Speaking in tongues Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Biblical practice=== There are five places in the [[New Testament]] where speaking in tongues is referred to explicitly: * [[s: Bible (King James)/Mark#Chapter 16|Mark 16:17]] (though this is a [[Mark 16|disputed text]]), which records the instructions of [[Jesus Christ|Christ]] to the [[Apostles in the New Testament|apostles]], including his description that "they will speak with new tongues" as a sign that would follow "them that believe" in him. * [[s: Bible (King James)/Acts#Chapter 2|Acts 2]], which describes an occurrence of speaking in tongues in [[Jerusalem]] at [[Pentecost]], though with various interpretations. Specifically, "every man ''heard them'' speak in his own language" and wondered "how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?" * [[s: Bible (King James)/Acts#Chapter 10|Acts 10:46]], when the household of [[Cornelius the Centurion|Cornelius]] in [[Caesarea Maritima|Caesarea]] spoke in tongues, and those present compared it to the speaking in tongues that occurred at [[Pentecost]]. * [[s:Bible (King James)/Acts#Chapter 19|Acts 19:6]], when a group of approximately a dozen men spoke in tongues in [[Ephesus]] as they received the Holy Spirit while the apostle Paul laid his hands upon them. * [[s:Bible (King James)/1 Corinthians#Chapter 12|1 Cor 12]], [[s:Bible (King James)/1 Corinthians#Chapter 13|13]], [[s:Bible (King James)/1 Corinthians#Chapter 14|14]], where [[Apostle Paul|Paul]] discusses speaking in "various kinds of tongues" as part of his wider discussion of the [[gifts of the Spirit]]; his remarks shed some light on his own speaking in tongues as well as how the gift of speaking in tongues was to be used in the [[Mother Church|church]]. Other verses by inference may be considered to refer to "speaking in tongues", such as [[s:Bible (King James)/Isaiah#Chapter 28|Isaiah 28:11]], [[s:Bible (King James)/Romans#Chapter 8|Romans 8:26]] and [[s:Bible (King James)/Jude|Jude 20]]. The biblical account of [[Pentecost]] in the second chapter of the book of Acts describes the sound of a mighty rushing wind and "divided tongues like fire" coming to rest on the [[Apostles in the New Testament|apostles]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Geisler |first1=Norman L. |author1-link=Norman Geisler |title=Was it Only the Apostles Who Spoke in Tongues at Pentecost? |date=11 February 2022 |url=https://christianpublishinghouse.co/2022/02/11/was-it-only-the-apostles-who-spoke-in-tongues-at-pentecost/ |publisher=Christian Publishing House |access-date=5 July 2023}}</ref> The text further describes that "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages". It goes on to say in verses 5β11 that when the Apostles spoke, each person in attendance "heard their own language being spoken". Therefore, the gift of speaking in tongues refers to the Apostles' speaking languages that the people listening heard as "them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God". Glossolalists and cessationists both recognize this as [[xenoglossia]], a miraculous ability that marked their [[Baptism of the Holy Spirit|baptism in the Holy Spirit]]. Something similar (although perhaps not xenoglossia) took place on at least two subsequent occasions, in Caesarea and Ephesus. Glossolalists and cessationists generally agree that the primary purpose of the gift of speaking in tongues was to mark the [[Holy Spirit]] being poured out. At [[Pentecost]] the [[Apostle Peter]] declared that this gift, which was making some in the audience ridicule the disciples as drunks, be the fulfilment of the prophecy of [[Joel (prophet)|Joel]], which described that God would pour out his Spirit on all flesh ([[s:Bible (King James)/Acts#Chapter 2|Acts 2:17]]).<ref name=ag-baptism2000 /> Despite these commonalities, there are significant variations in interpretation. * '''Universal'''. The traditional [[Pentecostal]] view is that every Christian should expect to be [[Baptism in the holy spirit|baptized in the Holy Spirit]], the distinctive mark of which is glossolalia.<ref name=ag-truths>{{cite web |title=Statement of Fundamental Truths |url=http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/Statement_of_Fundamental_Truths/sft.pdf |author=Assemblies of God |publisher=[[General Council of the Assemblies of God of the United States]] |year=1961 |access-date=9 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619112828/http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/Statement_of_Fundamental_Truths/sft.pdf |archive-date=19 June 2006 |author-link=Assemblies of God}}</ref> While most Protestants agree that baptism in the Holy Spirit is integral to being a Christian, others<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.christians.eu/holy-spirit-baptism/|title=Baptism with the Holy Spirit|work=christians.eu|date=22 July 2015}}</ref> believe that it is not separable from [[Religious conversion|conversion]] and no longer marked by glossolalia. Pentecostals appeal to the declaration of the [[Apostle Peter]] at Pentecost, that "the gift of the Holy Spirit" was "for you and for your children and for all who are far off" ([[s:Bible (King James)/Acts#Chapter 2|Acts 2:38β39]]). Cessationists reply that the gift of speaking in tongues was never for all ([[s:Bible (King James)/1 Corinthians#Chapter 12|1 Cor 12:30]]). In response to those who say that the baptism in the Holy Spirit be not a separate experience from conversion, Pentecostals appeal to the question asked by the [[Apostle Paul]] to the Ephesian believers "Have ye received the Holy Ghost ''since'' ye believed?" ([[s:Bible (King James)/Acts#Chapter 19|Acts 19:2]]). * '''One gift'''. Different aspects of speaking in tongues appear in Acts and 1 Corinthians, such that the [[Assemblies of God]] declare that the gift in Acts "is the same in essence as the gift of tongues" in 1 Corinthians "but different in purpose and use".<ref name=ag-truths/> They distinguish between (private) speech in tongues when receiving the gift of the Spirit, and (public) speech in tongues for the benefit of the church. Others assert that the gift in Acts was "not a different phenomenon" but the same gift being displayed under varying circumstances.<ref name=grudem1994p1073>{{Cite book|first=Wayne A. |last=Grudem |author-link=Wayne Grudem |title=Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine |publisher=[[Inter-Varsity Press]] |location=[[Leicester]] |year=1994 |page=1073 |isbn=978-0851106526 |oclc=29952151}}</ref> The same description{{snd}}"speaking in tongues"{{snd}}is used in both Acts and 1 Corinthians, and in both cases the speech is in an unlearned language. * '''Direction'''. The New Testament describes tongues largely as speech addressed to God, but also as something that can potentially be interpreted into human language, thereby "edifying the hearers" ([[s:Bible (King James)/1 Corinthians#Chapter 14|1 Cor 14:5, 13]]). At Pentecost and Caesarea the speakers were praising God ([[s:Bible (King James)/Acts#Chapter 2|Acts 2:11]]; [[s:Bible (King James)/Acts#Chapter 10|10:46]]). Paul referred to praying, singing praise, and giving thanks in tongues ([[s:Bible (King James)/1 Corinthians#Chapter 14|1 Cor 14:14β17]]), as well as to the [[interpretation of tongues]] ([[s:Bible (King James)/1 Corinthians#Chapter 14|1 Cor 14:5]]), and instructed those speaking in tongues to pray for the ability to interpret their tongues so that others could understand them ([[s: Bible (King James)/1 Corinthians#Chapter 14|1 Cor 14:13]]). While some people limit speaking in tongues to speech addressed to God{{snd}}"prayer or praise",<ref name=grudem1994p1070/> others claim that speaking in tongues be the revelation from God to the church, and when interpreted into human language by those embued with the gift of interpretation of tongues for the benefit of others present, may be considered equivalent to prophecy.