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1 Corinthians 14:16

Verse 16 of 40. The 14th of 16 chapters in 1 Corinthians, in The Letters of Paul.

12So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.

13Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret.

14For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

15What should I do? 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.

16Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, seeing he doesn’t know what you say?

17For you most certainly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up.

18I thank my God, I speak with other languages more than you all.

19However, in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language.

20Brothers, don’t be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.

Read 1 Corinthians 14

World English Bible. Public domain. Set as prose throughout, including the poetry, because the text is published to us without its lines.