More about Gifts from the Spirit
1 It is love, then, that you should strive for. Set your hearts on spiritual gifts, especially the gift of proclaiming God's message. 2 Those who speak in strange tongues do not speak to others but to God, because no one understands them. They are speaking secret truths by the power of the Spirit. 3 But those who proclaim God's message speak to people and give them help, encouragement, and comfort. 4 Those who speak in strange tongues help only themselves, but those who proclaim God's message help the whole church.
5 I would like for all of you to speak in strange tongues; but I would rather that you had the gift of proclaiming God's message. For the person who proclaims God's message is of greater value than the one who speaks in strange tongues—unless there is someone present who can explain what is said, so that the whole church may be helped. 6 So when I come to you, my friends, what use will I be to you if I speak in strange tongues? Not a bit, unless I bring you some revelation from God or some knowledge or some inspired message or some teaching.
7 Take such lifeless musical instruments as the flute or the harp—how will anyone know the tune that is being played unless the notes are sounded distinctly? 8 And if the one who plays the bugle does not sound a clear call, who will prepare for battle? 9 In the same way, how will anyone understand what you are talking about if your message given in strange tongues is not clear? Your words will vanish in the air! 10 There are many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 But if I do not know the language being spoken, those who use it will be foreigners to me and I will be a foreigner to them. 12 Since you are eager to have the gifts of the Spirit, you must try above everything else to make greater use of those which help to build up the church.
13 The person who speaks in strange tongues, then, must pray for the gift to explain what is said. 14 For if I pray in this way, my spirit prays indeed, but my mind has no part in it. 15 What should I do, then? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray also with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will sing also with my mind. 16 When you give thanks to God in spirit only, how can ordinary people taking part in the meeting say “Amen” to your prayer of thanksgiving? They have no way of knowing what you are saying. 17 Even if your prayer of thanks to God is quite good, other people are not helped at all.
18 I thank God that I speak in strange tongues much more than any of you. 19 But in church worship I would rather speak five words that can be understood, in order to teach others, than speak thousands of words in strange tongues.
20 Do not be like children in your thinking, my friends; be children so far as evil is concerned, but be grown up in your thinking. 21 In the Scriptures it is written,
“By means of people speaking strange languages
I will speak to my people, says the Lord.
I will speak through lips of foreigners,
but even then my people will not listen to me.”
22 So then, the gift of speaking in strange tongues is proof for unbelievers, not for believers, while the gift of proclaiming God's message is proof for believers, not for unbelievers.
23 If, then, the whole church meets together and everyone starts speaking in strange tongues—and if some ordinary people or unbelievers come in, won't they say that you are all crazy? 24 But if everyone is proclaiming God's message when some unbelievers or ordinary people come in, they will be convinced of their sin by what they hear. They will be judged by all they hear, 25 their secret thoughts will be brought into the open, and they will bow down and worship God, confessing, “Truly God is here among you!”
Order in the Church
26 This is what I mean, my friends. When you meet for worship, one person has a hymn, another a teaching, another a revelation from God, another a message in strange tongues, and still another the explanation of what is said. Everything must be of help to the church. 27 If someone is going to speak in strange tongues, two or three at the most should speak, one after the other, and someone else must explain what is being said. 28 But if no one is there who can explain, then the one who speaks in strange tongues must be quiet and speak only to himself and to God. 29 Two or three who are given God's message should speak, while the others are to judge what they say. 30 But if someone sitting in the meeting receives a message from God, the one who is speaking should stop. 31 All of you may proclaim God's message, one by one, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 The gift of proclaiming God's message should be under the speaker's control, 33 because God does not want us to be in disorder but in harmony and peace.
As in all the churches of God's people, 34 the women should keep quiet in the meetings. They are not allowed to speak; as the Jewish Law says, they must not be in charge. 35 If they want to find out about something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is a disgraceful thing for a woman to speak in a church meeting.
36 Or could it be that the word of God came from you? Or are you the only ones to whom it came? 37 If anyone supposes he is God's messenger or has a spiritual gift, he must realize that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38 But if he does not pay attention to this, pay no attention to him.
39 So then, my friends, set your heart on proclaiming God's message, but do not forbid the speaking in strange tongues. 40 Everything must be done in a proper and orderly way.
