10. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance.
11. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the speech, I shall be a barbarian to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a barbarian to me.
12. So, seeing that you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that you may excel to the edifying of the church.
13. Let him who speaks in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
14. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding.
16. Otherwise, when you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the unlearned say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, seeing he does not understand what you say?
17. For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18. I thank my God that I speak in tongues more than you all.
19. Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
20. Brothers, do not be children in your thinking; rather be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
21. In the law it is written: “With men of other tonguesand other lipsI will speak to this people;but even then they will not hear Me,”says the Lord.