1Corinthians 13-14; Psalms 147 - Prayer Tents

Love Is the Greatest

13If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.G1437G2980G1100G444G2532G32G1161G2192G3361G26G1096G2278G5475G2228G214G2950 2If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing.G2532G1437G2192G4394G2532G1492G3956G3466G2532G3956G1108G2532G1437G2192G3956G4102G5620G3179G3735G1161G2192G3361G26G1510G3762 3If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing.G2532G1437G5595G3956G3450G5224G5595G2532G1437G3860G3450G4983G2443G2545G1161G2192G3361G26G5623G3762 4Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proudG26G3114G5541G26G2206G3756G26G4068G3756G4068G5448G3756G5448 5or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.G807G3756G807G2212G3756G1438G3947G3756G3947G3049G3756G2556 6It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.G5463G3756G1909G93G1161G4796G225 7Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.G4722G3956G4100G3956G1679G3956G5278G3956 8Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!G26G3763G1601G1161G1535G4394G2673G1535G1100G3973G1535G1108G2673 9Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture!G1063G1097G1537G3313G2532G4395G1537G3313 10But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless.G1161G3752G5046G2064G5119G1537G3313G2673 11When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.G3753G2252G3516G2980G5613G3516G5426G5613G3516G3049G5613G3516G1161G3753G1096G435G2673G3516 12Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.G1063G737G991G1223G2072G1722G135G1161G5119G4383G4314G4383G737G1097G1537G3313G1161G5119G1921G2531G2532G1921 13Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.G1161G3570G3306G4102G1680G26G5023G5140G1161G3187G5130G26

Tongues and Prophecy

14Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy.G1377G26G1161G2206G4152G1161G3123G2443G4395 2For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won't be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious.G1063G2980G1100G2980G3756G444G235G2316G1063G3762G191G1161G4151G2980G3466 3But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them.G1161G4395G2980G444G3619G2532G3874G2532G3889 4A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.G2980G1100G3618G1438G1161G4395G3618G1577 5I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened.G1161G2309G5209G3956G2980G1100G1161G3123G2443G4395G1063G3187G4395G2228G2980G1100G1622G1508G1329G2443G1577G2983G3619 6Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language, how would that help you? But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful.G1161G3570G80G1437G2064G4314G5209G2980G1100G5101G5623G5209G3362G2980G5213G2228G1722G602G2228G1722G1108G2228G1722G4394G2228G1722G1322 7Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody.G3676G895G1325G5456G1535G836G1535G2788G3362G1325G1293G5353G4459G1097G832G2228G2789 8And if the bugler doesn't sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle?G1063G2532G1437G4536G1325G82G5456G5101G3903G1519G4171 9It's the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don't understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space.G3779G2532G5210G3362G1325G1223G1100G3056G2154G4459G1097G2980G1063G2071G2980G1519G109 10There are many different languages in the world, and every language has meaning.G1487G2076G5177G5118G1085G5456G1722G2889G2532G3762G880G846 11But if I don't understand a language, I will be a foreigner to someone who speaks it, and the one who speaks it will be a foreigner to me.G3767G3362G1492G3362G1411G5456G2071G2980G915G2532G2980G915G1722G1698 12And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church.G2532G3779G5210G1893G2075G2207G4151G2212G2443G4052G4314G3619G1577 13So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said.G1355G2980G1100G4336G2443G1329 14For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don't understand what I am saying.G1063G1437G4336G1100G3450G4151G4336G1161G3450G3563G2076G175 15Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand.G5101G2076G3767G4336G4151G1161G4336G3563G2532G5567G4151G1161G5567G3563G2532 16For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don't understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don't understand what you are saying?G1893G1437G2127G4151G4459G378G5117G2399G2046G281G1909G4674G2169G1894G1492G3756G5101G3004 17You will be giving thanks very well, but it won't strengthen the people who hear you.G1063G4771G3303G2168G2573G235G2087G3618G3756G3618 18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you.G2168G3450G2316G2980G1100G3123G5216G3956 19But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.G235G1722G1577G2309G2980G4002G3056G1223G3450G3563G2443G2727G243G2532G2228G3463G3056G1722G1100 20Dear brothers and sisters, don't be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.G80G1096G3361G3813G5424G235G2549G3515G1161G5424G1096G5046 21It is written in the Scriptures: "I will speak to my own people through strange languages and through the lips of foreigners. But even then, they will not listen to me," says the LORD.G1722G3551G1125G3754G1722G2084G2532G1722G2087G5491G2980G5129G2992G2532G3779G1522G3761G1522G3450G3004G2962 22So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers.G5620G1100G1526G1519G4592G3756G4100G235G571G1161G4394G3756G571G235G4100 23Even so, if unbelievers or people who don't understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy.G1437G3767G3650G1577G4905G1909G846G2532G3956G2980G1100G1161G1525G2399G2228G571G2046G3756G2046G3754G3105 24But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don't understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say.G1161G1437G3956G4395G1161G1525G5100G571G2228G2399G1651G5259G3956G350G5259G3956 25As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, "God is truly here among you."G2532G3779G1096G2927G846G2588G1096G5318G2532G3779G4098G1909G4383G4352G2316G518G3754G2316G2076G1722G5213G3689

