7. Musical instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. If there is no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played?
8. For example, if the trumpet doesn’t sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?
9. In the same way, if you don’t speak in a way that can be understood, how will anyone know what you’re saying? You will be talking into thin air.
10. No matter how many different languages there are in the world, not one of them is without meaning.
11. If I don’t know what a language means, I will be a foreigner to the person who speaks it and that person will be a foreigner to me.
12. In the same way, since you’re eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in them so that you help the church grow.
13. So the person who speaks in another language should pray for an interpretation of what he says.
14. If I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my mind is not productive.
15. So what does this mean? It means that I will pray with my spirit, and I will pray with my mind. I will sing psalms with my spirit, and I will sing psalms with my mind.
16. Otherwise, if you praise God only with your spirit, how can outsiders say “Amen!” to your prayer of thanksgiving? They don’t know what you’re saying.
17. Your prayer of thanksgiving may be very good, but it doesn’t help other people grow.