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.
Questions and Answers
61-0112 §35
Speaking in tongues... Now, I do believe this, that sometime another that a Spirit-filled person that lays under the altar of God will speak with tongues. But I've seen many speak with tongues that never knowed nothing about God, see. They knowed nothing about Him at all, and they still speak with tongues. Any of those gifts can be impersonated, see. But the fruit of the Spirit proves what the Spirit is on the inside. You bear the witness of the life of Jesus Christ, because... if there's peach tree sap in the appl...
I perceive You are a prophet
53-0614E §22
I believe that everything speaks with tongues hasn't got the Holy Ghost. But yet, I believe the Holy Ghost can speak with tongues, see. Sure. But then if there be someone speak with tongues, like a gift of speaking in tongues, would speak in tongues, then there'd be one interpret it. Well, then, that one that interpret it would speak something to one of the congregation or tell them something that happened. Three or four judges get before that and the church accepts it. Then if that comes to pass, that's the truth,...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 4:E-108
Pentecostal theologians admit that they have no Scripture setting forth that people speak with tongues when baptized by the Holy Ghost. They admit that they infer it from the experiences set forth in the Book of Acts wherein three out of five times the people spoke with tongues. And they also say without any Scripture that there are two kinds of tongues. One is the tongue you speak in while receiving the Holy Ghost and it is the 'evidence', while later on if you believe, you can receive the gift of tongues whereby...
Desperations
63-0901E §16
It isn't... Like, talking about it and say, "Tongues is the evidence." Now, I'll buy a pair of shoes; the tongue isn't the shoe. It just comes with the shoe. It just comes with the shoe, see. Now, the same thing is the token. The token is Christ. But speaking in tongues, and casting out devils, and doing those things, and preaching, and whatever is the evidence, it's there, true; but it's not it, see. It's a gift of it. If I told you that... You say, "I want you, Brother Branham," and I give you a gift (see), well,...
The Ministry explained
56-1001 §14
Then when you become in the Body of Christ, then there is nine spiritual gifts that goes in every local church body. And those are gifts that you are to pray for. To pray for the gift of speaking with tongues, or the gift of interpretation of tongues, or these other gifts that goes into the church. Pray for the gifts of healing, and pray for the gifts of miracles, and so forth. That's the ones that you pray for, and the Spirit comes on and works in each local assembly in the perfecting of the church. Now, many time...