1 Corinthians 11:4

³⁰David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. All the people who were with him each covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

¹⁴Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?

⁴The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!”

²⁸God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.

¹⁰and to another workings of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of languages, and to another the interpretation of languages.

¹Follow after love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. ²For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God, for no one understands, but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. ³But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation. ⁴He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly. ⁵Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but even more that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.

⁶But now, brothers,^[+] if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? ⁷Even lifeless things that make a sound, whether pipe or harp, if they didn’t give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped? ⁸For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war? ⁹So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air. ¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning. ¹¹If then I don’t know the meaning of the language, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me. 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. ²¹In the law it is written, “By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. They won’t even listen to me that way, says the Lord.”²²Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe. ²³If therefore the whole assembly is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won’t they say that you are crazy? ²⁴But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all. ²⁵And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.