Speaking In Tongues In The Bible is one of the most controversial teachings of the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries.
Growing up in the Pentecostal sect, I learned that the gift of tongues in the Bible referred to speaking in heavenly language or languages of the Spirit spoken by men. However, what one calls the language of the Spirit is gibberish to another.
So, in this study, I decided to take an adventure into the gift of tongues in the Bible to find answers to these questions: what is speaking in tongues in the Bible? Its purpose, and how to know if I am really speaking in tongues.
In addition, I am glad to have you as my special guest on this journey as we discover things revealed in the scriptures together.
Meanwhile, if you haven’t already, you should also read our previous message, Generational Curse In The Bible.
What Is Speaking In Tongues In The Bible?
The most likely question any interested person would ask would be, What does it mean to speak in tongues? I will go straight to it.
Glossolalia is the Greek word used to describe speaking in tongues in the Bible. It involves the combination of two words, Glosso and Lalia, the first meaning tongue and the latter, talking or speaking.
Speaking refers to using the mouth to say words aloud or make a speech, while tongues refer to a language or other languages.
Generally, Speaking In Tongues refers to talking or making speeches in different languages. However, the gift of tongues or speaking in tongues in the Bible differs (and we will see that in a bit).
Some years ago, I was at an Apostolic Church in CR, Calabar, and when the minister mounted the podium, he had an interpreter with him. Why? The reason was because they spoke English and Efik language, which some people in the audience did not understand.
The interpreter was there to help people who did not understand what the preacher said by interpreting the speech in the language they understood. So, when the preacher spoke Efik, the interpreter would try to present what he said in English to people who did not understand Efik.
What happened was that both the minister and the interpreter spoke in tongues, with an inherent understanding of what they were saying. But the unique gift of the Holy Spirit in the Bible is different.
Speaking In Tongues In The Bible
Speaking In Tongues In The Bible refers to talking or making speeches in a language or languages unknown to the speaker but by the Spirit.
Simply put, it means talking in foreign languages (languages that can be identical to another group of people or tribes) with the utterance coming from the Holy Spirit. Understanding that point is necessary in this study.
According to Luke 24:49 WEB, Jesus said to His disciples, “Behold, I send out the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.”
In Acts 1, Luke reported that the disciples went to the upper room about one hundred and twenty people according to names, including the apostles, the women, and the mother of Jesus with his brothers.
There, Peter initiated a proceeding to the election for one to replace Judas Iscariot (the one who betrayed Jesus) in the ministry of the twelve Apostles. Between Justus and Matthias, the lot fell on Matthias, and with that, he numbered him among the eleven.
The Day of Pentecost
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.
And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.
They were amazed and astonished, saying, ‘Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?
Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.’
And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’
But others were mocking and saying, ‘They are full of sweet wine.’” Acts 2:1–13 NASB.
Pentecost originates from the Greek word Pentēkostē, which means fiftieth, with the prefix pente being five. Historically, the day of Pentecost referred to the fiftieth day on which the wheat harvest was, and it was also called Shavuot (the Feast of weeks) in Hebrew.
It was known as a moveable feast calculated to occur on the fiftieth day from Firstfruits and seven weeks from Passover. That is to say that Pentecost, according to the Acts of the Apostles, was a known eventful day, as Paul noted in 1 Corinthians 16:8, saying that he would remain in Ephesus until Pentēkostē.
However, According to Acts, during that event, the people gathered together, and the promise of Jesus to His disciples came to manifestation, according to the scriptures as Joel the prophet prophesied.
Here is a three points summary of what happened significant to the Holy Spirit, according to the report above:
- The people were together when a voice from above as a violent rushing wind invaded the whole house where they were sitting.
- Then, something described as tongues (glossai) that looked similar to fire appeared to them, distributed themselves, and sat upon each of them.
- At that point, the people were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues as the Spirit gave them the ability. There, we have what is known as the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Here comes a question that seems to create problems for some people: is the baptism of the Holy Spirit speaking in tongues? No. It is filling with the Holy Spirit, and speaking in tongues can be evidence of it (if the Spirit gives you the utterance).
Therefore, one can be filled with the Holy Spirit and not speak in tongues, but I know some people may think otherwise.
