What are tongues? Should we speak in Tongues? What does the Bible say?
Acts 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
There were Jews in Jerusalem from all over the Roman empire to celebrate the Passover. They all spoke the language (tongue) of the countries they came from. (Acts 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.)
And they heard the (120) disciples speak in their own language. (Acts 2:6-8 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
And what languages (tongues) did they hear? (Acts 2:9-11 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.)
The speaking in other tongues (languages) was of God, and it was sign to these Jews that God was again trying to reach them as a Nation. And the result?
(Acts 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?)
Paul writes to the Church in Corinthians about use and misuse of unknown tongues. The Corinthians had many problems and tongues was one of them. (It didn’t appear to be a problem anywhere else.) The following text address the problem. 1 Corinthians 14:2 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. 1 Corinthians 14:4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 1 Corinthians 14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 1 Corinthians 14:13-14 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 1 Corinthians 14:19 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. 1 Corinthians 14:26-27 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. 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.
NOTE: the word, unknown, is in italitics. This means it was NOT in the original, but added by the translators, hopefully to help understand the text.
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