1 Corinthians · Chapter 14

[ edit] Sue ȝe charite, loue ȝe ſpiritual þingis, more forſoþ þat ȝe prophecie. Soþli he þat ſpekiþ in tunge, ſpekiþ not to men, but to God; forſoþ no man heeriþ. Soþli þe ſpirit ſpekiþ myſteries. Forwhi he þat prophecieþ, ſpekiþ to men, to edificacioun, and moneſtynge, and comfortynge, or ſolaſynge. He þat ſpekiþ in tunge, edifieþ him ſilf; forſoþ he þat prophecieþ, edyfieþ þe chirche of God. Forſoþe I wole ȝou alle for to ſpeke in tungis, but more for to prophecie. Forwhi he þat prophecieþ, is more þan he þat ſpekiþ in tungis, or langagis; no but perauenture he interprete, or declare, þat þe chirche take edificacioun.

Now forſoþ, briþeren, if I ſchal come to ȝou, ſpekynge in tungis, what ſchal I profyte, no but if I ſchal ſpeke to ȝou eþer in reuelacioun, eþir in ſcience, eþer in prophecie, eþer in techinge? Neþelees þo þingis þat ben wiþ oute ſoule, or lyf, ȝyuynge voyces, eþer pype, eþer harpe, no but þei ſchulen ȝyue diſtinccioun of ſownyngis, how ſchal it be kowd þat is ſongun, eþer þat þat is harpid? And ſoþli if þe trumpe ȝyue vncerteyn vois, who ſchal make him ſilf redy to bateil? So and no but ȝe ſchulen ȝyue an opyn word by tunge, how ſchal þat þat is ſeid be knowun? Soþli ȝe ſchulen be ſpekynge in þe eiris, ſo manye as ben tungis, or langagis, in þis world, and no þing is wiþoute voys.

Þerfore if I ſchal not knowe þe vertu of vois, I ſchal be to him, to whom I ſchal ſpeke, a barbar, or not vndirſtondun; and he þat ſpekiþ, to me a barbar. So and ȝe, for ȝe ben loueris of ſpiritis, to edificacioun of þe chirche ſeke þat ȝe be plenteuous. And þerfore he þat ſpekiþ in tunge, preie, þat he interprete, or expowne. Forwhi if I preye in tunge, my ſpirit preieþ; forſoþ my mynde, or reſoun, is wiþoute fruyt. Þerfore what þing is? I ſchal preie in ſpirit, I ſchal preie and in mynde, or reſoun; I ſchal ſeie ſalm in ſpirit, I ſchal ſeye ſalm in mynde, or reſoun.

Forwhi if þou ſchalt bleſſe in ſpirit, who fulfilliþ þe place of an ydiote, or vnlerid man, how ſchal he ſeie Amen vpon þi bleſſing, for he woot not, what þou ſeiſt? Forwhi þou ſoþli doiſt wel gracis, or þankyngis, but anoþer man is not edified. I do graces to my God, for I ſpeke in þe langagis of alle ȝou; but in þe chirche I wole ſpeke fyue wordis in my witt, þat and I teche oþere men, þan ten þouſandis of wordis in tunge. Briþeren, nyle ȝe be maad children in wittis, but in malice be ȝe litil; forſoþ in wittis be ȝe perfyt. Soþly in þe lawe it is writun, For in oþere tungis and oþere lippis I ſchal ſpeke to þis peple, and neþir ſo it ſchal heere me, ſeiþ þe Lord.

And ſo langagis ben in to tokene, not to feiþful men, but to men out of þe feiþ; forſoþ propheſyes not to men out of feiþ, but to feiþful men. Þerfore if al þe chirche come to gidere in to oon, and alle men ſpeke in tungis, ſoþli if ydiotes entren, or men out of þe feiþ, wher þei ſeyn not, What ben ȝe wood? Forſoþ if alle men prophecien, forſoþ if ony vnfeiþful man or ydiot entre, he is conuict of alle, he is wyſeli demed of alle. Forſoþ þe hid þingis of his herte ben knowen, and ſo he fallinge doun in to þe face, ſchal worſchipe God, ſchewinge verily þat God in ȝou is. Þerfor, briþeren, what is?

Whanne ȝe comen to gidere, ech of ȝou haþ a ſalm, he haþ techinge, he haþ apocalips, or reuelacioun, he haþ tunge, he haþ interpretynge, or expownynge; be alle þingis don to edificacioun. Wheþir a man ſpekiþ in tunge, aftir tweyne, or as moche þre, and by partis, þat oon interprete. Forſoþ if þer be not an interpretour, be he ſtille, or ſpeke not, in þe chirche; ſoþli ſpeke he to him ſilf, and to God. Soþli prophetis tweyne or þre ſeye, and oþere wyſely deme. Þat if ony þing ſchal be ſchewid to oon ſittinge, þe formere be ſtille. Forſoþ ȝe mown prophecie alle, by ech bi him ſilf, þat alle men lerne, and alle moneſte.

And þe ſpiritis of prophetis ben ſugetis to prophetis; ſoþli God is not of diſſencioun, but of pees; as and in alle chirchis of hooly men I teche. Wymmen in chirchis be ſtille; ſoþli it is not ſuffrid to hem for to ſpeke, but for to be ſuget, as þe lawe ſeiþ. Forſoþ if þei wolen ony þing lerne, at hom axe þei her hoſebondis; forſoþ it is foul þing to womman for to ſpeke in chirche. Wheþer of ȝou þe word of God cam forþ, or to ȝou aloone it cam? If ony man is ſeyn for to be a prophete, or ſpiritual, knowe he þo þingis þat I wryte to ȝou, for þei ben þe comaundementis of þe Lord. Forſoþe if ony man vnknowiþ, he ſchal be vnknowen.

And ſo, breþeren, loue ȝe for to prophecie, and nyle ȝe forbede for to ſpeke in tungis. Forſoþ be alle þingis don honeſtli, and vp ordre in ȝou.