Many do not understand the gift of tongues; even those how have experienced this.  Because they do not study the Word enough to receive the knowledge of it.

There is  more than one manifestation of this gift.  The tongues spoken on the day of Pentecost, in the upper room was not the same that was later to the great crowd of people of all languages there.  People overlook that fact that in that upper room, where they recieved the Holy Ghost, there was no one present who did not speak the same language.  That speaking in tongues was not the same gift manifested later to that crowd of milti-languaged people.

So the speaking in tongues in the upper room was not the same.  This was the tongue given to people when they first are Baptized with the Holy Ghost.  It is a heavenly language; not an earthly language.  It had no need for interpretation.  There is not one word said there about it having to be interpreted.  nor that it was interpreted.  1Cor. 14:2-9---  For space, I will not quote all of this, read it.   v2---For he that speaketh in an unknown     (now get that:  an   UNKNOWN    TONGUE).  (this is not an earthly language;  if it were, it would not be an unknown tongue).  See, people just did not really get the true revelation of the Word.

v2----For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh   NOT     unto   MEN,  but  unto   GOD:  for   NO   MAN  (no one anywhere, so it is not an earthly language)----understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh  mysteries.  (see, they were not speaking to men).

v3--But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

v4---He that speaketh in an  unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

Then Paul goes on to say that in the church we should interpretate it for the sake of edification of the church.  But, notice, this is not the same thing that happened on the Day of Pentecost, in the upper room.  That was not given to edify any church.  The church was not even in existence at that time.  That was only for them personally.  That is the same thing happens when one is filled with the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.  This is only for that individual;  not for the edification of the church. 

Messages given in tongues in the church should be interpretated.  That is what Paul is speaking of in verse 9.

v18--I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all;  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.

Here he is speaking of teaching in the church.  The other is in his private devotion.  But, he is not saying we can't speak in tongues in the church.  It should be kept back unless someone can interpretate it; for the sake of edifying the church.    That was not the case on the Day of Pentecost.  It is not the same thing.  This is the same self sacrificing nature shown in Paul when he said I could wish myself accursed from Christ for my Kinsmen sake.    I personally have never been able to say that.

He was willing to hold back his own blessing of speaking in tongues in the church for the sake of teaching others.

v22--Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.  This is saying that the gift of giving out a message in the church and the interpretation is for a sign to the unbelievers in the midst.  So this is not what happened in the upper room.  There were no unbelievers there.  That was not the same working of the spirit.  That tongues was the evidence of being filled with the Spirit.  It is the fullfillment of Isaiah 28:11,12---For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.  To whom he said,  This is the   REST  wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest.    Remember Jesus said   come unto me all ye that are weary and I will give you rest to your souls.  This is what he meant.  This is the New Testament  REST.  Not a 7th day sabbath. 

So, see, this initial speaking in tongues when the Holy Ghost comes in, is this prophecied in Isaiah.  The rest for our souls.  So it is not a matter of speaking in another earthly language for the sake of teaching other nationality folks the message, as Peter did to that crowd.  That crowd was not in that upper room.  They did not speak in all those earthly languages in that upper room.  They were speaking in that unknown (heavenly) language.  It needs no inperpretation.

Notice, also, in Acts 10:44-46--When Cornelius and his friends received the Holy Ghost it said they spoke in tongues, but not one word is said about it being interpreted.  It was not that kind of gift being manifested.  This was just for them.    Again, Acts 19:1-6--Paul met some believers (already believed, mind you)  yet they did not have the Holy Ghost.  Paul laid hands on them (after baptizing them in the name of Jesus) and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues and prophesied.  Not one word is said about this being interpretated.  For there was no need for it.  It was not a matter of teaching to people of another language.  It was just for their own edification .

People that do not know of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, who think only believeing gets one saved,  have always used this of needing to be interpretated, to say speaking in tongues at the initial filling is not right.  But, it is because they did not know how to discern the difference in speaking for ones own edification and speaking for the edification of others.

All of you pentecostals, come to understand this so you can teach it to the unbelievers in what we have from God.  And you others, study this to learn the truth; quit just listening to some church doctrine.  It will not save you.  you must believe the Scriptures, not a church.

Jo