MODERN LITERAL VERSION

14:1 Pursue love*; yet be zealous for spiritual gifts, but rather that* you* may prophesy.
14:2 For* he who speaks in a foreign language does not speak to men, but to God; for* no one hears with understanding, but he speaks mysteries in the spirit.
14:3 But he who prophesies speaks to men for building up and encouragement and consolation.
14:4 He who speaks in a foreign language builds himself up, but he who prophesies builds up the congregation*.
14:5 Now I wish for all of you* to speak with foreign languages, but more that* you* may prophesy, for* greater is he who is prophesying than he who is speaking with foreign languages, unless he translates, that* the congregation* may receive building up.

14:6 But brethren, now if I come to you* speaking with foreign languages, what shall I profit you*, if I do not speak to you* either in revelation or in knowledge or in prophesying or in teaching?
14:7 Even the lifeless things give forth a voice, whether flute or harp, if they do not give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
14:8 For* if the trumpet gives an indistinct voice, who will prepare himself *for war?
14:9 So you* also, if you* do not give distinct speech through the foreign language, how shall it be known what is spoken? For* you* will be speaking into the air.
14:10 If the varieties of foreign voices in the world are so-great, as it may be, and yet none are unintelligible.
14:11 Therefore if I do not know the power of the voice, I will be a barbarian to him who speaks with it, and he who speaks will be a barbarian to me.
14:12 So you* also, since you* are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek in order that you* may abound to the building up of the congregation*.
14:13 Hence let him who speaks in a foreign language pray in order that he may translate.

14:14 For* if I pray in a foreign language, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
14:15 Then* what is it? I will pray with the spirit and I will also pray with the mind. I will sing-praise with the spirit and I will also sing-praise with the mind.
14:16 Otherwise if you give-thanks with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unskilled say the amen upon your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?
14:17 For* you indeed give-thanks well, but the other is not built up.
14:18 I give-thanks to my God, I speak with foreign languages more than you* all.
14:19 But in the congregation*, I wish to speak five words through my mind in order that I might also instruct others, than ten thousand words in a foreign language.

14:20 Brethren, do not become children in your mind-sets, (but be infants in malice), but become mature in your mind-sets.
14:21 It has been written in the law, ‘I will speak to this people in other languages and by other lips, and thus they will not even hear me, says the Lord.' {Is. 28:11-12}
14:22 So-then foreign languages are *for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving, but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe.
14:23 Therefore, if the whole congregation* comes together, and if all speak with foreign languages, and if unskilled or unbelieving people come in, will they not say that you* are mad?
14:24 But if all prophesy and some unbelieving or unskilled person comes in, he is {F} reproved by all. He is judged by all.
14:25 And thus, the secrets of his heart become apparent, and so he will fall down upon his face and worship God, reporting that God really is among you*.

14:26 Then* what is it, brethren? Whenever you* come together, each one of you* has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a foreign language, has a translation. Let all things happen *for the building up.
14:27 If anyone speaks in a foreign language, let it be according to two or three at the most and up individually, and let one translate.
14:28 But if there is no translator, let him be silent in the congregation*, and let him speak to himself and to God.
14:29 But let the prophets speak by two or three and let the others discern.
14:30 But if a prophesy is revealed to another sitting by, let the first be silent.
14:31 For* you* all can prophesy one by one, that* all may learn and all may be encouraged.
14:32 The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets;
14:33 for* God is not a God of unrest, but of peace.
As in all the congregations* of the holy-ones,
14:34 let your* women be silent in the congregations*; for* it is not permitted for them to speak, but to be subject, as the law also says.
14:35 And if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands in their own house; for* it is shameful for women to speak in a congregation*.
14:36 What? Was it from you* that the word of God went forth? Or did it arrive only *for you*?

14:37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him fully know of the things which I write to you*, that they are the commandments from the Lord.
14:38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

14:39 So-then my brethren, be zealous to prophesy and do not forbid people to speak with foreign languages.
14:40 But let all things happen decently and according to some order.
{Footnotes: 1Co 14:24- Or: convicted.}