5. I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened.
6. Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language, how would that help you? But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful.
7. Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody.
8. And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle?
9. It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space.
10. There are many different languages in the world, and every language has meaning.
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.