Paraphrase on ‘tongues’ in I Corinthians 14:2-5
Declared Paul: ‘He who keeps on speaking in a tongue [viz. a language], is not speaking to men but to God [and to himself]. For nobody [else] understands him, even though in spirit he is speaking hidden things (musteeria)…. He who keeps on speaking in a language, edifies himself…. I would that you all spoke in languages, but rather that you prophesied. For greater is he who prophesies, than he who speaks in languages –except he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.’
Note here that these ‘mysterious things’ are not hidden to his own spirit (pneumati), but only to the spirits of other Christians. The word pneumati here means his own spirit, and not the Holy Spirit. For in this sentence –there is no ‘Holy Spirit’ [Hagiooi Pneumati]; no ‘Spirit’ [Pneumati]; nor even a definite article ‘the’ [or tooi] before this man’s spirit [pneumati]!
