11. But if I don’t understand a language, I will be a foreigner to someone who speaks it, and the one who speaks it will be a foreigner to me.
12. And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church.
13. So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said.
14. For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.
15. Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand.
16. For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying?
17. You will be giving thanks very well, but it won’t strengthen the people who hear you.
18. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you.
19. But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.
20. Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.
21. It is written in the Scriptures:“I will speak to my own peoplethrough strange languagesand through the lips of foreigners.But even then, they will not listen to me,”says the lord.
22. So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers.
23. Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy.
24. But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say.
25. As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.”
26. Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.
27. No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say.
28. But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.
29. Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said.
30. But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop.