If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
If someone's going to speak in tongues during church, keep it to two or three people max, and take turns, don't all go at once. And make sure someone's there who can translate what's being said for everyone else.
Even spiritual gifts need structure so everyone can actually understand what's happening.
📚 Historical Context
In the early church in Corinth, a bustling Greco-Roman city, believers were enthusiastically exercising spiritual gifts like speaking in tongues during worship gatherings, but this often led to disorder and confusion. Paul, writing as an apostle to address these issues in his letter, emphasized the need for structured use of these gifts to ensure that church services remained edifying and understandable to all. This guidance was rooted in the cultural context of public assemblies, where maintaining order was essential to prevent chaos and uphold the church's witness.
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