Reference: Tongues, Gift of
Easton
granted on the day of Pentecost (Ac 2:4), in fulfilment of a promise Christ had made to his disciples (Mr 16:17). What this gift actually was has been a subject of much discussion. Some have argued that it was merely an outward sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit among the disciples, typifying his manifold gifts, and showing that salvation was to be extended to all nations. But the words of Luke (Ac 2:9) clearly show that the various peoples in Jerusalem at the time of Pentecost did really hear themselves addressed in their own special language with which they were naturally acquainted (comp. Joe 2:28-29).
Among the gifts of the Spirit the apostle enumerates in 1Co 12:10-14:30, "divers kinds of tongues" and the "interpretation of tongues." This "gift" was a different manifestation of the Spirit from that on Pentecost, although it resembled it in many particulars. Tongues were to be "a sign to them that believe not."
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And after that, it will come about, says the Lord, that I will send my spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will be prophets, your old men will have dreams, your young men will see visions: And on the servants and the servant-girls in those days I will send my spirit.
And these signs will be with those who have faith: in my name they will send out evil spirits; and they will make use of new languages;
And they were all full of the Holy Spirit, and were talking in different languages, as the Spirit gave them power.
Men of Parthia, Media, and Elam, and those living in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
And to another the power of working wonders; and to another the prophet's word; and to another the power of testing spirits; to another different sorts of tongues; and to another the power of making clear the sense of the tongues: But all these are the operations of the one and the same Spirit, giving to every man separately as his pleasure is. read more. For as the body is one, and has a number of parts, and all the parts make one body, so is Christ. For through the baptism of the one Spirit we were all formed into one body, Jews or Greeks, servants or free men, and were all made full of the same Spirit. For the body is not one part, but a number of parts.
Fausets
Mr 16:17; 1/type/bbe'>Ac 2:1-13; 10/46/type/bbe'>10:46; 19/6/type/bbe'>19:6,1 Corinthians 12,14. The Alexandrinus manuscript confirms Mr 16:9-20; The Sinaiticus and Vaticanus manuscripts, omit it; "they shall speak with "new" ("not known before", kainais) tongues"; this promise is not restricted to apostles; "these signs shall follow them that believe." a proof to the unbelieving that believers were under a higher power than mere enthusiasm or imagination. The "rushing mighty wind" on Pentecost is paralleled in Eze 1:24; 37:1-14; 43:2; Ge 1:2; 1Ki 19:11; 2Ch 5:14; Ps 104:3-4. The "tongues like as of fire" in the establishing of the New Testament church answer to Ex 19:18, at the giving of the Old Testament law on Sinai, and Eze 1:4 "a fire enfolding itself"; compare Jer 23:29; Lu 24:32.
They were "cloven" (diamerizomenai), rather distributed to them severally. The disciples were "filled with the Holy Spirit"; as John the Baptist and our Lord (Lu 1:15; 4:1). "They began to speak with "other" (heterais, different from their ordinary) tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." Then "the multitude were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language; and they marveled saying, Behold are not all these which speak Galileans? and how hear we every man in our own tongue wherein we were born, the wonderful works of God?" This proves that as Babel brought as its penalty the confusion of tongues, so the Pentecostal gift of tongues symbolizes the reunion of the scattered nations. Still praise, not teaching, was the invariable use made of the gift. The places where tongues were exercised were just where there was least need of preaching in foreign tongues (1/type/bbe'>Ac 2:1-4; 10/46/type/bbe'>10:46; 19/6/type/bbe'>19:6,1 Corinthians 14).
Tongues were not at their command whenever they pleased to teach those of different languages. The gift came, like prophesying, only in God's way and time (Ac 2:1-18; 10:46; 19:6). No express mention is made of any apostle or evangelist preaching in any tongue save Greek or Hebrew (Aramaic). Probably Paul did so in Lycaonia (Ac 14:11,15; he says (1Co 14:18) "I speak with tongues (the Vaticanus manuscript, but the Sinaiticus and the Alexandrinus manuscripts 'with a tongue') more than ye all." Throughout his long notice of tongues in 1 Corinthians 14 he never alludes to their use for making one's self intelligible to foreigners. This would have been the natural use for him to have urged their possessors to put them to, instead of interrupting church worship at home by their unmeaning display.
Papias (in Eusebius, H. E. iii. 30) says Mark accompanied Peter as an "interpreter," i.e. to express in appropriate language Peter's thought, so that the gift of tongues cannot have been in Papias' view a continuous gift with that apostle. Aramaic Hebrew, Greek, and Latin (the three languages over the cross) were the general media of converse throughout the civilised world, owing to Alexander's empire first, then the Roman. The epistles are all in Greek, not only to Corinth, but to Thessalonica, Philippi, Rome. Ephesus, and Colosse. The term used of "tongues" (apofthengesthai, not only lalein) implies a solemn utterance as of prophets or inspired musicians (Septuagint 1Ch 25:1; Eze 13:9). In the first instance (Acts 2) the tongues were used in doxology; but when teaching followed it was in ordinary language, understood by the Jews, that Peter spoke.
