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1 Corinthians 14

1 Cor. 14:2 KJV (With Strong’s)

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2
For
gar (Greek #1063)
properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
KJV usage: and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.
Pronounce: gar
Origin: a primary particle
he that
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
speaketh
laleo (Greek #2980)
to talk, i.e. utter words
KJV usage: preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter. Compare 3004.
Pronounce: lal-eh'-o
Origin: a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb
in an
glossa (Greek #1100)
the tongue; by implication, a language (specially, one naturally unacquired)
KJV usage: tongue.
Pronounce: gloce-sah'
Origin: of uncertain affinity
unknown tongue
glossa (Greek #1100)
the tongue; by implication, a language (specially, one naturally unacquired)
KJV usage: tongue.
Pronounce: gloce-sah'
Origin: of uncertain affinity
a speaketh
laleo (Greek #2980)
to talk, i.e. utter words
KJV usage: preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter. Compare 3004.
Pronounce: lal-eh'-o
Origin: a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb
not
ou (Greek #3756)
the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not
KJV usage: + long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but. See also 3364, 3372.
Pronounce: oo
Origin: οὐκ (ook), and (before an aspirate) οὐχ (ookh) a primary word
unto men
anthropos (Greek #444)
man-faced, i.e. a human being
KJV usage: certain, man.
Pronounce: anth'-ro-pos
Origin: from 435 and ὤψ (the countenance; from 3700)
, but
alla (Greek #235)
properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations)
KJV usage: and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.
Pronounce: al-lah'
Origin: neuter plural of 243
unto God
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
theos (Greek #2316)
a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very
KJV usage: X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).
Pronounce: theh'-os
Origin: of uncertain affinity
: for
gar (Greek #1063)
properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
KJV usage: and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.
Pronounce: gar
Origin: a primary particle
no
oudeis (Greek #3762)
not even one (man, woman or thing), i.e. none, nobody, nothing
KJV usage: any (man), aught, man, neither any (thing), never (man), no (man), none (+ of these things), not (any, at all, -thing), nought.
Pronounce: oo-dice'
Origin: οὐδεμία (oo-dem-ee'-ah), and neuter οὐδέν (oo-den') from 3761 and 1520
b man πunderstandeth
akouo (Greek #191)
to hear (in various senses)
KJV usage: give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.
Pronounce: ak-oo'-o
Origin: a primary verb
him; howbeit
de (Greek #1161)
but, and, etc.
KJV usage: also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).
Pronounce: deh
Origin: a primary particle (adversative or continuative)
in the spirit
pneuma (Greek #4151)
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
KJV usage: ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind. Compare 5590.
Pronounce: pnyoo'-mah
Origin: from 4154
he speaketh
laleo (Greek #2980)
to talk, i.e. utter words
KJV usage: preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter. Compare 3004.
Pronounce: lal-eh'-o
Origin: a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb
mysteries
musterion (Greek #3466)
a secret or "mystery" (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites)
KJV usage: mystery.
Pronounce: moos-tay'-ree-on
Origin: from a derivative of μύω (to shut the mouth)
.
a
Acts 10:46• 46For they heard them speaking with tongues, and magnifying God. Then answered Peter, (Acts 10:46)
b
Acts 22:9• 9Now they that were with me beheld the light, but did not hear the voice of him that was speaking to me. (Acts 22:9)
π
heareth.

More on:

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God,
mystery,
Spirit,
Tongues

