Everything You Need To Know About Speaking In Tongues

Everything You Need To Know About Speaking In Tongues

In this article will cover everything you need to know about speaking in tongues.

We will take an in-depth look at each of the following questions:

Is Speaking in Tongues biblical?

Is speaking in tongues for today?

Is speaking in tongues a real language?

What is the purpose of speaking in tongues?

Are there benefits to speaking in tongues?

What if there is no one to interpret speaking in tongues?

Should people speak in tongues at church or in private?

How does a person receive the gift of speaking in tongues?·

How to speak in tongues?

Prayer for speaking in tongues

Often, when someone asks, “Is speaking in tongues biblical?” what they really want to know is if speaking in tongues as a spiritual gift is still for today.

We will address that question in a moment, but first, let’s cover the question:

Is speaking in tongues biblical?

A search through the Scripture quickly shows us that there is no doubt that speaking in tongues is biblical in the sense that there are twelve passages in the Scripture that reference speaking in tongues in the following books:

Mark (1 time)

Acts (4 times)

1 Corinthians (7 times)

If you want to read all of the scriptures about speaking in tongues check out the link below:

Speaking in Tongues Bible Verses

Now, as I mentioned earlier, when people ask if speaking in tongues is biblical, they are often trying to answer the question, “Is speaking in tongues for today?”

But before making a case for why I believe that speaking in tongues is for today, I want to share briefly why some Christians believe this gift is no longer available today.

In other words, let’s lay out both sides of the argument. 

First, is the belief that all miraculous gifts have ceased.

This view is called “Cessationism.”

In short, the argument for cessationism is based on the following syllogism:

Premise # 1: Miraculous spiritual gifts authenticated the message of the apostles.

Premise # 2: The apostle’s message is now complete in the written Scripture.

Conclusion: Therefore, there is no longer a need for miraculous spiritual gifts.

You will be hard-pressed to find a cessationist who builds a case for why miraculous spiritual gifts have ceased strictly from Scripture. 

Why? Because you can’t! 

The only Bible passage that speaks about spiritual gifts coming to an end is 1 Corinthians 13:8

⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

As I noted above, one of the arguments for the cessation of miraculous gifts is that the apostle’s message is now complete in the written Scripture. In other words, once the Bible was completed, miraculous gifts were no longer needed.

However, if you read the rest of 1 Corinthians 13, you will see that the context of the gift of tongues ceasing is obviously not talking about the sixty-six books of the Bible being compiled together. {By the way, this did not take place until AD 367 when Athanasius first gave the complete listing of 66 books found in our Bibles today.}

1 Corinthians 13:8 is referring to something far more important than the completion of the Bible. It is pointing to the return of Jesus at his second coming when he will make all things new.

Let’s consider the next four verses:

⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:9-12

This passage of Scripture is clearly pointing to the return of Jesus!

When Jesus returns there will be no more need for prophecies or tongues or any other spiritual gift. When Jesus returns, we will see him face to face and this broken world will finally be healed.

So, in contrast to the cessationist argument that insists that spiritual gifts will cease at the completion of the Bible, the Scripture itself shows us that spiritual gifts, including tongues, will continue until Jesus returns.

Paul makes this same point as he opens his letter to the Corinthians and commends the believers regarding their exercise of spiritual gifts in light of the second coming of the Lord.

⁴ I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵ that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— ⁶ even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— ⁷ so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸ who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:4-8

So, is speaking in tongues still for today? Yes!

When we look to the Scripture, we can have full confidence, that the command to “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts” still stands! (See 1 Cor.14:1).

Next up, let’s consider another question:

Is speaking in tongues a real language? 

To answer this, we need to take a closer look at the description of the Day of Pentecost from the book of Acts.

⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. ⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷ And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, ¹¹ both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” ¹² And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” Acts 2:4-13 

There are a few important things to point out in this passage from the Day of Pentecost.

1) The crowd hears them speaking in their own language.

⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

2) They specifically hear them telling of the mighty works of God.

¹¹ both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

3) People are amazed and perplexed. 

¹² And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

I point these out to help you understand two important truths.

First, while it is evident from this passage that the believers speaking in tongues are expressing a real language, note that they are speaking about is “the mighty works of God.” Speaking in tongues in this instance is not, as some claim, an attempt to evangelize others. 

If it were, there would be no reason for the apostle Peter to preach the Gospel to the crowd.  ¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: (See: Acts 2:14-41).

