Speaking in tongues, as the term is used in the plural, means speaking real, known human languages; the singular 'unknown tongue' refers to sounds that cannot be written or understood.
The Bible shows Paul speaking with tongues—languages—more than the Corinthians, and using that gift to communicate the Gospel to different tribes and dialects. Les Feldick emphasizes that whenever the Greek is plural, it means a language that can be reduced to writing, while singular 'tongue' with 'unknown' added by translators means non-phonetic sounds.
1 Corinthians 14:18 — Paul personally states he speaks with tongues (languages) more than all the Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 14:19 — Paul says five understandable words that teach are better than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
In 1 Corinthians 14, the Apostle Paul contrasts speaking in an unknown tongue with prophecy. He says that the one speaking in an unknown tongue does not speak to men but to God, and in the spirit speaks mysteries. He then says that this speaker edifies himself, while the one who prophesies edifies the church. Paul wishes that all the Corinthians spoke with tongues, but says that the one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks with tongues, unless the speaker interprets so the church may receive edifying. Paul also states his own practice: "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all." Yet in the church he would rather speak five words with his understanding, so that he might teach others, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. In Acts, the Holy Spirit's gift of speaking with tongues is shown with actual languages. On the day of Pentecost the believers "began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Later, when Paul laid hands on disciples at Ephesus, "they spake with tongues, and prophesied."
Les Feldick teaches that the Greek word translated 'tongues' is decisive. When it appears in the plural, it always means a known language—one that is speakable and reducible to writing. When it appears in the singular, and translators have added the italicized word 'unknown,' it refers to non-phonetic sounds that no one can reduce to print. Les says these sounds are just a bunch of noise. At Corinth, Les notes, four, five, or six languages were in constant use because the city was a trade center with two seaports and a pagan temple. This is the setting for Paul's instruction in chapters 12, 13, and 14. Les also says the Holy Spirit gave the gift of speaking languages only three times in Scripture—beginning at Acts 2 on the Jewish feast day of Pentecost—and that the languages were known languages understood by people from the same background. Les explains that Paul's statement "I speak with tongues more than you all" means Paul had the special gift of communicating with different tribes and dialects in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic. He could go into different areas and preach the Gospel in those languages. By contrast, when someone today claims an 'unknown tongue' experience, Les says the book shows they are edifying only themselves—he calls it an ego trip. Paul would rather speak five words with understanding in the church than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. Prophecy would fail and tongues would pass away, because the written Word of God was coming.
In Les Feldick's teaching, the plural 'tongues' in the Greek always means a known language—a language that can be spoken and reduced to writing. The singular 'tongue,' especially with the translators' added word 'unknown,' means sounds that are not phonetic and cannot be written down. Les notes that translators in virtually every Bible added the italicized 'unknown,' which is not in the original Greek. The modern tongues movement, he says, claims an unknown language that nobody can decipher and no one has ever been able to reduce to print.
The Bible says he that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself, but he that prophesies edifies the church. Paul would prefer five words with his understanding, by which he could teach others, rather than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. Les Feldick says that when someone claims a tongues experience, according to the book they are edifying themselves—it is an ego trip. Paul's wish, 'I would that ye all spake with tongues, plural, languages,' shows that the tongues he valued were real languages that could reach people of other nations.
Les Feldick points to only three times in all of Scripture when the Holy Spirit gave this miracle. The first is Acts chapter 2, on the day of Pentecost, which Les says was a Jewish feast day. The account he gives of the twelve men on whom Paul laid his hands—they spoke with languages other than their own and prophesied—is the plain statement of Scripture. Les says these were known languages that could be understood if someone from the same background was present.
Paul writes, "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all" (1 Corinthians 14:18). Les Feldick says Paul was referring to the special gift that enabled him to communicate the Gospel in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Aramaic, and various dialects. Paul could go among different tribes and dialects and communicate directly. Yet in the assembly he preferred five words of understanding to ten thousand in an unknown tongue.
Plural and Singular Tongues
Les defines tongues plural as known, speakable, reducible-to-writing languages; singular tongue as non-phonetic sounds no one can reduce to writing.
The Ego Test and Paul's Wish
Someone speaking in an unknown tongue edifies only himself, which Les calls an ego trip; Paul wished believers could speak the actual languages of neighboring regions.
Pentecost and the Jewish Feast
Acts 2 is the first of three times the Holy Spirit gave the miracle of speaking in tongues, and Pentecost was a Jewish feast day.
Languages in Corinth
Corinth used four, five, or six languages regularly, and the modern tongues movement claims an unknown language nobody can decipher or print.
Paul's Gift of Languages
Paul had the special gift to communicate the Gospel in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic among various tribes and dialects, yet he preferred five teachable words over ten thousand unknown ones.
Paul's Thanksgiving for Languages
Paul says 'I thank God, I speak with tongues (languages) more than you all,' showing his practice, while an unknown prayer cannot even be followed by people at a table.
The Three Occurrences
Only three times in Scripture did the Holy Spirit give the gift of speaking languages; they were known languages that could be understood by people from the same background.
The Singular 'Unknown Tongue'
The word 'unknown' was added by translators; in the singular, 'tongue' refers to sounds that are not phonetic, cannot be written down, and are just noise.
1 Corinthians 14:2: 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.
This is the verse about speaking in the singular 'unknown tongue' and forms the basis for the distinction Les makes.
1 Corinthians 14:4: He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
Paul contrasts self-edification in an unknown tongue with the congregation-wide edification of prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14:5: I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
Paul values real tongues as languages, but he ranks prophecy higher unless the tongue is interpreted.
1 Corinthians 14:18: I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
Paul directly claims he spoke with tongues, which Les says means known languages.
1 Corinthians 14:19: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
This verse shows Paul's priority of understandable teaching over unintelligible unknown speech in the church.
Acts 2:4: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The first of the three scriptural occurrences of the gift, where languages other than their own were spoken.
Acts 19:6: And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
One of the later occurrences Les cites, where the men spoke with languages other than their own and prophesied.
Les Feldick teaches that whenever the Greek has the plural 'tongues,' it always means a known language—one that is speakable and reducible to writing. The singular 'unknown tongue' refers to sounds that cannot be written down.
Les says what today is called the tongues movement uses an unknown language that nobody can decipher and no one has been able to reduce to print. He also notes that the gift of prophecy and tongues would fail because the written Word of God was coming.
According to Les, Paul had the special gift of communicating with different tribes and dialects in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic. He spoke languages he could use to communicate the Gospel, yet he preferred five understandable words in the church over ten thousand unknown words.
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