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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he that.
1 Cor. 14:9‑11,16,21‑22• 9So also ye through the tongue, unless ye give a distinct speech, how shall what is spoken be known, for ye will be speaking into air?
 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none insignificant.
 11If therefore I do not know the power of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh a barbarian in my case.
 16Since if thou bless in spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of the private [person] say Amen at thy thanksgiving, since he knoweth not what thou sayest?
 21In the law it is written, By men of other tongues, and by lips of others, will I speak to this people; and not even thus will they listen to me, saith [the] Lord.
 22Wherefore the tongues are for a sign, not to those that believe, but to the unfaithful, while prophecy [is] not to the unfaithful but to those that believe. (1 Cor. 14:9‑11,16,21‑22)
;
Gen. 11:7•  (Gen. 11:7)
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Gen. 42:23•  (Gen. 42:23)
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Deut. 28:49•  (Deut. 28:49)
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2 Kings 18:26•  (2 Kings 18:26)
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Acts 2:4‑11• 4And they were all filled with [the] Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them to utter.
 5Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, pious men, from every nation of those under heaven;
 6and when this report was made, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because they each one heard them speaking in his own dialect.
 7And they were all amazed and wondering, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans?
 8And how hear we each in our own dialect in which we were born?
 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and those that dwell in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
 10in Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and the Roman sojourners, both Jews and proselytes,
 11Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty things of God. (Acts 2:4‑11)
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Acts 10:46• 46For they heard them speaking with tongues, and magnifying God. Then answered Peter, (Acts 10:46)
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Acts 19:6• 6And when Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them; and they spake with tongues and prophesied; (Acts 19:6)
understandeth.
Gr. heareth.
Acts 22:9• 9Now they that were with me beheld the light, but did not hear the voice of him that was speaking to me. (Acts 22:9)
howbeit.
1 Cor. 2:7,10• 7But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden [wisdom] which God pre-determined before the ages for our glory;
 10but God revealed to us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, even the depths of God. (1 Cor. 2:7,10)
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1 Cor. 13:2• 2And if I have prophecy, and know all the mysteries and all the knowledge, and if I have all the faith so as to remove mountains, yet have not love, I am nothing. (1 Cor. 13:2)
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1 Cor. 15:51• 51Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (1 Cor. 15:51)
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Psa. 49:3‑4•  (Psa. 49:3‑4)
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Psa. 78:2•  (Psa. 78:2)
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Matt. 13:11• 11{i}And he answering said to them, Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, but to them it is not given;{/i} (Matt. 13:11)
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Mark 4:11• 11And he said unto them, Unto you it is given [to know] the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables: (Mark 4:11)
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Rom. 16:25• 25Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to [the] revelation of [the] mystery kept secret in everlasting times, (Rom. 16:25)
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Eph. 3:3‑9• 3how that by revelation was made known to me the mystery, even as I have before written briefly,
 4in accordance with which ye can, in reading, perceive my understanding in the mystery of the Christ,
 5which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it hath been now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in [the] Spirit,
 6that the nations are fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and fellow-partakers of the promises in Christ Jesus by the gospel,
 7of which I was made minister according to the gift of the grace of God that was given me according to the working of his power.
 8To me who am less than the least of all saints was this grace given to preach to the nations the unsearchable riches of the Christ,
 9and to enlighten all as to what [is] the administration of the mystery which hath been hidden from the ages in God that created all things; (Eph. 3:3‑9)
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Eph. 6:19• 19and for me that utterance may be given me in [the] opening of my mouth with boldness to make known the mystery of the gospel, (Eph. 6:19)
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Col. 1:26‑27• 26the mystery that was hidden from ages and from generations, but now hath been manifested to his saints;
 27to whom God wished to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Col. 1:26‑27)
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Col. 2:2• 2that their hearts may be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding unto full knowledge of the mystery of God, (Col. 2:2)
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1 Tim. 3:9,16• 9holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
 16And confessedly great is the mystery of piety: he who was manifested in flesh, was justified in Spirit, appeared unto angels, was preached among Gentiles, was believed on in [the] world, was received up in glory. (1 Tim. 3:9,16)
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Rev. 10:7• 7but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he announced the glad tidings to his servants the prophets. (Rev. 10:7)
• “Unknown tongue” conveys the wrong thought, as those of another tongue could understand their own language. (“Help on Hard Verses” by A.C. Brown)
• No doubt those who spoke in a tongue argued that they stood for the rights of Christ, who was glorified in the gift, and that theirs was the divine side—they spoke to God. But the apostle boldly maintains that the lack of speaking to men demonstrates the inferiority of speaking in a tongue to prophesying. (“Notes on 1 Corinthians 14:1-12” by W. Kelly)

J. N. Darby Translation

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2
For he that speaks with a tongue does not speak to men but to God: for no one hears; but in spirit he speaks mysteries.

W. Kelly Translation

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2
For he that speaketh in a tonguea speaketh not to men but to God; for no one heareth; yet in spirit he speaketh mysteries.

WK Translation Notes

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a
The word "unknown" is an interpolation here and in verses 4, 13, 19, 27.