However, speaking in tongues and the signs before it, according to Acts 2, was significant to the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. Peter elaborated on it in the following verses (16–21) in response to those who claimed they were drunk.
Also, something happened as they spoke in tongues, and I see the need for us to look at that closely.
According to verse 5 of Acts 2, Jews that traveled from around the world were in Jerusalem, referring to religious men, that is, people identified under Judaism, otherwise described as God-fearing.
Those Jews heard and spoke different languages, while those who received the ability to speak in tongues identified as those who spoke the Galilean dialect.
In the course of this study, I got exposed to a school of thought from a scholarship that the tongues in Acts 2 were a diglossia (two languages differentiated by L and H, where L stands for Lower and H stands for Higher languages), supposing that the disciples knew the language that they spoke (that is the Higher language).
The idea was that the disciples had a common language (L) they spoke regularly and another language (H) spoken on special occasions. So when they said the H language on that day, some of the people supposed they were drunk. Fascinating, right? Of course!
However, if the people at that time thought it that way, I do not see why they asked, How is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? (See Acts 2:8.) Consider Peter’s response from verses 14–16.
In Acts 10, a similar thing happened in the house of Cornelius, “For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God…” (v.46).
Moving on, Acts 2:4 records that they spoke in Heterais Glōssais (other tongues) and not in another tongue or their other tongue. That would mean that they spoke languages other than their usual language. And they did so by the ability of the Holy Spirit.
And as the Jews (those from around the world) heard the sound, they came together and heard them speaking in their different languages. What were they saying?
The people from about fifteen different locations heard them saying the mighty deeds of God in their own languages. And from Acts 2:14 to 36, Peter spoke prophetically by the Spirit about the mighty deeds of God in Christ Jesus.
The people who listened to him were convicted in their hearts and asked Peter and the other apostles what they should do.
“Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.’
And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation!’” Acts 2:38–40 NASB.
When they received his words with repentance and were baptized, about three thousand souls were added to the congregation. That is to say that the initials of about 120 persons amid thousands in Jerusalem on that day of Pentecost increased to about 3000 souls by the workings of the Spirit in men.
The Purpose Of Speaking In Tongues In The Bible
In Mark 16:17–18 NASB, Jesus said:
“These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
As we look at the purpose of speaking in tongues in the Bible, it is necessary to take note of the highlight: they will speak with new tongues.
Also, we will address a concern about speaking in tongues emphatically. But I hope you are having a good time already! Stay with me.
“All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?
All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?
But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.” 1 Corinthians 12:29–31 NASB.
Never measure faith by the amount of tongues one speaks, nor try to determine a true believer by speaking in tongues. The teaching from scripture does not imply speaking in tongues as a necessity but reveals it as secondary in excellence.
In 1 Corinthians 4:5, Paul said that he wished all the people he addressed in that passage would speak in tongues. Much more, he preferred that they had the gift of prophecy or proclaiming the message of God. Why? According to him, the reason was that there was more benefit in prophecy than speaking in tongues unless there was an interpretation for the benefit of the church.
The gift of tongues is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, and while Paul encouraged believers to desire those gifts in verse 31, he also spoke about showing a more excellent way (the way of love).
The More Excellent Way
“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1–3 NASB.
Allow me to address another issue before sharing the purpose of speaking in tongues. It has to do with the teaching that the gift of tongues is heavenly language due to the use of tongues of men and of angels in that passage.
I have not seen any teaching in the Epistles about the gift of diverse tongues being angelic languages but foreign and new languages identical to human beings.
The hypothesis (if) in Paul’s statements and what I believe to be hyperbole (of angels) was symbolic to emphasize the importance of Love in all he did as he went on to teach them that Love is the more excellent way. However, I am not arguing the existence of angelic language.
I understand that many people have built a whole body of teachings or doctrine from that passage on speaking in mystical tongues and the like, and I have nothing against that. I do not see it that way, and I understand that a doctrine built on a phrase or verse of scripture would most likely be faulty.
The point was and is Love or Nothing. The intent of Speaking In Tongues and manifesting other Spirituals like my Brother (Daniel) would call them, if not out of love, will result in no profits.
I have seen people who claim to be believers in Christ, speak in tongues, claim to perform miracles, and manifest the Spirituals with contentions and hatred for their fellows. I believe those were the type of people Paul was addressing, and he used that expression to make them see that regardless of all that, love comes first.
