What does edification mean?
Edification means to lift people up, to support them, and to enlarge them. It involves enhancing the congregation, helping all who hear, and bringing exhortation and comfort. Speaking forth the word of God as a gifted individual edifies the whole congregation, whereas speaking in an unknown tongue edifies only oneself.
Les explains that edification means to lift them up, to support them, to enlarge them. He says these men who had the gift of speaking the word of God were enhancing the congregation and helping all that heard them, and they exhort and comfort. In contrast, someone speaking in an unknown tongue edifies himself, which Les calls an ego trip, while the one who prophesies edifies the whole congregation.
But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.