The Collection for the Saints
1 Now concerning1 ethe collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On fthe first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, gas he may prosper, hso that there will be no collecting when I come. 3 And when I arrive, I will send ithose whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.
Plans for Travel
5 jI will visit you after passing through kMacedonia, for lI intend to pass through Macedonia, 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may mhelp me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now njust in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, oif the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until pPentecost, 9 for qa wide door for effective work has opened to me, and rthere are many adversaries.
10 sWhen Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for the is doing uthe work of the Lord, as I am. 11 So vlet no one despise him. wHelp him on his way xin peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.
Final Instructions
12 Now concerning your brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will2 to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.
13 zBe watchful, astand firm in the faith, bact like men, cbe strong. 14 dLet all that you do be done in love.
15 Now I urge you, brothers3—you know that ethe household4 of Stephanas were fthe first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves gto the service of the saints— 16 hbe subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for iyour absence, 18 for they jrefreshed my spirit as well as yours. kGive recognition to such people.
Greetings
19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. lAquila and Prisca, together with mthe church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20 All the brothers send you greetings. nGreet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write othis greeting with my own hand. 22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be paccursed. Our Lord, come!5 23 qThe grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Prophecy and Tongues
1 sPursue love, and tearnestly desire the uspiritual gifts, especially that you may vprophesy. 2 For wone who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but xeven more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.
6 Now, brothers,1 if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some yrevelation or knowledge or prophecy or zteaching? 7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? 8 And aif the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be bspeaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be ca foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; dI will sing praise with my spirit, but I will esing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider2 say f“Amen” to gyour thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
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 sign3 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.
