7972 tongues, gift of

The divine enabling of a believer to use a language, unknown to the speaker. The gift of tongues may be used to praise God or to utter a message from God that, supplemented by the gift of interpretation of tongues, edifies other believers. Note that “tongues” can simply mean “other languages” at times.

Tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit

It is given to individual believers Ac 2:4 See also 1Co 12:11,30 it is not universal among Christians

It was foretold in the OT 1Co 14:21; Isa 28:11

It is a divine gift in response to faith Mk 16:17

It may be given through the laying on of hands Ac 19:6

It is a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit Ac 10:44-46

Tongues in relation to other gifts

The need for love 1Co 13:1

The need for prophecy 1Co 14:4-6

The need for intelligibility See also 1Co 14:9,13,16-19,23

The need for interpretation 1Co 12:8-10; 1Co 14:12-13

The transience of tongues 1Co 13:8

The use of tongues within the church

In prayer and praise See also Ro 8:26; 1Co 14:14-15,26,28; Eph 6:18; Jude 20

For the benefit of believers 1Co 12:7-10 See also 1Co 14:5,16-17,26

In public it needs to be augmented by the gift of interpretation 1Co 14:26-28 See also 1Co 12:30; 1Co 14:5,13

See also