1 Corinthians 14 – NIVUK & ASCB

New International Version – UK

1 Corinthians 14:1-40

Intelligibility in worship

1Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2For anyone who speaks in a tongue14:2 Or in another language; also in verses 4, 13, 14, 19, 26 and 27 does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no-one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5I would like every one of you to speak in tongues,14:5 Or in other languages; also in verses 6, 18, 22, 23 and 39 but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues,14:5 Or in other languages; also in verses 6, 18, 22, 23 and 39 unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.

6Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready 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. 10Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 12So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.

13For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an enquirer,14:16 The Greek word for enquirer is a technical term for someone not fully initiated into a religion; also in verses 23 and 24. say ‘Amen’ to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17You are giving thanks well enough, but no-one else is edified.

18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21In the Law it is written:

‘With other tongues

and through the lips of foreigners

I will speak to this people,

but even then they will not listen to me,

says the Lord.’14:21 Isaiah 28:11,12

22Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and enquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24But if an unbeliever or an enquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!’

Good order in worship

26What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, two – or at the most three – should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to 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 sitting down, 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 the control of prophets. 33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace – as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.

34Women14:33,34 Or peace. As in all the congregations of the Lord’s people, 34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35If they want to enquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.14:34,35 In a few manuscripts these verses come after verse 40.

36Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.14:38 Some manuscripts But anyone who is ignorant of this will be ignorant

39Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Asante Twi Contemporary Bible

1 Korintofoɔ 14:1-40

1Ɔdɔ na ɛsɛ sɛ mohwehwɛ akyire kwan. Momma mo akoma nni Honhom no akyɛdeɛ akyi, ne titire no, nkɔmhyɛ.

Kasa Foforɔ

2Onipa a ɔka kasa foforɔ no nkasa nkyerɛ nnipa, na mmom ɔkasa kyerɛ Onyankopɔn, ɛfiri sɛ, obiara nte asɛm a ɔka no ase. Ɔnam Honhom no tumi so ka nokorɛ mu ahintasɛm. 3Nanso onipa a ɔhyɛ nkɔm no kasa kyerɛ nnipa, boa wɔn, hyɛ wɔn nkuran, kyekye wɔn werɛ. 4Onipa a ɔka kasa foforɔ no boa ɔno ankasa ne ho, nanso onipa a ɔhyɛ nkɔm no boa asafo no nyinaa. 5Ɛwom sɛ mepɛ sɛ mo nyinaa ka kasa foforɔ deɛ, nanso mepɛ sɛ mo nyinaa nya akyɛdeɛ a ɛbɛma mo ahyɛ nkɔm. Ɛfiri sɛ, onipa a ɔhyɛ nkɔm no ho hia yie kyɛn onipa a ɔka kasa foforɔ no, gye sɛ, obi wɔ hɔ a ɔbɛkyerɛ aseɛ, ma aboa asafo no nyinaa.

6Enti anuanom, sɛ meba mo nkyɛn na meka kasa foforɔ a, mfasoɔ bɛn na mobɛnya wɔ me ho? Morennya hwee gye sɛ meda Onyankopɔn ahintasɛm adi anaa meda osuahunu bi adi, anaa meka nsɛm ma ɛkanyane mo, anaa mekyerɛkyerɛ mo. 7Saa ara nso na nneɛma a nkwa nni mu, te sɛ, abɛn anaa sankuo a wɔde bɔ nnwom no, sɛ nnwom no bɔ no mu anna hɔ a, obiara rente ne dɛ. 8Na sɛ deɛ ɔbɔ totorobɛnto no nso ammɔ no yie a, hwan na ɔbɛsiesie ne ho akɔ ɔko? 9Saa ara nso na mebisa sɛ, sɛ moka kasa foforɔ a emu nna hɔ a, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi ate asɛm a moka no ase? Mo nsɛm no bɛyera wɔ mframa mu. 10Kasa ahodoɔ bebree na ɛwɔ ewiase, nanso emu biara nni hɔ a nteaseɛ nni mu. 11Na sɛ mente kasa a obi ka no ase a, deɛ ɔreka saa kasa no bɛyɛ ɔhɔhoɔ ama me, na me a meretie no nso, mayɛ ɔhɔhoɔ ama no. 12Esiane sɛ mopere sɛ mobɛnya Honhom no akyɛdeɛ no enti, ɛsɛ sɛ mohwehwɛ deɛ ɛbɛboa asafo no ama atim yie.

13Ɛsɛ sɛ obi a ɔka kasa foforɔ no bɔ mpaeɛ na ɔtumi kyerɛ nsɛm a ɔka no ase. 14Sɛ meka kasa foforɔ bɔ mpaeɛ a, me honhom bɔ saa mpaeɛ no, nanso mʼadwene mmoa. 15Ɛdeɛn na afei ɛsɛ sɛ meyɛ? Mede me honhom bɛbɔ mpaeɛ, na ɛtɔ da bi nso a mede mʼadwene bɛbɔ mpaeɛ; mede me honhom bɛto dwom, nanso mede mʼadwene nso bɛto bi. 16Sɛ wonam honhom nko so da Onyankopɔn ase a, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na obi a ɔka nhyiamu no ho no bɛtumi agye wʼaseda mpaeɛ no so sɛ “Amen” bi? Ɛkwan biara nni hɔ a ɔbɛfa so ate deɛ woreka no ase. 17Sɛ ɛba saa a, na wʼaseda mpaeɛ a worebɔ Onyankopɔn no yɛ sɛ ɛdeɛn ara mpo a, ɛremmoa onipa a ɔka wo ho no ɛkwan biara so.

