When believers defend tongues for private use, they are ignoring Paul's teaching on gifts are not for private use & more importantly, none of those gifts are gained by having another drink of the One Spirit that we are all supposed to share in that same testimony as baptized into one body by.
1 Corinthians 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
Then Paul began using hyperboles in explaining why love is better than anything else for why tongues are not of angels since he is not like sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal
1 Corinthians 13:1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Paul has certainly not sold everything and given to the poor and gave his body up for burning either les he has become a ghost writer. Hyperbole. Just as referring to tongues of angels is a hyperbole, an exaggerated sense of tongues which is not being done in reality.
Then those who speak in tongues try to claim that tongues are for private use by inserting their meaning in complete disregard for why Paul is exhorting the gift of prophesy over all spiritual gifts in verse 1 ad then explained why by comparing tongues against prophesy for why prophesy is the better gift to seek after in the whole message of that chapter because tongues is not a stand alone gift for it needs interpretation for the tongue speaker to truly benefit when he understood what that tongue is saying as manifested by the Holy Ghost.
1 Corinthians 14:1Follow 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. 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 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.
Discern with Him now.
2 Corinthians 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
Paul cannot claim he speak more in tongues than them all unless he had witnesses to that truth therefore not for private use as this was done in the assembly as witnessed before all.
Paul is not saying the tongue speaker is speaking to God because he is in the assembly where no man understands him but God does, as the tongue speaker speaks in mysteries to those around him but God understands that tongue. That does not mean he is speaking TO God because there are no mysteries to God for why he is not speaking TO God. Paul is meaning God understands what us being said as manifested by the Holy Ghost. God's gift of tongues can be self edifying but only when interpreted for Paul to benefit from that tongue.
12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
Tongue speakers ignore verse 13 and point to verse 14 as if Paul is praying in tongues when he is really praying someone will interpret that tongue. everything Paul has said about tongues is being done in the assembly and not for private use. tongue speakers for private use are inserting their tongues in there when Paul is explaining why prophesy is better than tongues because it is not for private use.
17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: 19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
The only way Paul can say that if tongues were done in the assembly where there are more than 3 witnesses to that truth. He cannot testify of tongues for private use when there are no witnesses.
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.
Verses 20-21 is Paul giving the bottom line on what God's gift of tongues are for, being of other men's lips to speak unto the people.
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.
And yet believers are using tongues as a sign or proof of salvation or proof f Gd calling them into the ministries or as the early Catholic Church claimed, proof that they are keeping the doctrines within. I cannot find that latter info again, but it is so. I would not be surprise that believers that fornicate use tongues as a sign that everything is still okay between Him & them. Is everything okay between Him & the catholic Charismatic Church? I think not. Therefore tongues are not supposed to serve as a sign nor proof to the believers about anything but to the believers.
And yet they preach another baptism with the Holy Ghost with evidence of tongues ( used to be heralded as "by that sign of tongues" ). Red flag. That is why that tongue is not coming with interpretation as it is a voice of stranger's they follow for climbing up another way John 10:1-5
Then getting back to Paul on tongues; I remind you abut verse 2 in how a tongue speaker speaks unto God but not to God but He understands what is being said as we read this below.
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.
How can Paul instruct someone to be silent IF that tongue was manifested by the Holy Ghost just because there was no interpretation? And yet at the end of the chapter he has written not to forbid speaking in tongues in the assembly but order and decency must be maintained?
Reread the 3 verses of 26-28. When you have 2 or 3 speak in tongues, one by one, and another interpret, when you have a practice like that in the assembly, a foreign visitor could very well stand up and speak out of turn. That is why he is to keep silence because he speaks to himself, meaning he understands what he is saying as God does too, not that he is a crazy person speaking to himself and to God.
There can be no speaking in tongues quietly to oneself when even whispering bothers people around them trying to listen to the sermon or in this case, when 2 or 3 speak in tongues for that one to interpret it.
Just another example of how tongue speakers for private use today try to insert that tongue for private use into scripture when that is not what Paul is saying. Indeed, they make Paul look like an idiot for exhorting prophesy over tongues as they are today hyping believers to seek another baptism with the Holy Ghost with evidence of tongues and not prophesy when there is no other baptism with the Holy Ghost to seek after salvation.
That is why I do not believe God's gift of tongues were ever meant for private use.
