en_tn_condensed/1co/14/12.md

the manifestations of the Spirit

"being able to do things that show that the Spirit controls you"

try to excel in the gifts that build up the church

Paul speaks of the church as if it were a house that one could build and of the work of building the church as if it were something one could harvest. Alternate translation: "to succeed greatly in making God's people more able to serve God" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)