---
title: 1 Corinthians 14:2
url: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/1-corinthians-14-2/
markdown: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/1-corinthians-14-2.md
type: verse
perspective: Protestant (historic Nicene) response to Jehovah's Witness teaching
reference: 1 Corinthians 14:2
testament: NT
section: Letters
index: https://jw-apologetics.app/llms.txt
---

# 1 Corinthians 14:2

## Text (Berean Standard Bible)

> For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.

## JW Usage

rs draws a strong dichotomy between "real Acts 2 xenolalia" (foreign languages used for missional communication) and "modern charismatic babble" — genuine biblical tongues were always known languages used evangelistically. 14:2 tends to be left unengaged or quickly reframed, because its plain description of tongues directed not to hearers but to God cuts against the "missional foreign languages only" binary the rs book relies on.

## Protestant Usage

14:2 in the NWT: "he who speaks in a tongue speaks, not to men, but to God, for no one listens, but he speaks sacred secrets by the spirit." Paul himself recognises a category of tongues directed TO God rather than to hearers. This is prayer-language, not xenolalia for evangelism. The rs book's dichotomy — "real missional tongues vs. fake modern babble" — is a false binary Paul does not allow. You do not have to endorse all modern charismatic practice to notice that Paul himself describes two kinds of tongues. At the door: "Paul in your own NWT at 14:2 says tongues can be directed to God rather than men — that is not missional foreign language, that is prayer. If Paul allows that category, the rs dichotomy collapses."

## Arguments Using This Verse

- [Tongues — The Watchtower Case Breaks on Acts 10](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/tongues-cessationism-rebuttal.md) — Acts 10:44-48 / 1 Corinthians 14:39 / 14:2 [Practice]