I know a lot of believers wrest the scriptures to fit that kind of tongue for private use to be of God, but God wants us to pray as it is His will for us to pray normally to know what we had prayed for so we can give the father thanks in Jesus's name for answers to prayers whereas the devil's will is to interrupt us from doing that by babbling nonsense thus stopping us from praying normally in doing the will of God.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

That was Paul removing the false notion that tongues for private use self edifies as he would exhort believers to go to the written word for their edification. 

2 Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

It is the devil's will to seduce believers in permitting tongues for private use to prevent us from doing the will of God for us to do which is to pray normally so we know what we had prayed for to give the father genuine thanks in Jesus's name for answers to prayers.

I understand that many use 1 Corinthians 14:2 as proof text for tongues in speaking to or praying to God, but not everything translated from the Greek to English is clear and proof of that is in 1 Corinthians 14:28 when read in context of verse 20.

1 Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. 21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. 22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: 25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. 26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

Paul is giving the bottom line of what God's gift of tongues are for;  to be of other men's lips to speak UNTO the people and not to serve as a sign or proof for anything towards the believers in vs 20-22 .  Paul gives an extreme example of the whole church speaking in tongues and someone comes in and thinks they be all mad in verse 23.  If that is true for the whole church, so it is for the individual using tongues for private use.  Paul goes on to give the example for why the gift of prophesy ( edification in the speaker's known language ) in how by that extreme example of everyone prophesying, and the visitor comes in and hears & understands all this, he can be converted having the secrets of his heart known to all in vs 24-25.  Then Paul addresses the chaos in the church in vs 26 where there is a lack of order in operations of the gifts.

In vs 27 Paul sets the order by how 2 or 3 speak in tongues individually as one at a time and another interpret.  That is the order and practice that is to be done in church.  Now Paul addresses when someone speaks when there is no interpretation.  Paul is testifying that this can happen during the practice of speaking in tongues in church where someone may stand up and speak in their native tongue and not led by the Spirit of the Lord to do that.  This is why Paul said for the church to tell him to be quite because he speaks to himself and to God meaning he understands what he is saying as God does too but he is not speaking in God's gift of tongues which is indicative that when anyone does speak in tongues, another will interpret that tongue as the manifestation of the Spirit is to profit the body withal in 1 Corinthians 12:7.

So when we read 1 Corinthians 14:2 as the one that speaks to God, this is talking about God's gift of tongues where the speaker does not know what he is saying, but God does.  This is not testifying that the speaker is speaking TO God for how can he speak mysteries to God?  There are no mysteries to God and so the gift of speaking in tongues is why prophesy is better than tongues as stated in 1 Corinthians 14:1 as Paul was comparing the gift of tongues against the gift of prophesy vs 2-3 because tongues is not a stand alone gift in the assembly for why interpretation is needed.  Indeed, Paul goes on to explain that as a tongue speaker, Paul is not edified until someone else interprets that tongue and so that is why he was teaching tongue speakers that while hey speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit manifest, they should be praying that someone will interpret otherwise that tongue will not be fruitful to the tongue speaker until it is interpreted and thus understood by the tongue speaker. 1 Corinthians 14:12-15  Paul was explaining the difference between the two for why prophesy is better in 1 Corinthians 12:4; not that tongues actually edifies self when it is needed to be interpreted to the tongue speaker before he is actually edified when read in context of that entire chapter.

No gift can be for private use when it is written that the manifestations is to profit the body withal in 1 Corinthians 12:7 and no member can say to another member that they have no need for you ( interpretation ) believing that tongue is for private use in 1 Corinthians 12:19-21

Only God can cause the increase as only God can help saved believers that have gone astray or picked something up thinking it is His gift of tongue when it is not, to s

I don't speak with tongues. Do you believe that people who do can be regenerated as children of God and love the Lord and be members of His body? 

Fred (fnorthrup) said:

I don't speak with tongues. Do you believe that people who do can be regenerated as children of God and love the Lord and be members of His body? 

I believe every believer is saved and is a member of His body, even the ones that go astray, thinking tongues are for private use only because they want to believe that phenomenon is of God when it is not.  They need to repent of that kind of tongue because that kind of supernatural tongue had existed in the world before Pentecost and so how can sinners depart from that spirit and that kind of tongue like inn the occult per Isiaah 8:19 if Christians make excuses for it by believing it is for private use when it is not the real God's gift of tongues at all for why it is to be interpreted?

The church at Thyatira was speaking the utter depths of Satan as well for why they are to repent or else get left behind and cast into the bed of the great tribulation.

