What is Speaking in Tongues? Here’s What the Bible Says

Want to learn more about speaking in tongues? In this article, Erin Odom digs into what is speaking in tongues, what the Bible has to say about speaking in tongues, how different Christian denominations view speaking in tongues, and more! 

Speaking in tongues is one of the most debated and controversial topics in the Christian faith. For some believers, it’s a regular and cherished part of their spiritual practice. Others firmly believe that speaking in tongues belongs in the past, without a place in the modern church. 

I grew up in a Southern Baptist home, but my grandmother was Pentecostal. Because of this, I was exposed to different perspectives from an early age. In our Baptist church, speaking in tongues was never part of worship, yet I remember watching my grandmother’s charismatic congregation embrace it as a vital expression of faith. 

As I grew older, my curiosity only deepened. I wanted to understand why Christians were so divided on this issue. My search for answers led me to explore the gifts of the Spirit, and today, I’m eager to share what I’ve learned with you. 

If you’re wondering, “What is speaking in tongues?” or “Is speaking in tongues real?” you’re in the right place.

In this article, we’re diving deep into Scripture to answer the following questions:

What Is Speaking in Tongues?

Speaking in tongues is the practice of speaking sounds or words in what appears to be an unknown language, one that neither the speaker nor the listener understands.

Another term used for speaking in tongues is glossolalia, a word that stems from the Greek word γλωσσολαλία (glossolalía). This Greek word combines the word for “tongue, language” (γλῶσσα [glossa]) with the verb for “to speak, talk, chat, prattle, make a sound” (λαλέω [laleō]).

When considering the meaning behind speaking in tongues, it’s important to recognize that speaking in tongues is considered a gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).

While speaking in tongues is commonly practiced among Pentecostal and charismatic Christians during public worship services and moments of private prayer, it is a gray area among modern Christians. Some believers think speaking in tongues is no longer relevant to Christians today and has ceased to exist (I Corinthians 13:8).

Christianity is not the only religion that believes in speaking in tongues. New Ageism, Paganism, Shamanism, Spiritism, various cults, and even some branches of Buddhism and Hinduism practice forms of speaking in tongues. For this article, we will focus on what both Protestant and Catholic Christians believe about speaking in tongues as evidenced in the Bible.

Where Is Speaking in Tongues in the Bible?

Speaking in tongues is mentioned in the Bible in the New Testament, primarily in Acts and I Corinthians. Some of the most popular Bible verses about speaking in tongues include:

• Mark 16:17 – “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues”
• Acts 2:4 – “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
• Acts 10:44-46 – “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.”
• Acts 19:1-6 – “While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ “They answered, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ “So Paul asked, ‘Then what baptism did you receive?’ ‘John’s baptism,’ they replied. “Paul said, ‘John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.’ On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”
• Romans 8:26-27 – “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”
• I Corinthians 12:7-11 – “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”
• 1 Corinthians 14:2 – “For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.”
• 1 Corinthians 14:4 – “Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.”
• 1 Corinthians 14:13 – “For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.”
• 1 Corinthians 14:14 – “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.”
• 1 Corinthians 14:18 – “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.”
• I Corinthians 14:39 – “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.”

Other places in the Bible that some believe refer to speaking in tongues include references to “praying in the spirit,” like:

• 1 Corinthians 14:15 – “So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.”
• Jude 20 – “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,”

Some Christians differentiate speaking in tongues publicly from those who speak in a “private prayer language,” while others see these two as the same.

Even though speaking in tongues is not explicitly mentioned in the Old Testament, some Bible scholars believe that Isaiah 28:11 points to this spiritual practice: “Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,”

Other scholars maintain that the gift of speaking in tongues did not appear until Pentecost (in the New Testament), when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in tongues of fire, enabling the believers to begin speaking in other languages (Acts 2).

Is Speaking in Tongues Real?

Yes, speaking in tongues is real. However, the practice of speaking in tongues is controversial among Christians today.

Some Christians believe that speaking in tongues should only happen when there is someone present who possesses the gift of interpreting tongues, another spiritual gift mentioned in I Corinthians 12:10: “to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.”

While Christians of all denominations accept that speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift in New Testament Christianity, some doubt that the current practice of speaking in tongues is genuine. There are even those who have deemed the “languages” spoken in this “gift” nothing but gibberish or nonsense.

Because speaking in tongues is not isolated to the Christian religion, there are even a few who accuse those who speak in tongues as being influenced by demonic forces.

My Personal Experience with Speaking in Tongues

I personally witnessed someone speaking in tongues firsthand as a teenager when I attended a fundamentalist, independent Baptist high school. The leaders at this school taught that the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit no longer existed. Some teachers and administrators took things a step further and openly condemned those who practiced such gifts.

I’ll never forget the day a boy named Billy began speaking in tongues during chapel. Few–if any–of us students had ever experienced anything like what Billy demonstrated. Not only did this teenage boy begin speaking in what appeared to be another language, but his body also began violently shaking.

A hush fell over the sanctuary, and we students began whispering among ourselves. The pastor who was preaching the sermon began commanding Billy to stop his display of spiritual fervor. But Bill continued. Two teachers approached Billy, picked him up, and carried him out into the principal’s office.

We never saw Billy again.

The student body circulated rumors that a demon had possessed Billy, and the principal had expelled him. But no one ever knew the truth.

As an adult, I’ve been haunted by what happened to Billy. Did getting kicked out of my Baptist high school propel him to dig deeper into Scripture and solidify his faith? Or has he now–as have many of my peers–deconstructed and abandoned the faith altogether?