A Call to Orderly Worship

26Well, my brothers and sisters, let's summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.G5101G2076G3767G80G3752G4905G1538G5216G2192G5568G2192G1322G2192G1100G2192G602G2192G2058G1096G3956G1096G4314G3619 27No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say.G1535G5100G2980G1100G2596G1417G2228G4118G5140G2532G303G3313G2532G1329G1520G1329 28But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.G1161G3362G5600G3362G1328G4601G1722G1577G1161G2980G1438G2532G2316 29Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said.G1161G2980G4396G2980G1417G2228G5140G2532G1252G243G1252 30But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop.G1161G1437G601G243G2521G4601G4413G4601 31In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged.G1063G1410G3956G4395G2596G1520G2443G3956G3129G2532G3956G3870 32Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns.G2532G4151G4396G5293G4396 33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God's holy people.G1063G2316G2076G3756G181G235G1515G5613G1722G3956G1577G40 34Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says.G4601G5216G1135G4601G1722G1577G1063G2010G3756G2010G846G2980G235G5293G2531G2532G3004G3551 35If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.G1161G1487G2309G3129G5100G1905G2398G435G1722G3624G1063G2076G149G1135G2980G1722G1577 36Or do you think God's word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only ones to whom it was given?G2228G1831G3056G2316G1831G575G5216G2228G2658G1519G5209G3441 37If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself.G1536G1380G1511G4396G2228G4152G1921G3754G3739G1125G5213G1526G1785G2962 38But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized.G1161G1536G50G50 39So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don't forbid speaking in tongues.G5620G80G2206G4395G2532G2967G3361G2980G1100 40But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.G1096G3956G1096G2156G2532G2596G5010

147Praise the Lord! How good to sing praises to our God! How delightful and how fitting!H1984H3050H2896H2167H430H5273H8416H5000 2The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem and bringing the exiles back to Israel.H3068H1129H3389H3664H1760H3478 3He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.H7495H7665H3820H2280H6094 4He counts the stars and calls them all by name.H4487H4557H3556H7121H8034 5How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!H1419H113H7227H3581H8394H4557 6The Lord supports the humble, but he brings the wicked down into the dust.H3068H5749H6035H8213H7563H8213H776 7Sing out your thanks to the Lord; sing praises to our God with a harp.H6030H3068H8426H2167H3658H430 8He covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, and makes the grass grow in mountain pastures.H3680H8064H5645H3559H4306H776H2682H6779H2022 9He gives food to the wild animals and feeds the young ravens when they cry.H5414H929H3899H1121H6158H7121 10He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might.H2654H1369H5483H7521H7785H376 11No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.H3068H7521H3373H3176H2617 12Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!H7623H3068H3389H1984H430H6726 13For he has strengthened the bars of your gates and blessed your children within your walls.H2388H1280H8179H1288H1121H7130 14He sends peace across your nation and satisfies your hunger with the finest wheat.H7760H7965H1366H7646H2459H2406 15He sends his orders to the world—how swiftly his word flies!H7971H565H776H1697H7323H4120 16He sends the snow like white wool; he scatters frost upon the ground like ashes.H5414H7950H6785H6340H3713H665 17He hurls the hail like stones. Who can stand against his freezing cold?H7993H7140H6595H5975H6440H7135 18Then, at his command, it all melts. He sends his winds, and the ice thaws.H7971H1697H4529H7307H5380H4325H5140 19He has revealed his words to Jacob, his decrees and regulations to Israel.H5046H1697H1697H3290H2706H4941H3478 20He has not done this for any other nation; they do not know his regulations. Praise the Lord!H6213H1471H4941H3045H1984H3050