Revelation 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Christ4Us said:

I believe every believer is saved and is a member of His body, even the ones that go astray, thinking tongues are for private use only because they want to believe that phenomenon is of God when it is not.

I like Paul's attitude in 1 Corinthians 14. He is obviously burdened for the building up of the church. (v.4) He is encouraging the saints to be balanced in the matter of speaking with tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:20-21 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

In the Old Testament it says that God would speak to His people with other tongues. (Isaiah 28:11-12) Point being, it's in the Bible.

Paul says he speaks in tongues more than anyone (v.18) and that he wished that everyone spoke with tongues (v.5). He also said not to forbid to speak with tongues. (v.39)

The Pentecostals elevate tongues beyond what the Scriptures do. This chapter is obviously elevating prophesying and devaluing tongues. However, you seem to be saying that no one should speak in tongues and forbidding to speak in tongues, which contradicts Paul's word.

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. (building up)

We should all pursue to prophesy as it builds up, encourages, and consoles the church. To prophesy is to speak for the Lord, speak forth the Lord, and speak the Lord into others, but we should not forbid to speak in tongues. Paul did not do this.

Fred (fnorthrup) said:

I like Paul's attitude in 1 Corinthians 14. He is obviously burdened for the building up of the church. (v.4) He is encouraging the saints to be balanced in the matter of speaking with tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:20-21 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. In the Old Testament it says that God would speak to His people with other tongues. (Isaiah 28:11-12) Point being, it's in the Bible.

The actual point here is that God's gift of tongues is of other men's lips to speak unto the people; not for private use or for the Holy Spirit to use in speaking back to God.

Fred (fnorthrup) said:

Paul says he speaks in tongues more than anyone (v.18) and that he wished that everyone spoke with tongues (v.5).

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.

Do note the emphasis as veering away from tongues.  Paul began that chapter in that way in regards to believers being zealous for spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 14:Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 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. 3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

Paul was using a contrast in verse 4 but he was not insinuating that tongues is a stand alone gift when thru out that chapter the tongue is unfruitful to the tongue speaker until it is interpreted by another.

4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

This is where modern day tongue speakers and Gnostics err in thinking one can be self edified by tongues, ignoring the bottom line about tongues in 1 Corinthians 14:20-21 which is of other men's lips to speak unto the people.

Fred (fnorthrup) said:

He also said not to forbid to speak with tongues. (v.39)

Paul set up the order of practice for the assembly to follow.

1 Corinthians 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

The same would be said for using tongues for private use.

24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: 25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. 

Again Paul exhorted prophesy to seek after over tongues.

26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 

Now Paul sets the order for edifying in the church.

27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

Here above is Paul forbidding someone to speak.  Why?  When you have a practice of speaking in tongues one by one by two or three tongue speakers and then have one interpret, the assembly may get a foreign visitor rising up and speaking out of turn.  This is why there is no interpretation coming because the one speaking understands what he is saying as one that speaks to himself as God does too as one speaking to God.  This is not saying the person is a nutso in speaking to himself but that what he is saying is not being manifested by the Holy Spirit for why he is commanded to be silent for he understand s what he is saying as God does too and thus he is not speaking TO God any more than 1 Corinthians 14:2 of that tongue speaker speaking To God but that God understands what is being said even though the tongue speaker does not as it is a mystery to that speaker.

29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

So I agree no one is to forbid speaking in tongues, but if it does not come with interpretation, they are to be silent because they are not speaking with God's gift of tongues.

That said, there is a pagan supernatural tongue in the world that is just gibberish nonsense as found in the occult as confirmed by scripture in Isaiah 8:19.  Idolatries was practiced in Rome and here is a link to one such reference;  https://amazingdiscoveries.org/S-deception-tongues_ecstatic-language_pagan#!

This Christian site confirms other sources where tongues of gibberish nonsense are being used currently in the world;  https://www.gotquestions.org/glossolalia.html

Now for God to call those sinners away from those spirits and that kind of tongues is why believers and churches should forbid that kind of tongue which is gibberish nonsense.  How do wayward  believers get around this?  They claim because it comes without interpretation, that it is for private use.  Anything that comes without interpretation should be made to be silent and even shunned by that tongue speaker himself/ herself.

I believe in the real God's gift of tongues of being of other men's lips to speak unto the people but believers today are not testing the spirits nor the tongues they bring because they want it to be of God.  One church believed they had God's gift of tongues with interpretation and so they hired a linguist to record everything and translated it for them, but instead, they found that it was all gibberish nonsense.  How can this be with interpretation?  Joyce Meyers testified that this is how she interprets tongues by getting the gist or feel of what is being said.  So one can imagine what the interpreters were doing in that church that had thought they had the actual gifts of tongues with interpretation.

