The Word Made Fresh
1Strive to love, and try to have all the spiritual gifts as well, especially prophesy. 2Those who speak in tongues do not speak to others, but only to God because no one can understand them. They are speaking mysteriously in the Spirit. 3But those who prophesy are speaking to build up others with encouragement and reassurance. 4Those who speak in tongues enrich only themselves, but those who prophesy enrich the church. 5Of course I wish all of you could speak in tongues, but even more I wish for you to prophesy. The one who prophesies is more important than the one who speaks in tongues, unless there is someone to interpret what they say so that the church can benefit.
6If I should come to you speaking in tongues how would that help you unless I give you some revelation or knowledge or prophesy or lesson? 7It’s the same as if I were playing an instrument like the flute or the harp that makes a sound, but I must play distinct notes, or no one would know what I was playing. 8If a bugle should give a note that is not clear, who would prepare arms for battle? 9It’s the same with you yourselves. If you should speak in a tongue that is unintelligible how would anyone know what you’re saying? You’d be speaking into the air. 10There is no doubt that there are many kinds of sounds in the world. Indeed, nothing is entirely silent. 11But if I don’t know what a sound means the speaker will be foreign to me, and I to him. 12It’s the same with you. Since you are eager to possess spiritual gifts, try to use them to build up the church.
13So, those who speak in a tongue should pray for the gift of interpretation. 14If I pray in a tongue, my spirit will be praying but my mind will be unproductive. 15What then should I do? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also. 16If you do otherwise and give a blessing with the spirit, how can any outsider say “Amen” to the blessing? After all, they won’t know what’s being said. 17You may give thanks very well, but it won’t benefit anyone else. 18I thank God that I speak in tongues even more than all of you, 19but in the church I would rather speak five words to give some instruction to others than ten thousand words in a tongue they don’t understand.
20Don’t think like children. Be babes in evil, but adults in your thinking. 21It is written in the law, “I will speak to this people by those who speak strange languages, but they won’t listen to me, says the Lord.” 22So, speaking in tongues may not be a sign for believers, but for unbelievers, while prophesy is for believers, not unbelievers.
23So, if the whole church gathers and they all speak in tongues, outsiders or unbelievers who might be there will think you’re all crazy. 24On the other hand, if all of you prophesy, the unbeliever or outsider will be scolded and called to repent. 25Once the secrets of their hearts are known, the unbelievers will bow down and worship God and say, “Surely God is with you!”
26So, what should you do? When you gather, each of you should have a hymn or a revelation or a saying or an interpretation. Let all these things be used for the purpose of building one another up. 27If there are some who speak in tongues let them speak, but only two or at most three, and be sure there is someone to interpret what they are saying. 28But if there is no one to interpret let them be silent in worship and speak only to themselves and God. 29Let two or three prophets speak and allow the others to examine what is said. 30If some revelation is given to someone sitting near you, then be silent. 31Of course, all of you can prophesy, but one by one so that all may learn and be encouraged. 32And the spirits of the prophets belong to the prophets, 33because God is a God of peace, not chaos.
In all the congregations of the saints 34women should be silent. They shouldn’t be allowed to speak, but should be subordinate as the law says. 35If they desire to know anything they can ask their husbands in the privacy of their homes, for it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
36God’s word did not originate with you, and you are not the only ones to have received it. 37Anyone who claims the gifts of prophesy or spiritual powers should tell you that what I am writing to you is at the Lord’s command. 38Anyone who doesn’t know this shouldn’t be recognized. 39So you should eagerly desire the gift of prophesy, and you shouldn’t forbid speaking in tongues, 40but everything should be done in a decent and orderly way.
Commentary
1-5: Although love is the “more excellent way” which we are to pursue, other spiritual gifts are desirable as well, and we are to strive for them. Paul compares the gift of prophecy with the gift of tongues. Prophesy is the more helpful gift, he says, because it is a gift that will “build up the church.” The gift of tongues helps no one other than the one with the gift, and is thus worthless to the church unless there is someone to interpret what is said. By “tongues,” Paul means glossolalia, a kind of ecstatic gibberish. It is not the same phenomenon as that which occurred on the day of Pentecost, for on that occasion the disciples were speaking in human languages and the people in the street each heard them in their native tongue. Obviously “tongues” was considered a valid expression of spiritual fervor. Unfortunately, of all the gifts it perhaps is the one easiest to feign. Therefore, such an utterance, to be useful in the community, must be verified by having someone who can explain what is being said — an interpreter, in other words.
6-12: Paul declares that if he speaks in tongues when he comes to them it wouldn’t be beneficial to them. He then launches into philosophical speculation about the nature of sound and the sounds of nature. Musical instruments are worthless unless they emit some sound that is recognizable. The same holds true with speech. The Corinthians are eager for spiritual gifts, he says, but that desire should be for the benefit of the church, not the one who has the gift. We are reminded of one Simon of Samaria who tried to purchase from Philip the power to bestow the Spirit on others (see Acts 8). It wasn’t for sale.
13-19: Still hung up on tongues, Paul continues to insist that it is a gift for the benefit of the individual only, and even claims himself to have the gift. However, he also insists that it is not a gift that benefits the church, and those gifts are more to be desired than the gift of tongues.
20-25: Pressing the point home in a classic example of overkill, Paul adds one more reason not to speak in tongues during times of community worship and meetings: it will only confuse outsiders and make it even more difficult to ever reach them.
26-33a: He gives them a brief outline to use in their gatherings, one which our modern worship mirrors, though rather loosely. Sing some hymns, give folks who have something to say time to say it, make sure everybody understands what is said, and don’t argue. The purpose is to build each other up, not engage in posturing.
33b-36: This paragraph reflects the prevailing culture of the time. Enough said.
37-40: If anybody disagrees with me on this, Paul says, don’t let them speak. Those Corinthians must have been quite a bunch.
Takeaway
The key to genuine worship is to focus on God, not on ourselves.