.

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Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and  1ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that  ayou are mad?

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But if all  aprophesy, and an unbeliever or an  1ungifted man enters, he is  bconvicted by all, he is called to account by all;

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 athe secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will  bfall on his face and worship God,  cdeclaring that God is certainly among you.

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 aWhat is the outcome then,  bbrethren? When you assemble,  ceach one has a  dpsalm, has a  eteaching, has a  erevelation, has a  ftongue, has an  ginterpretation. Let  hall things be done for edification.

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If anyone speaks in a  atongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must  binterpret;

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but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God.

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Let two or three  aprophets speak, and let the others  bpass judgment.

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But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent.

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For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted;

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and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets;

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for God is not a God of  aconfusion but of  1peace, as in  ball the churches of the  csaints.

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The women are to  akeep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but  bare to subject themselves, just as  cthe Law also says.

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If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is  1improper for a woman to speak in church.

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 1Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?

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 aIf anyone thinks he is a prophet or  bspiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you  care the Lord's commandment.

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But if anyone does not recognize this, he  1is not recognized.

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Therefore, my brethren,  adesire earnestly to  bprophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

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But  aall things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.



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(Produced: Sat Dec 22 11:24:24 2007)

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