The irony is how believers that all speak the same language, are missing Paul's exhortation to seek the gift of prophesy over tongues when zealous for spiritual gifts.

Christ4Us said:

The irony is how believers that all speak the same language, are missing Paul's exhortation to seek the gift of prophesy over tongues when zealous for spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

The irony from my point of view is that you do not have much to say about prophesying, but are all about forbidding to speak with tongues.

I do not speak with tongues, so it is nothing personal. Do you covet to prophesy? If so, how do you define prophesying? I agree with you that 1 Corinthians 14 is a chapter fully elevating prophesying as something to be pursued, especially in church meetings. How does that look in the place that you meet? Do all prophesy?

1 Corinthians 14:23a-24 If therfore the whole church be come together into one place...and all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all.

Fred (fnorthrup) said:

1 Corinthians 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. The irony from my point of view is that you do not have much to say about prophesying, but are all about forbidding to speak with tongues.

It has been a while since our last discussion and so you may have forgotten that I was against tongues for private use as I do not believe that is the real God's gift of tongues but a pagan supernatural tongue which is gibberish nonsense for why it comes with no interpretation because that tongue is not being manifested by the Holy Spirit.

1 John 4:1-6 has the apostle John warning believers not to believe every spirit but test them meaning what?  Believers will be targeted by seducing spirits to lure them away from focusing on the Son in worship, fellowship, and prayer as these spirits of the antichrist can bring tongues that is how the world speaks in that supernatural tongue as gibberish nonsense.

Fred (fnorthrup) said:

I do not speak with tongues, so it is nothing personal. Do you covet to prophesy? If so, how do you define prophesying? I agree with you that 1 Corinthians 14 is a chapter fully elevating prophesying as something to be pursued, especially in church meetings. How does that look in the place that you meet? Do all prophesy? 1 Corinthians 14:23a-24 If therfore the whole church be come together into one place...and all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all.

Prophesy is the same as edification by the understood word of God and so with the written scripture available, our edification can come from scripture.  Some argue that the manifestations of the Spirit was done away when the perfect came, hence the written scripture, but I do not believe that.

When Paul exhorted prophesy over tongues with interpretation, it is for our ready edification and since that can be done by the written scripture, then I would believe such manifestations in that regard is no longer necessary.  Now I should point out that even prophesy was not to be done alone as the practice was that two or three prophesy while another judge it, but when it comes to written scripture, there is no need to discern it other than when scripture that has originated from Alexandria is circumspect as being where poetic licensing and Gnosticism has been known to exist from that area whereas the documents origin from Antioch where the disciples studied the word for a year would lead credence to those who love Him would keep His words there.

This is why I rely on the KJV, but even then we need Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd because it is not a perfect Bible but unlike modern Bible that changes the message and thus the meat of His words to discern good & evil, thus winding up supporting false teachings by taking it out of context even though there are other scriptures opposing it in that modern bible version, doubt in God's words have been sown, but not so with the KJV in following Jesus by abiding in the meat of His actual words in discerning good & evil where there is no doubt as confirmed by the Spirit in me.

So I am not against the real God's gift of tongues which is of other men's lips to speak unto the people, which WILL come with interpretation in the assembly,  but I am against any who claim His gift can "also" be for private use.  No, it is not and because there is another pagan's supernatural tongue in the world that is gibberish nonsense is why the real God's gift of tongues can never be for private use or otherwise, there can be no discernment regarding tongues and there can be no discerning the spirits that brings them either for how many have gone astray in these latter days by.

Christ4Us said:

Prophesy is the same as edification by the understood word of God and so with the written scripture available, our edification can come from scripture. 

So prophesy by definition must be verbal communication. Edification means building up. An edifice is a building, and to "edify" is to build up. 

When the apostle Paul wrote this, there was no King James 1611 version, so whatever he means by prophesying, it has absolutely nothing to do with an English version which would not exist for another 1550 years.

Their written Scripture was the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint. This was the Hebrew Scriptures translated into the common tongue, Greek. And yet, the Scriptures contained God's breath. They breathed God in through the Scriptures, then spoke what they had received and enjoyed of God through the Holy Scriptures. This is my understanding of prophesying. In short, eat the Word, digest and live out the Word, then speak the Word into others. This is to build them up, with God. Everyone should earnestly desire to do this.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, it is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

Ezekiel 3:2, 4  So I opened my mouth--, and He caused me to eat the scroll. And He said to me, son of man, go, get thee into the house of Israel, and speak with My words unto them.

1 Corinthians 14:4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue builds up himself, but he that prophesies builds up the church.