<ref>{{Cite book |first=Peter |last=Masters |author2=John C. Whitcomb |title=The Charismatic Phenomenon |publisher=Wakeman Trust |location=London |year=1988 |page=[https://archive.org/details/charismaticpheno0000mast/page/49 49] |isbn=978-1870855013 |oclc=20720229 |author2-link=John C. Whitcomb |url=https://archive.org/details/charismaticpheno0000mast/page/49 }}</ref> * '''Music'''. Musical interludes of glossolalia are sometimes described as [[singing in the Spirit]]. Some hold that singing in the Spirit is identified with singing in tongues in 1 Corinthians 14:13β19,<ref>''Bible'' {{bibleverse|1|Corinthians|14:13β19|KJV}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|first=Donald A. |last=Johns |editor1=Stanley M. Burgess |editor2=Gary B. McGee |editor3=Patrick H. Alexander |title=''Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements'' |publisher=[[Zondervan]] |location=[[Grand Rapids, Michigan]] |year=1988 |page=788 |isbn=978-0310441007 |oclc=18496801|title-link=Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements}} Cited by {{cite web|first=Richard M. |last=Riss |url=http://www.pctii.org/arc/riss.html |title=Singing in the Spirit in the Holiness, Pentecostal, Latter Rain, and Charismatic Movements |date=28 July 1995 |access-date=9 June 2009}}</ref> which they hold to be "spiritual or spirited singing", as opposed to "communicative or impactive singing" which Paul refers to as "singing with the understanding".<ref>{{Cite book|first=Delton L. |last=Alford |editor1=Stanley M. Burgess |editor2=Gary B. McGee |editor3=Patrick H. Alexander |title=Dictionary of Pentecostal and charismatic movements |publisher=[[Zondervan]] |location=[[Grand Rapids, Michigan]] |year=1988 |page=690 |isbn=978-0310441007 |oclc=18496801}} Cited by {{cite web|first=Richard M. |last=Riss |url=http://www.pctii.org/arc/riss.html |title=Singing in the Spirit in the Holiness, Pentecostal, Latter Rain, and Charismatic Movements |date=28 July 1995 |access-date=9 June 2009}}</ref> * '''Sign for unbelievers''' ([[s:Bible (King James)/1 Corinthians#Chapter 14|1 Cor 14:22]]). Some assume that tongues are "a sign for unbelievers that they might believe",<ref>{{cite web |title=Questions about Tongues |url=http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/baptmhs_faq_tongues.cfm |publisher=[[General Council of the Assemblies of God of the United States]] |year=2009 |access-date=10 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060613065932/http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/baptmhs_faq_tongues.cfm |archive-date=13 June 2006}}</ref> and so advocate it as a means of evangelism. Others point out that Paul quotes Isaiah to show that "when God speaks to people in language they cannot understand, it is quite evidently a sign of God's judgment"; so if unbelievers are baffled by a church service they cannot understand because tongues are spoken without being interpreted, that is a "sign of God's attitude", "a sign of judgment".<ref name=grudem1994p1075>{{Cite book|first=Wayne A. |last=Grudem |author-link=Wayne Grudem |title=Systematic theology: an introduction to biblical doctrine |publisher=[[Inter-Varsity Press]] |location=[[Leicester]] |year=1994 |page=1075 |isbn=978-0851106526 |oclc=29952151}}</ref> Some identify the tongues in Acts 2 as the primary example of tongues as signs for unbelievers. * '''Comprehension'''. Some say that speaking in tongues was "not understood by the speaker".<ref name=grudem1994p1070/> Others assert that "the tongues-speaker normally understood his own foreign-language message".<ref>{{Cite book |first=Peter |last=Masters |author2=John C. Whitcomb |title=The Charismatic Phenomenon |publisher=Wakeman Trust |location=London |year=1988 |page=[https://archive.org/details/charismaticpheno0000mast/page/106 106] |isbn=978-1870855013 |oclc=20720229 |author2-link=John C. Whitcomb |url=https://archive.org/details/charismaticpheno0000mast/page/106}}</ref> This last comment seems to have been made by someone confusing the "gift of tongues" with the "gift of the interpretation of tongues" , which is specified as a different gift in the New Testament, but one that can be given to a person who also has the gift of tongues. In that case, a person understands a message in tongues that he has previously spoken in an unknown language. 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