I’m sure it wasn’t easy for the adults in charge to handle a charismatic, tongue-speaking student at a school that preached that supernatural gifts had ceased to exist. Still, I can’t help but feel compassion for Billy and pray that God brought other adults into his life who appreciated his differences in worship and discipled him in deepening his relationship with Christ.

Thankfully, regardless of religious or denominational upbringing, those in my generation–which spans younger Gen Xers and older Millennials–are more open to the gift of speaking in tongues, even if they don’t practice it themselves.

Today’s Christians tend to be accepting of the gray areas of Scripture and more apt to focus on what unites believers in Christ versus the non-salvation issues that have separated us in the past, speaking in tongues included.

Which Christian Denominations Practice Speaking in Tongues?

The most common Christian denominations that practice speaking in tongues fall under the Pentecostal branch of Protestantism.

Pentecostal Christians typically call someone’s first instance of speaking in tongues “baptism of the Holy Spirit.” They differentiate water baptism, which is typically considered an outward sign of salvation, from the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which they consider to be when Christians receive the Holy Spirit.

In contrast, Catholics believe that they receive the Holy Spirit at the time of water baptism (typically infant baptism or during confirmation for adults converting to the Church). Mainline Protestants believe that Christians receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation, which can occur days, weeks, months, or even years before water baptism.

While the gift of speaking in tongues is widely practiced among Pentecostals and charismatics, there are many Christians from both Catholic and Protestant circles who know very little about what it means to speak in tongues. Unless you were raised in or currently attend Pentecostal churches, it’s possible to have never witnessed this supernatural phenomenon.

However, there are charismatic branches of Catholicism and mainline Protestants who practice the gift of tongues as well. We will briefly differentiate between what Catholics, mainline Protestants, and Pentecostals believe about speaking in tongues in the following two sections.

What Do Catholics Believe About Speaking in Tongues?

The Catholic Church does not hold a specific stance on the gift of speaking in tongues. Catholics believe the gift of speaking in tongues is real, but it does not deem it a salvation issue. The Catholic Church also does not guarantee that all believers receive this gift.

While I’ve had several Catholic friends over the years, and my cousin converted to Catholicism in college and is now a Catholic priest, up until the past couple of years, I erroneously believed that Catholics are always more traditional and liturgical in their worship. I was shocked when a Catholic friend explained to me that there are, indeed, charismatic Catholics who possess and practice the gift of speaking in tongues.

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal began in 1967 when a group of Catholics began speaking in tongues while attending a Protestant worship service. Catholics that are part of this movement today hold to traditional Catholic doctrine while worshipping and exercising the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit–like speaking in tongues, prophecy, and supernatural healing–much like their Protestant Pentecostal brothers and sisters in Christ.

What Do Protestants Believe About Speaking in Tongues?

Protestants hold a wide range of beliefs about speaking in tongues, with some practicing it while others condemn it.

Traditionally, many mainline Protestant denominations, such as Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Lutherans, do not speak in tongues. Pentecostal or charismatic Protestants, such as those in denominations like Foursquare, Church of God, and Assemblies of God, practice the gift of speaking in tongues freely.

However, there are exceptions to these stereotypical denominational divides when it comes to speaking in tongues. Some grew up in charismatic churches but never received this gift. I have friends who have recounted mixed feelings on this issue, as they felt inferior to other church members for not having the gifts of tongues.

On the other hand, there are prominent leaders in non-charismatic Protestant circles who have admitted they speak in tongues–to the chagrin of their peers.

Jerry Rankin, who served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board from 1993 until 2010, came under fire by other Baptist leaders in 2006, when he admitted that he had been practicing a private prayer language for more than 30 years.

“I do have a private prayer language,” Rankin said. “I don’t consider myself to have a gift of tongues. I’ve never been led to practice glossolalia publicly.”

As we discussed earlier in this article, many see a private prayer language and speaking in tongues publicly as the same gift. At the time Rankin confessed to using a private prayer language, the organization he led forbade its missionaries from using a private prayer language and publicly speaking in tongues.

Instances like these have led some Protestants–and Catholics as well–to keep worship practices that involve speaking in tongues truly private.

How to Speak in Tongues

Most Christians today believe that you cannot teach someone how to speak in tongues, as it is a spiritual gift. Gifts are not taught; gifts are received. This is my personal opinion as well.

However, some Christian denominations purport to teach others how to do this. Some online courses claim to teach people how to speak in tongues as well.

Proponents of teaching others how to speak in tongues state that you must begin by praying to the Holy Spirit and asking Him to give you this spiritual gift. The next step, they teach, is to become fully relaxed and surrendered to the Holy Spirit before opening your mouth and experiencing the gift of tongues being released.

Sometimes I think back to when I was a teenager and college student and so intrigued about how the Holy Spirit was taught differently among the denominations. The past 16 years of my life have been consumed in motherhood–which has been more rewarding than I ever imagined it would be. Still, it’s not always easy finding ways to grow as a Christian as a busy mom.

Researching the “gray” areas of Scripture, like speaking in tongues, has renewed and stretched my faith in new ways, both intellectually and spiritually. If you’re not yet convinced what you believe about speaking in tongues, the Holy Spirit, the differences between Catholics and Protestants, and so much more, I encourage you to pick a topic and get started studying on your own.

What do you think? Do you adhere to the Catholic, mainline Protestant, or Pentecostal view of speaking in tongues? If you are a Christian, have you ever spoken in tongues yourself?