1 Corinthians 14:5
I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
Speaking in an unknown tongue edifies only the speaker himself, while prophesying edifies the church as a whole. For that reason prophesying is greater than speaking with tongues, except when the tongue is interpreted so that the church may receive edifying. Speaking with tongues profits the hearers nothing unless it conveys revelation, or knowledge, or prophesying, or doctrine that they can grasp. As a pipe or harp must give distinct and certain sounds for it to be known what is played, so speech must be intelligible in order to be understood.
The standard set here is mature understanding rather than childishness, meaning an intelligent reception of the gospel with the heart rather than mere general assent or a shifting, changing religion. That mature reception means the gospel is personally received and practiced in every respect, held fast and stood in, perseveringly communicated to others, and kept in memory exactly as preached. Salvation depends on this remembering, and this late in the history of the world it is too late to believe in vain or to do anything in vain, with strange traits of character requiring sharp treatment.
Unintelligible and noisy purported tongues are not gifts God has placed in the church but are manufactured through deception. The context surrounding this teaching distinguishes genuine spiritual gifts from false excitement, with what is truly from God known by its good fruit.