1 Corinthians 14:2

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.

a. ASV: For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

b. YLT: for he who is speaking in an unknown tongue -- to men he doth not speak, but to God, for no one doth hearken, and in spirit he doth speak secrets;

c. Amplified Bible: For one who speaks in an [unknown] tongue speaks not to men but to God, for no one understands or catches his meaning, because in the [Holy] Spirit he utters secret truths and hidden things [not obvious to the understanding].

1. “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God…”

a. [Strongs: 3588 [ὁ] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

b. For [Strong: 1063 gár, gar; a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):—and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

c. [he that] speaketh [Strong: 2980 laléō, lal-eh'-o; a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. utter words:—preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter.] 

d. [in an unknown] tongue [Strong: 1100 glōssa, gloce-sah'; of uncertain affinity; the tongue; by implication, a language (specially, one naturally unacquired):—tongue.]

e. speaketh [Strong: 2980 laléō, lal-eh'-o; a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. utter words:—preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter.]

f. not [Strong: 3756 ou, oo; a primary word; the absolute negative (compare G3361) adverb; no or not:—+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

g. [unto] men [Strong: 444 ánthrōpos, anth'-ro-pos; from G435 and ὤψ ṓps (the countenance; from G3700); man-faced, i.e. a human being:—certain, man.

h. but [Strong: 235 allá, al-lah'; neuter plural of G243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):—and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]

i. [unto] God [Strong: 2316 theós, theh'-os; of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:—X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

1). There is another word to describe someone who is speaking unto God, it is called prayer. What Paul is writing about here is praying in tongues. He says very plainly that the individual is not speaking to men, he is speaking to God, he is praying. Contrast this with 1 Corinthians 14:3 where Paul says he that prophesieth speaks to men. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:12 that one of the gifts of the Spirit was “divers kinds of tongues”, there is more than one kind, most believers miss the distinction. 

2. “…for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.”

a. for [Strong: 1063 gár, gar; a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):—and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

b. no [man] [Strong: 3762 oudeís, oo-dice'; from G3761 and G1520; not even one (man, woman or thing), i.e. none, nobody, nothing:—any (man), aught, man, neither any (thing), never (man), no (man), none (+ of these things), not (any, at all, -thing), nought.]

c. [Strong: 1063 gár, gar; a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):—and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

d. understandeth [him] [Strong: 191 akoúō, ak-oo'-o; a primary verb; to hear (in various senses):—give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.] [Zodhiates: To hear with attention, hearken or listen to, to understand, to hear with the ear of the mind.]

e. howbeit [Strong: dé, deh; a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:—also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).

f. [in the] Spirit [Strong: 4151 pneûma, pnyoo'-mah; from G4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:—ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.]

g. [he] speaketh [Strong: 2980 laléō, lal-eh'-o; a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. utter words:—preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter.]

h. mysteries [Strong: 3466  mystḗrion, moos-tay'-ree-on; from a derivative of μύω mýō (to shut the mouth); a secret or "mystery" (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites):—mystery.] [Zodhiates: Some sacred thing hidden or secret which is naturally unknown to human reason and only known by the revelation of God.] 

[Thayer: a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding; a hidden purpose or counsel; secret will; it denotes the mystic or hidden sense.]

1). This verse is referring to private personal prayer, with an individual praying in tongues, praying in the Spirit to God. Unless the interpretation is given also by the Spirit and we are to pray for the Spirit to give the utterance.

a). 1 Corinthians 14:13, 14 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

14:14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.