New Living Translation

Greek Study Bible

1Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy.

1Διώκετε τὴν ἀγάπην ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ πνευματικά μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε

2For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious.

2ὁ γὰρ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ ἀλλὰ Θεῷ οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀκούει πνεύματι δὲ λαλεῖ μυστήρια

3But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them.

3ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ οἰκοδομὴν καὶ παράκλησιν καὶ παραμυθίαν

4A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.

4ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ ἑαυτὸν οἰκοδομεῖ ὁ δὲ προφητεύων ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖ

5I 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.

5Θέλω δὲ πάντας ὑμᾶς λαλεῖν γλώσσαις μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα προφητεύητε μείζων δὲ ὁ προφητεύων ἢ ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσαις ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ διερμηνεύῃ ἵνα ἡ ἐκκλησία οἰκοδομὴν λάβῃ

6Dear 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.

6Νῦν δέ ἀδελφοί ἐὰν ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς γλώσσαις λαλῶν τί ὑμᾶς ὠφελήσω ἐὰν μὴ ὑμῖν λαλήσω ἢ ἐν ἀποκαλύψει ἢ ἐν γνώσει ἢ ἐν προφητείᾳ ἢ ‹ἐν› διδαχῇ

7Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody.

7ὅμως τὰ ἄψυχα φωνὴν διδόντα εἴτε αὐλὸς εἴτε κιθάρα ἐὰν διαστολὴν τοῖς φθόγγοις μὴ δῷ πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ αὐλούμενον ἢ τὸ κιθαριζόμενον

8And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle?

8Καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν ἄδηλον σάλπιγξ φωνὴν δῷ τίς παρασκευάσεται εἰς πόλεμον

9It’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.

9οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς διὰ τῆς γλώσσης ἐὰν μὴ εὔσημον λόγον δῶτε πῶς γνωσθήσεται τὸ λαλούμενον ἔσεσθε γὰρ εἰς ἀέρα λαλοῦντες

10There are many different languages in the world, and every language has meaning.

10Τοσαῦτα εἰ τύχοι γένη φωνῶν εἰσιν ἐν κόσμῳ καὶ οὐδὲν ἄφωνον

11But 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.

11ἐὰν οὖν μὴ εἰδῶ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς φωνῆς ἔσομαι τῷ λαλοῦντι βάρβαρος καὶ ὁ λαλῶν ἐν ἐμοὶ βάρβαρος

12And 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.

12Οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπεὶ ζηλωταί ἐστε πνευμάτων πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ζητεῖτε ἵνα περισσεύητε

13So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said.

13Διὸ ὁ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ προσευχέσθω ἵνα διερμηνεύῃ

14For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.

14ἐὰν γὰρ προσεύχωμαι γλώσσῃ τὸ πνεῦμά μου προσεύχεται ὁ δὲ νοῦς μου ἄκαρπός ἐστιν

15Well 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.

15Τί οὖν ἐστιν προσεύξομαι τῷ πνεύματι προσεύξομαι δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ ψαλῶ τῷ πνεύματι ψαλῶ δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ

16For 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?

16ἐπεὶ ἐὰν εὐλογῇς [ἐν] πνεύματι ὁ ἀναπληρῶν τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου πῶς ἐρεῖ τὸ Ἀμήν ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ ἐπειδὴ τί λέγεις οὐκ οἶδεν

17You will be giving thanks very well, but it won’t strengthen the people who hear you.

17σὺ μὲν γὰρ καλῶς εὐχαριστεῖς ἀλλ’ ὁ ἕτερος οὐκ οἰκοδομεῖται

18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you.

18Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ Θεῷ πάντων ὑμῶν μᾶλλον γλώσσαις λαλῶ

19But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.

19ἀλλὰ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ θέλω πέντε λόγους τῷ νοΐ μου λαλῆσαι ἵνα καὶ ἄλλους κατηχήσω ἢ μυρίους λόγους ἐν γλώσσῃ

20Dear 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.