Oviyandjewa vyOmbepo
1 Ramangeye orusuvero. Nu zereye oviyandjewa vyOmbepo, nu tjinene ingwi okuzuvarisa ombuze ya Ndjambi. 2 Ingwi ngu hungira omaraka pekepeke eye ka hungirire ovandu, nungwari u hungirira Ndjambi, tjinga ape hi na ngu me mu zuu nawa. Eye u hungira omaundikiro nomasa wOmbepo. 3 Nungwari ingwi ngu zuvarisa ombuze ya Ndjambi u hungirira ovandu, nu u ve tunga nomayanḓiparisiro nomahuhumiṋino. 4 Ingwi ngu hungira omaraka pekepeke eye u ritunga omuini, nungwari ingwi ngu zuvarisa ombuze ya Ndjambi eye u tunga ombongo aihe.
5 Ami etje vanga kutja eṋe amuhe mu hungire omaraka pekepeke, nungwari tjinene etje vanga kutja mu zuvarise ombuze ya Ndjambi. Orondu ingwi ngu zuvarisa ombuze ya Ndjambi eye omunanḓengu tjinene komeho okukapita ingwi ngu hungira omaraka pekepeke, pendje na indu tji pe nomundu ngu ma sora okutoroka omambo we, kokutja momuhingo mbwi ombongo aihe i sore okutungwa. 6 Nu, vakwetu, ami tjinangara meya ku eṋe, me mu vatere na tjike tji me hungire omaraka pekepeke. Tji me mu vatere, karondu porwe tji me mu vandururire omauatjiri wa Ndjambi poo tji me mu etere ondjiviro poo ombuze ya Ndjambi poo omahongero?
7 Ripureye novihumba tjimuna ohiva notjiharpe. Tji vi hi nokueta ozombosiro pekepeke, mape tjiukwa vi kutja ombosiro ndji mai pose oyohiva poo oyotjiharpe? 8 Ohiva tji i hi nokueta ombosiro ongahuke, ndji tjiukwa, owaṋi ngu me rirongerere ovita? 9 Nu momuhingo tjingewo eṋe tji mamu hungire omambo momaraka nge hi nokuzuvaka nawa, owaṋi ngu ma zuu kutja mamu tja tjike? Okutja mamu hungire omambo womungandjo ngu maye twarewa i ombepo! 10 Mouye mu nomaraka omengi pekepeke, nu kape na nangarire rimwe ndi hi na tji mari hee. 11 Nungwari ami tji mbi hi nokutjiwa eraka ndi mari hungirwa, ingwi ngu ma hungire ro ku ami eye omundu wozonganda, nami wina ku ye owami owozonganda. 12 Nu wina ku eṋe otjinga ape ri nao. Tji mamu ramangere okupewa oviyandjewa vyOmbepo, kondjereye okumuna kombanda yaavihe imbi mbi vatera okutunga ombongo.
13 Ingwi ngu ma hungire omaraka pekepeke, u sokukumbira otjiyandjewa tjokutoroka omaraka nga. 14 Orondu tji me kumbu momaraka nga, ombepo yandje ondji mai kumbu, nungwari ozondunge zandje kaze norupa mongumbiro ndji. 15 Nu tjiperi nao, ami me tjiti vi? Ami me kumbu nombepo yandje, nu wina me kumbu nozondunge zandje; me imbura nombepo yandje, nu wina me imbura nozondunge zandje. 16 Tji mo kumbu ongumbiro yokutja okuhepa ku Ndjambi mombepo uriri, ingwi ngu ri puna ove mbo ma sora vi okutja “Amen” kongumbiro yoye yondangero? Omambo nga ove ngu wa hungire eye ke ye zuvire nu! 17 Ii, ongumbiro yoye yondangero ku Ndjambi oyo ombwa, nungwari ingwi omukweṋu kai nakuvatera.
18 Ami me tja okuhepa ku Ndjambi kutja mbi hungira omaraka pekepeke okukapita eṋe amuhe. 19 Nungwari momerikotameneno wombongo ami me ṱokuhungira omambo yetano ngu maye zuvaka kutja mbi honge ovakwetu, komeho yokuhungira omambo omayovi omurongo momaraka pekepeke.
