“Now brothers!
If I come to you
Speaking in tongues,
How will I benefit you
Unless I speak to you
About some revelation
Or knowledge,
Or prophecy
Or teaching?”
νῦν δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς γλώσσαις λαλῶν, τί ὑμᾶς ὠφελήσω, ἐὰν μὴ ὑμῖν λαλήσω ἢ ἐν ἀποκαλύψει ἢ ἐν γνώσει ἢ ἐν προφητείᾳ ἢ διδαχῇ;
Paul told his believing brothers (νῦν δέ, ἀδελφοί) in Corinth that if he came to them speaking in tongues (ἐὰν ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς γλώσσαις λαλῶν), how would he benefit them (τί ὑμᾶς ὠφελήσω), unless he was speaking (ἐὰν μὴ ὑμῖν λαλήσω) about some revelation (ἢ ἐν ἀποκαλύψει), knowledge (ἢ ἐν γνώσει), prophecy (ἢ ἐν προφητείᾳ), or teaching (ἢ διδαχῇ)? Paul then explained that if he came to his believing brothers in Corinth speaking in tongues, what would be the advantage to them? There might be some value in speaking about divine revelation, divine knowledge, some prophecy, or some teaching. Tongues alone by themselves had little value other than as a personal gift or grace to the individual tongue speaker. Conversations about revelation, knowledge, prophecy, and teaching was more important and valuable to the whole community of believers in Corinth. What do you know about revelation?
