20 Brothers, ^hdo not be children in your thinking. ⁱBe infants in evil, but in your thinking be ^jmature. 21 ^kIn the Law it is written, ^l“By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign¹ not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, ^mwill they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 ⁿthe secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, ^ofalling on his face, he will worship God and ^pdeclare that God is really among you.

Orderly Worship

26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has ^qa hymn, ^ra lesson, ^ra revelation, ^sa tongue, or ^tan interpretation. ^uLet all things be done for building up. 27 If any speak in ^sa tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others ^vweigh what is said. 30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, ^wlet the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of ^xconfusion but of peace.

As in ^yall the churches of the saints, 34 ^zthe women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but ^ashould be in submission, as ^bthe Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? 37 ^cIf anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. 38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 So, my brothers, ^dearnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 ^eBut all things should be done decently and ^fin order.