18Meda Onyankopɔn ase sɛ meka kasa foforɔ sene mo a mowɔ ha nyinaa. 19Nanso, asafo mu som no, mɛpɛ sɛ mɛka kasa mmaako mmaako enum pɛ a mobɛte aseɛ na moagyina so atumi akyerɛ afoforɔ adeɛ sene sɛ mɛka nsɛm mpempem wɔ kasa foforɔ mu.

20Monnnwene sɛ, mmɔfra, anuanom; nanso sɛ yɛka bɔne ho asɛm deɛ a, monyɛ mo ho sɛ mmɔfra. Nanso, monnwene sɛ mmadwemma. 21Atwerɛsɛm no ka sɛ,

“Menam nnipa a wɔka kasa foforɔ so

bɛkasa makyerɛ saa nnipa yi.

Menam ahɔhoɔ anofafa so bɛkasa

nanso, wɔrentie me,”

Awurade na ɔseɛ.

22Kasa foforɔ no yɛ wɔn a wɔnni gyidie no nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ ɛnna Onyame asɛnka no nso yɛ agyidifoɔ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ. 23Sɛ asafo no nyinaa hyia na obiara fiti aseɛ ka kasa foforɔ na sɛ ahɔhoɔ anaa wɔn a wɔnni gyidie fra mo mu a, monnye nni sɛ wɔbɛka sɛ moabobɔ adam? 24Nanso, sɛ mo nyinaa na moka Onyankopɔn asɛm na sɛ obi a ɔnni gyidie anaa onipa foforɔ bi bɛfra mo mu a, nsɛm a ɔbɛte no bɛma wanu ne ho wɔ ne bɔne ho. Nsɛm a ɔte no bɛbu no atɛn 25na ne kɔkoamsɛm bɛda adi, na ɔbɛbu nkotodwe asom Onyankopɔn na waka ne bɔne sɛ, “Nokorɛ ni, Onyankopɔn ka yɛn ho wɔ ha!”

Asafo No Mu Ɔsom

26Anuanom, nsɛm a meka yi kyerɛ sɛn? Sɛ mohyia sɛ moresom a, obi to dwom; obi kyerɛkyerɛ; obi da Onyankopɔn ahintasɛm adi; obi ka kasa foforɔ ɛnna ɔfoforɔ nso akyerɛkyerɛ aseɛ. Ɛsɛ sɛ biribiara boa asafo no nkɔsoɔ. 27Sɛ obi pɛ sɛ ɔka kasa foforɔ a, aboro so koraa no, ɛsɛ sɛ ɛyɛ nnipa bɛyɛ baanu anaa baasa. Ɔbaako kasa wie a, na ɔfoforɔ nso akasa, na obi nso akyerɛkyerɛ nsɛm a waka no ase. 28Na sɛ obi nni hɔ a ɔbɛkyerɛ kasa foforɔ yi ase de a, ɛsɛ sɛ onipa a ɔka saa kasa no yɛ komm wɔ nhyiamu no ase na ɔkasa kyerɛ ne ho ne Onyankopɔn.

29Nnipa baanu anaa baasa a Onyankopɔn asɛm no wɔ wɔn nkyɛn no na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔkasa na wɔn a aka no nso atie, adwene ho. 30Na sɛ obi a ɔte hɔ nso nya asɛm firi Onyankopɔn nkyɛn a, ɛsɛ sɛ onipa a ɔrekasa no gyae kasa. 31Ɛsɛ sɛ mo nyinaa ka Onyankopɔn asɛm no mmaako mmaako sɛdeɛ mo nyinaa bɛnya osuahunu bi ne nkuranhyɛ. 32Ɛsɛ sɛ nkɔmhyɛni no pene so, gyae ma ɔfoforɔ nso kasa. 33Ɛfiri sɛ, Onyankopɔn mfrɛɛ yɛn sɛ yɛmmɛyɛ basabasa, na mmom asomdwoeɛpɛfoɔ. Sɛdeɛ ɛte wɔ Onyankopɔn asafo mu no.

34Ɛsɛ sɛ mmaa a wɔwɔ asafo mu no yɛ komm wɔ asafo no nhyiamu ase. Wɔnni ho ɛkwan sɛ wɔkasa, sɛdeɛ Mose Mmara no kyerɛ no. 35Sɛ wɔrepɛ biribi mu ahunu a, wɔmmisa wɔn kununom wɔ fie. Ɔbaa kasa wɔ asafo nhyiamu ase a, ɛyɛ animguaseɛ.

36Anaa mofa no sɛ Onyankopɔn asɛm no firi mo nkyɛn? Anaa mo nko ara mo nkyɛn na ɛfiri? 37Sɛ obi susu sɛ ɔyɛ odiyifoɔ anaa ɔwɔ honhom akyɛdeɛ a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔte ne ho ase sɛ nsɛm a meretwerɛ yi, Awurade na ɔhyɛɛ me sɛ mentwerɛ. 38Enti, sɛ ɔntie yei a, ɛnneɛ, monntie ɔno nso.

39Enti anuanom, mompere sɛ mobɛhyɛ nkɔm, nanso monnnyae sɛ mobɛka kasa foforɔ. 40Ɛsɛ sɛ moyɛ biribiara wɔ ne kwan so.