1 Corinthians 14:4

14:4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, ¹  but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

1 Corinthians 14:13-14

14:13 So then, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14:14 If ²  I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive.

1 Corinthians 14:19

14:19 but in the church I want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

1 Corinthians 14:26-27

Church Order

14:26 What should you do then, brothers and sisters? ³  When you come together, each one has a song, has a lesson, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all these things be done for the strengthening of the church. 14:27 If someone speaks in a tongue, it should be two, or at the most three, one after the other, and someone must interpret.

[14:4]  ¹ sn The Greek term builds (himself) up does not necessarily bear positive connotations in this context.

[14:14]  ² tc ‡ Most witnesses, including some important ones (א A D^s Ψ 048 Ï lat sy bo), have γάρ (gar, “for”) here, while an equally impressive array of witnesses lack the conjunction (Ì⁴⁶ B F G 0243 1739 1881 sa). This conjunction was frequently added by scribes in epistolary literature as a clarifying word, making the connection with the preceding more explicit. As such, it has the earmarks of being a motivated reading and thus should be rejected. NA²⁷ places the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[14:26]  ³ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.