In other words, the fruit of the Spirit is the main deal here, while the others were signs to follow the believers. And that being the case, what was the purpose of speaking in tongues?
Reading through 1 Corinthians 14, one would assume that the gift of tongues discussed is different from the one in Acts 2. Therefore, the teaching of two different kinds of tongues. I learned to hold to that view, but not anymore. Here is why:
Both cases referred to the same gift of tongues, but the difference was in the purpose for which they received the utterance. The tongues in Acts 2 were signs to unbelievers, and in 1 Corinthians 14, Paul taught the tongues for the body of Christ in two: individual benefit and the benefit of the church.
However, in Acts 2, it is arguable that while the unbelievers heard the tongues as a sign, the believers who spoke were edified and praised God.
Now let me list the purposes for speaking in tongues, according to the Epistles:
- For personal edification. (1 Corinthians 14:2–4,14–15.)
- For the edification of the Church. (1 Corinthians 14:5–13,16–19.)
- For a sign to unbelievers. (1 Corinthians 14:21–25.)
However, the main purpose for speaking in tongues was to bring praise to God and edification to the Church, including each member.
In 1 Corinthians 14:2 NASB, Paul said, “For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.”
The above statement has raised dust for quite a long time. Some people take it to suggest Paul referred to speaking in a heavenly and humanly unknown language, while others find difficulty with it being a speech to God alone. Then, the mystery part of it.
I had to stay with that statement for some time and prayerfully look at it in context. I believe doing so would help anyone with difficulty to understand three things:
1. The people Paul was communicating with had their own language.
2. A tongue other than theirs would not be understood by any of them without an interpreter.
3. The ability to interpret the tongue spoken, if used, would clear the mysteries for the one speaking and bring understanding to everyone listening.
One who speaks in a tongue speaks to God instead of men is evident as the one who speaks does so in a foreign language, which is not foreign to God. That is by the Spirit.
While they do so, they gain encouragement from the exercise of a gift of the Spirit, but others do not because they do not understand what is said. So, when the manifestation is out of love, the speaker will speak in service to the brethren (for the benefit of the Church) with the interpretation or not speak at all.
In 1 Corinthians 14:6–8 NASB, Paul asked three sets of questions as follows:
“But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?
Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?
For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?”
The first speaks to what I said above, while the other two speak to what some people call unintelligent tongues. To have a grasp, I deem it necessary to note that the audience Paul was addressing most likely used the gift of tongues in a disorderly manner or made unnecessary noises in the name of speaking in tongues. You can see why in 1 Corinthians 14:23–28, as he gave instructions in verses 27–28 on orderliness in the conduction of activities.
“So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.
There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning.
If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me.” 1 Corinthians 14:9–11 NASB.
From here, we see that tongues were meaningful and intelligent languages in origin, and for one to interpret, they must have heard a clear speech. Otherwise, it could be what some people call gibberish, though Paul did not put it that way. He put it as speaking into the air. And where no one knows the meaning of what is said, both the speaker and the hearer become foreigners to themselves. Therefore, there is a need to interpret the tongue for the benefit of all.
Praying With The Spirit And Singing With The Spirit
Now, I want to share something interesting with you. That is, speaking in tongues in the Bible was praying with the Spirit and singing with the Spirit. By that, I mean praying to God in foreign languages.
“So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.
Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.
Otherwise, if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the ‘Amen’ at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?
For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified.” 1 Corinthians 14:12–17 NASB.
From the above passage, Paul made a contrastive expression after presenting speaking in tongues as praying with the Spirit, as opposed to praying with the mind, likewise singing.
The simple understanding of the expression is that when praying with the Spirit, one does not understand what they are saying, but when one prays in a common language, one will understand. It points back to verse two of the same chapter, where the speaker speaks to God what is generally known as praying. But in this case, the speaker prays in a language they do not understand, with the Spirit or in the Spirit.
When that happens publicly, how will someone without the gift of interpretation understand and affirm the prayer, which Paul described as your giving of thanks? Again, the concern in that passage was not with someone speaking in tongues or praying with the Spirit in the Assembly but with another person benefiting from it.
First, they would need to understand. Second, they will praise God as the people are edified. If those are not achievable from the speech, there is no NEED for it in public. Again, that speaks to the fact that the gift was not for noise making or competition but for reasonable communication in public meetings to praise God and edify the Church.
