What does 'unknown tongue' mean in 1 Corinthians 14?
In 1 Corinthians 14, the singular 'unknown tongue,' with 'unknown' added by translators and italicized, means a bunch of sounds that cannot be reduced to print. They are not phonetic, cannot be written down, and are just noise. This applies in chapters 12 and 14.
Les explains that in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14, whenever the word 'tongue' appears in the singular with the added word 'unknown,' the translators italicized 'unknown' to show it was added. In that case, 'unknown tongue' refers to a bunch of sounds that cannot be reduced to print—they are not phonetic, cannot be written down, and are just noise. He notes this gift operated in the early church, but today we have the Word of God.
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
More Questions
In 1 Corinthians 14:2, who is a person speaking to when they speak in a tongue?
According to 1 Corinthians 14:2, the one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God, and in the spirit he speaks secrets (mysteries) that not everybody can understand.