<p>14:19 <i>However in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue</i>- The contrast is between the tongue speaking of :18, and &quot;in the church&quot;. Because the gift of tongues or speaking in foreign languages was not to be used within the church but in order to evangelize the unbelievers. Five intelligible words directed to building up the church, revealing an &quot;understanding&quot; or knowledge given from the Lord, were preferable to 10,000 words in a language which could not be understood. There may be some connection with Paul's comment that they had ten thousand would be teachers in Christ (1 Cor. 4:15); they all claimed to be teachers of each other, but there was no message. </p>