1 Corinthians 14:22-25...surely St. Paul didn't have a mix-up?!

[timeandeternity]

Verse 22 says, “Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.” But then verses 23-25 say the opposite: " If therefore, the whole Church assembles and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you."
I’m incredibly confused–was there a misprint in this translation, or am I just totally missing something?

 

[zarthan]

Verse 22 says, “Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.” But then verses 23-25 say the opposite: " If therefore, the whole Church assembles and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you."
I’m incredibly confused–was there a misprint in this translation, or am I just totally missing something?

It seems like a misprint in the translation, but I do not think so. One needs to read the entire chapter of 1 Corinth 14.

First, the apostle Paul states that the gift of prophesy is superior than the gifts of tongues.

Secondly, within a local assembly the gift of tongues is for an individual’s private edification and it is **only edifiying to the assembly **if there is the gift of interpretation with it.

Thirdly, outside the local assembly, when the apostles or evangelists speak in the languages of other nations, it is meant to communicate the gospel, as it did on the day of Pentecost.

Fourthly, the gift of prophesy is meant **to edify the local assembly **because it reveals the truth that may be hidden. As when the Jewish Christian couple(Annanias and Saphira? in the book of Acts) held back part of their posessions from the apostle Peter, and he was given the prophetic gift to know that, and he subsequently rebuked them. The rest of the assembly were then warned not to be untruthful to each other.

However, the gift of prophesy may also ‘reveal that which is hidden’ **of a stranger who may walk into a local assembly **of believers and be convicted of the power of our all-knowing God.

This may or not help you, but it is what may be the understanding the apostle Paul was attempting to relate.

 

[brumano]

Verse 22 says, “Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.” But then verses 23-25 say the opposite: " If therefore, the whole Church assembles and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you."
I’m incredibly confused–was there a misprint in this translation, or am I just totally missing something?

Tongues (plural and universal) are spoken in by believers for a sign to the unbelievers. Prophecy is of The Holy Spirit, spoken through the Prophets to outsiders, non-believers, and to the whole world. If the whole church were to assemble speaking in (audible) tongues, to an outsider it would sound like utter nonsense and madness; he or she will not believe because they hear this, will they? But if that same assembled (whole) church were to prophesize truly to the unbeliever; then that unbeliever would be convinced by the truth of the prophecy which he can understand and so begin to believe. Then when the consent of faith, that is belief, is entered into then the unbeliever is given the conviction of the holy spirit in his or her own heart, that is revealing to that person what has remained up until then secret in their heart; this is their longing and need for the True God
which they then worship. They testify then by the Spirit that the true God is in the True Church. Conversion came about by prophecy which includes the teachings of the Church, not by amazement at the hearing of tongues.

 

[Vince1022]

Verse 22 says, “Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.” But then verses 23-25 say the opposite: " If therefore, the whole Church assembles and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you."
I’m incredibly confused–was there a misprint in this translation, or am I just totally missing something?

You’re missing something.

Prophecy is teaching. Teaching for believers.

Tongues are a charismatic experience, a sign that needs to be interpreted. Unbelievers may be attracted by such charisms.

 

[Ritzpah]

Could Paul Have Meant This?

Tongues
Tongues are for a miraculous sign(1) to those who DO NOT believe in JESUS. Those non-believers, who choose to do so, can be evangelized, when the tongues are interpreted to them.

Tongues is a spiritual gift, not a sign, to those who DO believe in JESUS. The believers use it to edify themselves and the body of Christ.
Because the Corinthians were abusing the gift of tongues, with many speaking in tongues at the same time, Paul gave them an example of how that might look to a non believer. He said, that if someone who does not believe in Jesus comes to a congregational service where EVERYONE is speaking in tongues (in unknown languages), they will think the whole congregation is crazy or that something is wrong with them.

Words of prophecy
Words of prophecy are not for those who DO NOT believe in Jesus to use.

Words of prophecy are a spiritual gift for those who DO believe in Jesus to use for the strengthening of the body of Christ. At the same time, if someone who DOES NOT believe in Jesus comes to a congregational service where EVERYONE is prophesying (in a recognizable language/the same language/their language), they could hear words that pierce their hearts because they specifically apply to them in some manner. They are put under conviction. Through this, they will believe that JESUS is among this congregation because they have revealed mysteries about them, which they thought no one else knew.

Biblical example
A good Biblical example of this explanation is found in Acts 2: 1-13. We see that on the Day of Pentecost, when the 120 were speaking in tongues, some of the multitude recognized their own languages coming out of the mouths of foreigners and they were amazed. It was a miraculous sign to them. Yet, others mocked the 120 because they didn’t understand the words that were coming out of their mouths. So they made fun of them and said they must have been drinking too much wine. But when Peter preached in a “known” language, those who gladly received Jesus, that is, those who had a ear to hear, were pricked in their hearts. As a result, 3,000 souls were added to the body of believers on that day.

Summary
So, the use of the spiritual gift of tongues without the spiritual gift of interpretation in public worship is of no benefit to either non-believers or the body of Christ. Neither group understands what was said. Therefore, they can’t learn anything from it or apply it in their lives. God isn’t glorified. The church isn’t edified (the self is). And, non-believers aren’t evangelized.

On the other hand, the use of the spiritual gift of prophecy by believers is beneficial because it is spoken in a known and understandable language. Both believers and non-believers understand what was said. Both can learn from it and apply it in their lives. God is glorified. The church is edified. And, non-believers are evangelized because they may hear words that reveal mysteries about themselves, and as a result of this, they may choose to worship Jesus, repent of their sins and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Resource
(1) The Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB), Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International
Retrieved from biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+corinthians+14%3A23-26&version=OJB t

1 Corinthians 14:22-25

22 So then the leshonot (tongues) are for an ot (miraculous sign), not to the ones believing, the ma’aminim in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, but an ot (miraculous sign) to the Apikorosim; but divrei hanevu’ah (words of prophecy) are not for the Apikorosim, but for the ones believing, the ma’aminim in Moshiach.

23 If, therefore, the kehillah has a farbrengen gathering and all speak in leshonot (tongues), and then in walks the am ha’aretz or the Apikorosim, will they not say that you are all meshuggah?

24 However, if all speak forth divrei hanevu’ah (words of prophecy), and then in walks some Apikorosim or am ha’aretz, such a visitor is brought under conviction by all, he is brought into mishpat (judgment) by all,

25 What is hiding in his lev (heart) becomes manifest, and, having fallen on his face, he worships Hashem, declaring that G-d is among you (Zech 8:23; Isa 45:14; Dan 2:47).