Paul continued, “I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.” 1 Corinthians 14:19 NASB.
Take no offense from his claims (smile). The point is that mass communication in foreign languages in the Church at Corinth was not a welcomed habit, and Paul had to address them. The reverse is the case today.
How do you describe what happened before Paul wrote to Corinth and what he said to them? Ponder on the verse below.
“Brethren, do not be children [immature] in your thinking; continue to be babes in [matters of] evil, but in your minds be mature [men].” 1 Corinthians 14:20 AMP.
Notice: the main things Paul addressed were their immaturity, the need to love, and maturity in connection with the Spirituals.
How Do I Know If I Am Really Speaking In Tongues?
Is speaking in tongues real or fake? According to scriptures and evidence among believers, speaking in tongues is real, but there are fake ones. How do I know if I am really speaking in tongues? In this section, I will address the question with a controversial lead.
Well, I decided to deal with the subject of the Gifts of the Spirit in the Bible, and I found two theological ideas that oppose each other: cessationism and continuationism.
Simply put, Cessationism claims that the gifts of the Spirit in the Bible are not for today, while Continuationism argues that they are for today. What did Jesus Christ say?
“These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:17–18 NASB.
I understand the above statement to be arguably from Christ due to the short and the long conclusions of the book of Mark. But I can see the realities of it reported in the Acts of the Apostles.
Aside from the functions on the list, the important thing was that they were SIGNS THAT WILL ACCOMPANY OR FOLLOW THOSE WHO BELIEVED. According to Acts and the Epistles, the one who made those things happen is the Holy Spirit in the Believers.
In 1 Corinthians 13:8–10 NASB, Paul said:
“Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.”
Let me make an illustration here. Let’s say there are four items on the table: Agape, Propheteia, Glossai, and Gnosis. And in case you are wondering, the table I am referring to is not visible.
Paul pointed to love and said that it is eternal. He pointed to prophecies (as qualified) and said that they would be made ineffective. Tongues will cease, as well as knowledge.
He said they knew and prophesied in part, but when the perfect is come, the partial will end. Do you know what happened there?
Paul was contrasting the eternal with the temporary, and the message that love is eternal is the real deal. Indeed, prophecies come and go, tongues come and cease, and knowledge is gotten and done away with. If you check about the things you have known from birth, you will discover you laid off a lot of knowledge. In verse 11, Paul said:
“When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.”
So, Paul was done away with childishness when he became a man. And just before that, he acknowledged that they knew and prophesied the partial, pointing to the perfect. What was the perfect, and when will it come? Verse 12 explains:
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”
Looking at that statement, what John said in 1 John 3:2 NASB, came to my mind;
“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”
I believe the perfect there would refer to the complete revelation of Christ, which we would witness in His appearing as we await in hope. And Paul noted that even till then, Love will exist as opposed to other things. The context emphasized Love as the excellent way, even as the commandment to Love.
I understand that some people think otherwise of that passage, assuming that some of the gifts of the Spirit, including speaking in tongues, had ceased. So, I had to look into it because if they did, why would I be talking about knowing if I am really speaking in tongues?
The Apostles were not the only ones who spoke in tongues, or Paul would not have addressed the Church at Corinth about it, desiring that they all spoke in tongues.
I do not hold to the idea that anyone is a custodian of the gifts of the Spirit. I believe the Spirit in The Believers Today can work through us to perform the will of the Father, including speaking in tongues and interpreting the tongues.
Now, to the main question, the Bible does not specify how anyone can know if they are really speaking in tongues.
However, this instruction stands out for those zealous about speaking in tongues: “Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.” 1 Corinthians 14:13 NASB.
From that verse, I realized that the only way I can say for sure what I speak in tongues is if I receive or hear the interpretation of the tongue. But I can pray with the Spirit in private, and for the notice, nothing suggests that it is more effective than praying with my mind. It is unique in the way that it is.
Also, since I touched on fake tongues, let me say the signs of fake speaking in tongues that you should be aware of:
- When someone says to receive it now and begin to speak.
- Someone is told just to say anything that comes to their mind, including their mother’s tongue.
- Attending a Christian school that teaches how to speak in tongues with sofa notations.
