Read the Bible

¹ Folowe after loue, and couet spirituall [giftes] but most chiefelie that ye may prophesie.² For he that speaketh with the tongue, speaketh not vnto men, but vnto God: For no man heareth [hym]. Howbeit, in the spirite he speaketh misteries.³ But he that prophesieth, speaketh vnto men to their edifiyng, to their exhortation, and to their comfort.⁴ He that speaketh with the tongue, edifieth hym selfe: he that prophesieth, edifieth the Churche.⁵ I woulde yt ye al spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: For greater is he that prophesieth, then he that speaketh with tongues, except he expounde it, that the Churche may haue edifiyng.

⁶ Nowe brethren, yf I come vnto you speakyng with tongues, what shall I profite you, except I speake to you eyther by reuelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesiyng, or by doctrine?⁷ Moreouer, thynges without lyfe geuing sound, whether [it be] a pipe or an harpe, except they make a distinction in the soundes, howe shall it be knowen what is piped or harped?⁸ And also yf the trumpe geue an vncertayne sounde, who shall prepare him selfe to the warre?⁹ Euen so lykewyse, when ye speake with tongues, except ye speake wordes that haue signification, howe shall it be vnderstande what is spoken? For ye shall speake into the ayer.¹⁰ There are so many kyndes of voyces, [as it commeth to passe] in the worlde, and none of them are without signification.¹¹ If I knowe not what the voyce meaneth, I shalbe lyke vnto hym that speaketh, an aliaunt: and he that speaketh, shalbe an aliaunt vnto me.¹² Euen so, forasmuch as ye couet spirituall [giftes] seke that ye may excell, vnto the edifiyng of the Churche.¹³ Wherfore, let him that speaketh with tongue, pray that he may interprete.¹⁴ For yf I pray with tongue, my spirite prayeth, but my vnderstanding is without fruite.

¹⁵ What is it then? I wyll pray with the spirite, and wyll pray with the vnderstandyng also. I wyll syng with the spirite, and wyll syng with the vnderstandyng also.¹⁶ Els, when thou blessest with the spirite, howe shall he that occupieth the rowme of the vnlearned, say Amen at thy geuyng of thankes, seyng he vnderstandeth not what thou sayest?¹⁷ Thou veryly geuest thankes well: but the other is not edified.¹⁸ I thanke my God, I speake with tongues more the ye all.¹⁹ Yet had I rather, in the Churche to speake fiue wordes with my vnderstandyng, to the information of other, then ten thousande wordes with the tongue.²⁰ Brethren, be not chyldren in wytte: Howbeit, as concerning maliciousnesse, be chyldren: but in wytte, be perfect.

²¹ In the lawe it is written: With sundry tongues, and with sundry lyppes, wyll I speake vnto this people, and yet for all that will they not heare me, sayth the Lorde.²² Wherfore, tongues are for a signe, not to them that beleue, but to them that beleue not: But prophesiyng [serueth] not for them that beleue not, but for them which beleue.²³ If therfore, when all the Churche is come together in one, & all speake with tongues, there come in they that are vnlearned, or they which beleue not: wyll they not say yt ye are out of your wittes?²⁴ But yf all prophesie, and there come in one ye beleueth not, or one vnlearned: he is rebuked of all men, and is iudged of euery man:²⁵ And so are the secretes of his heart made manifest, and so falleth he downe on his face, and worshippeth God, and sayth that God is in you of a trueth.

²⁶ Howe is it then brethren? When ye come together, euery one of you hath a psalme, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a reuelation, hath interpretation. Let all thynges be done vnto edifiyng.²⁷ Yf any man speake with tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course, and let one interprete.²⁸ But yf there be no interpreter, let him kepe scilence in the Churche, and let him speake to hym selfe, and to God.²⁹ Let the prophetes speake two or three, and let the other iudge.³⁰ If any reuelation be made to another that sitteth by, let ye first holde his peace.³¹ For ye may all prophesie one by one, that all may learne, and all may haue comfort.³² And the spirites of the prophetes, are subiect to the prophetes.³³ For God is not [the aucthour] of confusion, but of peace, as in all Churches of the saintes.

³⁴ Let your women kepe scilence in the Churches: For it is not permitted vnto them to speake, but to be vnder obedience, as sayth the lawe.³⁵ If they wyll learne any thyng, let the aske their husbandes at home: For it is a shame for women to speake in the Churche.

³⁶ Sproung the worde of God from you? Either came it vnto you only?³⁷ If any man thynke hym selfe to be a prophete, either spiritual, let him knowe that the thinges that I write vnto you, are ye commaundementes of the Lorde.³⁸ But yf any man be ignoraunt, let hym be ignoraunt.³⁹ Wherfore brethren, couet to prophesie, and forbyd not to speake with tongues.⁴⁰ Let all thynges be done honestlie and in order.