faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, [1]
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; [2]
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there are prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there are tongues, they shall cease; whether there is knowledge, it shall vanish away. [3]
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. [4]
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. [5] [6]
12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. [7]
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
CHAP. 14.
Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not to men, but to God: for no man understandeth him ; yet in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. [8]
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh to men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spoke with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
6 Now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? [9]
8 For if the trumpet shall give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself for battle?
9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. [10]
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian to me.
12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. [11]
13 Therefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the place of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: yet in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. [12]
21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak to this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them who believe.
23 If therefore the whole church is assembled in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convicted by all, he is judged by all:
25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made known; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you in truth.
26 How is it then, brethren? when ye are assembled, each one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a language,
- ↑ vaunteth...: or, is not rash
- ↑ in the truth: or, with the truth
- ↑ fail: Gr. vanish away
- ↑ done away: Gr. vanish away
- ↑ thought: or, reasoned
- ↑ put away: Gr. vanish away
- ↑ darkly: Gr. in a riddle
- ↑ understandeth: Gr. heareth
- ↑ sounds: or, tunes
- ↑ easy...: Gr. significant
- ↑ of spiritual gifts: Gr. of spirits
- ↑ men: Gr. perfect, or, of a ripe age
