What Is the Gift of Speaking in Tongues? Is It for Today? What About Praying in Tongues?
1) Direct answer
- The gift of tongues is a real work of the Holy Spirit where a believer speaks a language unknown to them as the Spirit gives utterance.
- Yes, it is for today.
- Praying in tongues is the Spirit praying through a believer; it edifies the individual and should be kept in order when in a public service.
2) Scriptural explanation
- The Bible says, “These signs shall follow them that believe… they shall speak with new tongues” (Mark 16:17). In Acts 2:4-11 they spoke languages they did not know as the Spirit gave utterance.
- Tongues are one of the gifts God set in the Body (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28). The same chapter asks, “Do all speak with tongues?” (12:30). The obvious answer is no—so tongues are not the evidence of having the Holy Ghost; they are a gift given as God wills.
- In the church, tongues must follow order: “If any speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God” (1 Corinthians 14:27-28). God is not the author of confusion (14:33).
- Tongues with interpretation equals edification for the church; tongues without interpretation edifies the speaker (1 Corinthians 14:4-5). That’s why Paul said he would rather speak five words with understanding in the church than ten thousand in an unknown tongue (14:19).
- Praying in tongues: “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue… in the spirit he speaketh mysteries” (1 Corinthians 14:2). “If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful… I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also” (14:14-15). This shows private devotion in the Spirit is right, and in public we seek understanding for the sake of others.
- Do tongues cease? The Bible says tongues “shall cease… when that which is perfect is come” and then we shall see “face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:8-12). We have not yet come to that face-to-face, so the gifts remain. The same chapter commands, “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts” (14:1) and “forbid not to speak with tongues” (14:39).
3) Simple clarifying logic
- It’s not three Gods; it’s one God who sent His Spirit into the Church, and that same Spirit divides gifts as He wills. Not every member does the same thing (1 Corinthians 12:14-21).
- If tongues were the proof of the Holy Ghost, Paul would not ask, “Do all speak with tongues?” Nor would he limit public messages to “two or three.” The new birth is evidenced by the life of Christ and obedience to the Word; gifts are tools for service, not badges of salvation.
- If tongues had ceased, the clear New Testament instructions for their use would be meaningless. But the Bible says, “forbid not,” and “let all things be done decently and in order.” So we receive it, but we keep it Scriptural.
- Praying in tongues is right when the Spirit leads. In a gathering, if there’s no interpreter, keep it between you and God so the Body is not confused. The Spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets (1 Corinthians 14:32); the Holy Spirit does not force disorder.
4) Reinforcing statement
Now notice, the Bible sets the balance: love first, the Word as the absolute, desire spiritual gifts, and keep the operation of tongues under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and in harmony with Scripture.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
The World is falling apart
63-0412M §34
Oh, we talk about people coming in and receiving the Holy Ghost, and things like that, and I ... certainly I appreciate that. I do appreciate it. But looky here. What we've done, friends, we've built our denominations upon some evidence. Like we take speaking in tongues: I believe in speaking in tongues, sure; but everything speaks in tongues hasn't got the Holy Ghost. I'm a missionary. I've seen witches speak in tongues and interpret, and give the right interpretation to it; and drink blood out of a human skull an...
Abraham's covenant confirmed
61-0318 §44
And if you've really---not been excited, not worked up in emotion, not got some church creed---but really received the Holy Ghost, and you're really part of Christ, and still a little skeptic in your mind, God will not shove you off from that, because He can't. You're a part of Christ. He'll bring you to the truth. Now if you have never ... you just ... you might have spoke in tongues, danced in the Spirit, and done all these things there. That don't mean you got the Holy Ghost. Oh, my, my! That's a million miles f...
Perseverance
62-0218 §87
Now, you people that believe you have to speak in tongues to have the Holy Ghost, I want you to listen to this just a minute. When the Holy Ghost came down, upon the day of Pentecost, it was tongues of fire. That was the pillar of fire that led the children of Israel, had separated itself and was upon each one of them, God in His church. Yes, sir. the Holy Ghost. That's right. There's where they received the Holy Ghost, when they spoke in tongues. It wasn't an unknown tongue, they was speaking to people out there w...
Debate on tongues
60-0807 §27
"Well...", he said. And I said, "Well, I'm agreeing it was all under inspiration." I said, "Now like this," I said, "some of them now ... like we were..." I said, "Those then who were speaking in Galilee to the Galilean, they were under inspiration, wasn't they? See, like if we're all English..." He said, "There's none of them Gali..." I said, "It was in Galilee and they were all Galileans that were speaking. They were Galileans there hearing them, because they were in Galilee. That was the national language." I sa...
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
56-0225 §15
I believe that God has set in the church, apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, and all those gifts and callings are without repentance. God has set in the church. God does that by His sovereign will, His foreordination by foreknowledge. God knew before the foundation of the world just who would be who; so therefore, He could set that in order, and say, and make it work to His good. Now, now, there's nine spiritual gifts in I Corinthians 12, that goes into the church. Now, they're just apt to be in anyone, see...