1 Corinthians 14–16

1Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

2For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.

3But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.

4The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

5I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be edified.

6Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

7Even in the case of lifeless instruments, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone recognize the tune they are playing unless the notes are distinct?

8Again, if the trumpet sounds a muffled call, who will prepare for battle?

9So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.

10Assuredly, there are many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.

11If, then, I do not know the meaning of someone’s language, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me.

12It is the same with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, strive to excel in gifts that build up the church.

13Therefore, the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.

14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

15What then shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

16Otherwise, if you speak a blessing in spirit, how can someone who is uninstructed say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?

17You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other one is not edified.

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

19But in the church, I would rather speak five coherent words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

21It is written in the Law: “By strange tongues and foreign lips I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to Me, says the Lord.”

22Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

23So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who are uninstructed or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

24But if an unbeliever or uninstructed person comes in while everyone is prophesying, he will be convicted and called to account by all,

25and the secrets of his heart will be made known. So he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is truly among you!”

26What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.

27If anyone speaks in a tongue, two, or at most three, should speak in turn, and someone must interpret.

28But if there is no interpreter, he should remain silent in the church and speak only to himself and God.

29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

30And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop.

31For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.

32The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

33For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.

34Women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.

35If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.

36Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only ones it has reached?

37If anyone considers himself a prophet or spiritual person, let him acknowledge that what I am writing you is the Lord’s command.

38But if anyone ignores this, he himself will be ignored.

39So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

40But everything must be done in a proper and orderly manner.

1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, and in which you stand firm.

2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

5and that He appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve.

6After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

7Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

8And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one of untimely birth.

9For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

11Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith.

15In that case, we are also exposed as false witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised.

16For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised.

17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

19If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men.

20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

23But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him.

24Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.

25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.

26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

27For “God has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him.

28And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.

29If these things are not so, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?

30And why do we endanger ourselves every hour?

31I face death every day, brothers, as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord.

32If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

34Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.

35But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”

36You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.

37And what you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else.

38But God gives it a body as He has designed, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body.

39Not all flesh is the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another, and fish another.

40There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the splendor of the heavenly bodies is of one degree, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is of another.

41The sun has one degree of splendor, the moon another, and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable.

43It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

45So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam a life-giving spirit.

46The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and then the spiritual.

47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.

48As was the earthly man, so also are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.

49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man.

50Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—

52in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

55“Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?”

56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1Now about the collection for the saints, you are to do as I directed the churches of Galatia:

2On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will be needed.

3Then, on my arrival, I will send letters with those you recommend to carry your gift to Jerusalem.

4And if it is advisable for me to go also, they can travel with me.

5After I go through Macedonia, however, I will come to you; for I will be going through Macedonia.

6Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go.

7For I do not want to see you now only in passing; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.

8But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost,

9because a great door for effective work has opened to me, even though many oppose me.

10If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, just as I am.

11No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he can return to me, for I am expecting him along with the brothers.

12Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was not at all inclined to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

13Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.

14Do everything in love.

15You know that Stephanas and his household were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. Now I urge you, brothers,

16to submit to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer.

17I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you.

18For they refreshed my spirit and yours as well. Show your appreciation, therefore, to such men.

19The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.

20All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

21This greeting is in my own hand—Paul.

22If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be under a curse. Come, O Lord!

23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

24My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.