Study Desk

For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again.

For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord's Supper, wait for each other.

This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.

Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.

For 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.

I 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.

It'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.

And 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.

So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said.

For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don't understand what I am saying.

For 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?

So 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.

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God's holy people.

Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says.

If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.

For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I'm not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God's church.

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.

So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.