Secondly, please note that people were not evangelized when they heard the disciples speaking in tongues, but when they responded to Peter’s clear presentation of the Gospel:

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles,”Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:37-38 

What was taking place on the Day of Pentecost was a group of believers praising God by speaking in tongues, and some of the crowd heard it in their language. God used this as a way to soften their hearts to receive the preaching of the Gospel from the Apostle Peter.

So, is speaking in tongues a real language? 

From the verses we’ve examined, it’s clear that speaking in tongues is a real language. However, the Scripture shows us that speaking in tongues may be in a language known or unknown to humankind.

Let’s look at two Scriptures that demonstrate this truth.

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1 

There is no need to speculate here. It is evident that there are angelic/heavenly languages that are not known to man nor understood by him.

The second Scripture I want to draw your attention to is 1 Corinthians 14:2-5

2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. 1 Corinthians 14:2-5 

Here Paul indicates that speaking in tongues is not intended as a language that people are to understand but rather as a language that in some mysterious way is between God and the one speaking in tongues.  

These passages help us answer our next question:

Is tongues a real language? 

Based on what we just read from the Scriptures, yes! But that does not mean it is a language that will be understood on all occasions. It may be that the person speaking in tongues is communicating with God in a heavenly language.

This brings us to our next question:

What is the purpose of speaking in tongues?

Let’s look again at the passage we just referenced above.

3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. 1 Corinthians 14:3-5 

This Scripture indicates that a person who speaks in tongues, “builds up himself!” This is similar to what the Book of Jude tells us about the person who prays in the Holy Spirit.

²⁰But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit. Jude 1:20

Are there benefits to praying in tongues?

Yes! It is clear from the Scripture that a person who speaks in tongues builds themselves up in their faith.

In addition, there may be more benefits to speaking in tongues, as an interesting New York Times article points out. It reports the findings of a study that suggests that people who speak in tongues suffer less mental problems.

On to our next question:

Should people speak in tongues at church or in private?

This is an important question, and I will simply offer a brief reflection on two Scriptures.

The first text is found in Acts 19:6 when Paul prays for the Ephesians to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

⁶And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. Acts 19:6

Speaking in tongues in this instance was a sign that people were experiencing the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This same sort of thing could happen today.

In the second passage, found in 1 Corinthians 14:13-19, the Apostle Paul describes the normative use of tongues in the local church.

¹³ Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. _¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. ¹⁹Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 1 Corinthians 14:13-19

Here, as Paul describes the normative practice for a church service, he indicates that speaking in tongues is not for regular, public display.

In other words, the gift of tongues is best practiced in private, unless, as Paul tells us, there is someone present who can interpret the tongue for the edification of the people in attendance.

Now, let’s answer one more question and address a few practical points.

How does a person receive the gift of speaking in tongues?

In that this question frames speaking in tongues as a “gift,” it is essential to keep that point in mind. Speaking in tongues is not a sign of spiritual maturity, nor is it a reward for good behavior. Speaking in tongues is a gift from God.

Having said that, in one sense, you cannot speak in tongues unless God gives you that gift. But don’t get tripped up over that fact.

Instead, let me draw your attention to an important Scripture.

⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4

Notice, “the Spirit gave them utterance.”

This does not mean that the Holy Spirit took over their mouths. The believers still had to open their mouths and produce sound, but God was giving the utterance. The verse indicates that God gave them the ability to speak, and as they opened their mouths, they gave voice to what was in their hearts.

Many people get tripped up over this and it can become a significant hindrance for people to speak in tongues. They are waiting for God to take control of their vocal cords and lungs when the Scripture says, they “began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

How to speak in tongues

Let me encourage you. There is no secret formula to speaking in tongues. If you desire to speak in tongues, pray for God to give you this gift. Then, as you feel him move in, allow your voice to speak the utterances his Spirit gives you. Give voice to what is inside of you.

Why don’t we do that right now?

Prayer for speaking in tongues.

If you would like, here is a prayer for speaking in tongues.

“Jesus, pour out your Holy Spirit on me afresh today. Flow-through me with your power. Lord, give me the gift of speaking in tongues to glorify you.”

– Amen

I would encourage you to pray this or something similar and wait on God. 

Don’t get too self-conscious. Simply allow yourself to express your love and affection for Jesus and perhaps after a short time, begin to give voice to what is inside of your heart, and perhaps the Spirit will give you the utterance to speak in tongues.

In Closing,

We have walked through all of the commonly asked questions about speaking in tongues. I hope you found this article helpful. If you have any more questions about speaking in tongues, feel free to leave them in the comment box below! Also, if you would like to learn more about spiritual gifts or discover what spiritual gifts you have, take our free spiritual gift test.