20 Vakwetu, momeripura weṋu amu kara ko otja ovanatje! Nu mozondjito zeṋu kareye otja ovanatje ovehinandjo, nungwari mouripura weṋu mu ngare mwe kura. 21 Momatjangwa mwa tjangwa nai:
“Ami me hungire notjiwaṋa tjandje momaraka warwe
notjinyo tjovandu wozonganda,
nungwari nandarire nao otjo katji nakundjizuva,
Muhona ma tja nao.”
22 Punao, otjiyandjewa tjokuhungira momaraka pekepeke otjiraisiro ku imba mbe ha kambura, nu ka ku imba mbe kambura, nu wina otjiyandjewa tjokuzuvarisa ombuze ya Ndjambi otjiraisiro ku imba mbe kambura, nungwari ka ku imba mbe ha kambura.
23 Nombongo aihe tji ya worongana, nu auhe a utu okuhungira momaraka pekepeke, nu tji pa hiti ovayenda mongamburiro poo ovahakambura, owo kamaave tja eṋe mwa vera oviyoze are? 24 Nungwari avehe tji mave zuvarisa ombuze ya Ndjambi, nu tji pa hiti omuhakambura poo omuyenda mongamburiro, u sokurimuna kutja eye, tjiri, omunandjo, tji ma puratene komazuvasirio nga; neye ma pangurwa i imbi mbi ma zuu. 25 Ouripura we ouhorekwa womomutima otji mau horoka, neye otji ma u kozongoro ne rikotamene ku Ndjambi ama hongonona nai: “Tjiri, Ndjambi u ri mba mokati keṋu!”
Ouhirona mombongo
26 Nambano pe sokukara vi, vakwetu? Eṋe aruhe tji mamu worongana, auhe weṋu u kara notjiṋa okutjita: Okuimbura eimburiro, okuhonga, okuvandurura omauatjiri wa Ndjambi, okuhungira omaraka pekepeke nokutoroka imbi mbya hungirwa. Avihe mbi ngavi tjitirwe okutunga ombongo. 27 Nu tji pena ngu ma hungire omaraka, tjinene nga rire ovandu vevari poo vetatu, nu ve pasane otuveze; nu ngape kare warwe ngu ma toroka imbi mbya hungirwa. 28 Nu tji pe hi nomutoroke, ingwi ngu hungira omaraka pekepeke nga mwine mombongo, nu koye a rire ke kerihungirira omuini ku Ndjambi. 29 Nu imba mba pewa ombuze i Ndjambi, vevari poo vetatu ngave hungire, nu imba ovakwao ve sosonone omambo wawo. 30 Nu ngahino umwe ngwa haama mombongo ma pewa ombuze ya Ndjambi; ingwi ngwa vazewa ama hungire, nga mwine. 31 Eṋe amuhe mamu sora okuzuvarisa ombuze ya Ndjambi, nungwari nga rire koumweumwe, kokutja avehe mba wongara mbo ve rihonge nu ve panḓiparisiwe. 32 Ingwi ngwa pewa okuzuvarisa ombuze ya Ndjambi, nge ritjaere omuini momambo we. 33 Orondu Ndjambi tje he ri Ndjambi wouhazendu, nungwari eye tje ri Ndjambi wouhirona nowohange.
Notja tjinga ape ri mozombongo azehe zovakambure, 34 ovakazendu ve sokumwina mozombongarero zeṋu. Owo kave yandjererwe okuhungira, nungwari ngave riwise kehi otja Omatwako punga amaye hee. 35 Nowo tji mave vanga okutjiwa nawa otjiṋa ongahukiro, ngave kapure kovarumendu vawo kozoyawo; orondu ondjambu ovakazendu okuhungira mombongo.
36 Indu embo ra Ndjambi ra zire mu eṋe are? Poo oro re ya ku eṋe porweṋu? 37 Nu tji pe nomundu ngu me ritjangovasi eye omuhindwa wa Ndjambi poo eye u nOmbepo ya Ndjambi, nga tjiwe nawa kutja imbi mbi me tjanga ku eṋe ovyo omarakiza wa Muhona. 38 Neye tje hi na ko na tja nomarakiza wa Muhona nga, Ndjambi wina ke nokukara ko na tja na ye.
39 Nu, vakwetu, kareye nonḓero yokuzuvarisa ombuze ya Ndjambi, nungwari ingwi okuhungira omaraka pekepeke amu ku tjaere ko. 40 Avihe ngavi tjitwe momuhingo omuwa na mouhirona.