20Ἀδελφοί μὴ παιδία γίνεσθε ταῖς φρεσίν ἀλλὰ τῇ κακίᾳ νηπιάζετε ταῖς δὲ φρεσὶν τέλειοι γίνεσθε

21It is written in the Scriptures : “I will speak to my own people through strange languages and through the lips of foreigners. But even then, they will not listen to me,” says the LORD.

21ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γέγραπται ὅτι Ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ ἐν χείλεσιν ἑτέρων λαλήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ καὶ οὐδ’ οὕτως εἰσακούσονταί μου λέγει Κύριος

22So 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.

22Ὥστε αἱ γλῶσσαι εἰς σημεῖόν εἰσιν οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις ἡ δὲ προφητεία οὐ τοῖς ἀπίστοις ἀλλὰ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν

23Even 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.

23Ἐὰν οὖν συνέλθῃ ἡ ἐκκλησία ὅλη ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ πάντες λαλῶσιν γλώσσαις εἰσέλθωσιν δὲ ἰδιῶται ἢ ἄπιστοι οὐκ ἐροῦσιν ὅτι μαίνεσθε

24But 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.

24ἐὰν δὲ πάντες προφητεύωσιν εἰσέλθῃ δέ τις ἄπιστος ἢ ἰδιώτης ἐλέγχεται ὑπὸ πάντων ἀνακρίνεται ὑπὸ πάντων

25As 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.” A Call to Orderly Worship

25τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ φανερὰ γίνεται καὶ οὕτως πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον προσκυνήσει τῷ Θεῷ ἀπαγγέλλων ὅτι Ὄντως ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστιν

26Well, 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.

26Τί οὖν ἐστιν ἀδελφοί ὅταν συνέρχησθε ἕκαστος ψαλμὸν ἔχει διδαχὴν ἔχει ἀποκάλυψιν ἔχει γλῶσσαν ἔχει ἑρμηνείαν ἔχει πάντα πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν γινέσθω

27No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say.

27Εἴτε γλώσσῃ τις λαλεῖ κατὰ δύο ἢ τὸ πλεῖστον τρεῖς καὶ ἀνὰ μέρος καὶ εἷς διερμηνευέτω

28But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.

28ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ διερμηνευτής σιγάτω ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαλείτω καὶ τῷ Θεῷ

29Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said.

29Προφῆται δὲ δύο ἢ τρεῖς λαλείτωσαν καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι διακρινέτωσαν

30But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop.

30ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλῳ ἀποκαλυφθῇ καθημένῳ ὁ πρῶτος σιγάτω

31In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged.

31δύνασθε γὰρ καθ’ ἕνα πάντες προφητεύειν ἵνα πάντες μανθάνωσιν καὶ πάντες παρακαλῶνται

32Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns.

32καὶ πνεύματα προφητῶν προφήταις ὑποτάσσεται

33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.

33οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἀκαταστασίας ὁ Θεὸς ἀλλὰ εἰρήνης Ὡς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῶν ἁγίων

34Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says.

34αἱ γυναῖκες ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις σιγάτωσαν οὐ γὰρ ἐπιτρέπεται αὐταῖς λαλεῖν ἀλλὰ ὑποτασσέσθωσαν καθὼς καὶ ὁ νόμος λέγει

35If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.

35εἰ δέ τι μαθεῖν θέλουσιν ἐν οἴκῳ τοὺς ἰδίους ἄνδρας ἐπερωτάτωσαν αἰσχρὸν γάρ ἐστιν γυναικὶ λαλεῖν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ

36Or do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only ones to whom it was given?

36Ἢ ἀφ’ ὑμῶν ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξῆλθεν ἢ εἰς ὑμᾶς μόνους κατήντησεν

37If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself.

37Εἴ τις δοκεῖ προφήτης εἶναι ἢ πνευματικός ἐπιγινωσκέτω ἃ γράφω ὑμῖν ὅτι Κυρίου ἐστὶν ἐντολή

38But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized.

38εἰ δέ τις ἀγνοεῖ ἀγνοεῖται

39So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues.

39Ὥστε ἀδελφοί μου ζηλοῦτε τὸ προφητεύειν καὶ τὸ λαλεῖν μὴ κωλύετε γλώσσαις

40But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.

40πάντα δὲ εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τάξιν γινέσθω

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.