Those who spoke with tongues seemed to beholders as if "full of new wide," namely, excited and enthusiastic (Ac 2:13,15-18), in a state raised out of themselves. Hence, Paul contrasts the being "drunk with wine" with being "filled with the Spirit, speaking in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" (Eph 5:18-19). The ecstatic songs of praise in the Old Testament, poured out by the prophets and their disciples, and the inspired musicians of the sanctuary, correspond (1Sa 10:5-13; 19:20-24; 1Ch 25:3). In 1 Corinthians 12 and 1 Corinthians 14 tongues are placed lowest in the scale of gifts (1Co 12:31; 14:5). Their three characteristics were:
(1) all ecstatic state of comparative rapt unconsciousness, the will being acted on by a power from above;
(2) words uttered, often unintelligible;
(3) languages spoken which ordinarily the speaker could not speak.
They, like prophesyings, were under control of their possessors (1Co 14:32), and needed to be kept in due order, else confusion in church meetings would ensue (1Co 14:23,39). The tongues, as evidencing a divine power raising them above themselves, were valued by Paul; but they suited the childhood (1Co 14:20; 13:11), as prophesying or inspired preaching the manhood, of the Christian life. The possessor of the tongue "spoke mysteries," praying, blessing, and giving thanks, but no one understood him; the "spirit" (pneuma) but not "understanding" (nous) was active (1Co 14:14-19). Yet he might edify himself (1Co 14:4) with a tongue which to bystanders seemed a madman's ravings, but to himself was the expression of ecstatic adoration. "Five words" spoken "with the understanding" so as to "teach others" are preferable to "ten thousand in an unknown tongue."
In Isa 28:9-12 God virtually says of Israel, "this people hear Me not though I speak to them in their familiar tongue, I will therefore speak to them in other tongues, namely, that of the foes whom I will send against them, yet even then they will not hearken to Me." Paul thus applies it: ye see it is a penalty to encouuter men of a strange tongue, yet this you impose on the church by abusing instead of using the tongue intelligibly. Speakers in foreign tongues speak like "children weaned from the milk, with stammering lips," ridiculous because unintelligible to the hearers (Isa 28:14), or like babbling drunkards (Ac 2:13), or madmen (1Co 14:20-23).
Thus, Isaiah (Isa 28:9-14) shows that "tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not." Tongues either awaken to spiritual attention the unconverted or, if despised, condemn (compare "sign" in a condemnatory sense, Eze 4:3-4; Mt 12:39-42), those who, like Israel, reject the sign and the accompanying message; compare Ac 2:8,13; 1Co 14:22; "yet, for all that will they not hear Me," even such miraculous signs fail to arouse them; therefore since they will not understand they shall not understand. "Tongues of men" and "divers kinds of tongues" (1Co 12:10,28; 13:1) imply diversity, which applies certainly to languages, and includes also the kind of tongues which was a spiritual language unknown to man, uttered in ecstasy (1Co 14:2). It was only by "interpreting" that the "understanding" accompanied the tongues.
He who spoke (praying) in a tongue should pray that he might (be able to) interpret for edification of the church (1Co 14:13,26-27). Hebrew and Aramaic words spoken in the spirit or quoted from the Old Testament often produced a more solemn effect upon Greeks than the corresponding Greek terms; Compare 1Co 16:22, Maranatha, 1Co 12:3; Lord of sabaoth, Jas 5:4; Abba, the adoption cry, Ro 8:15; Ga 4:6; Alleluia, Re 19:1,6; Hosannah, Mt 21:9,15. "Tongues of angels" (1Co 13:1) are such as Daniel and John in Revelation heard; and Paul, when caught up to paradise (2Co 12:4).
An intonation in speaking with tongues is implied in Paul's comparison to the tones of the harp and pipe, which however he insists have distinction of sounds, and therefore so ought possessors of tongues to speak intelligibly by interpreting their sense afterward, or after awakening spiritual attention by the mysterious tongue they ought then to follow with "revelation, knowledge, prophesying or doctrine" (1Co 14:6-11); otherwise the speaker with a tongue will be "a barbarian," i.e. a foreigner in language to the hearer. A musical tone would also be likely in uttering hymns and doxologies, which were the subject matter of the utterance by tongues (Ac 2:11). The "groanings which cannot be uttered" (Ro 8:26) and the "melody in the heart" (Eph 5:19) show us how even inarticulate speech like the tongues may edify, though less edifying than articulate and intelligible prophesying or preaching.
Either the speaker with a tongue or a listener might have the gift of interpreting, so he might bring forth deep truths from the seemingly inc
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the earth was waste and without form; and it was dark on the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God was moving on the face of the waters.
And all the mountain of Sinai was smoking, for the Lord had come down on it in fire: and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a great burning; and all the mountain was shaking.
Take twelve men from the people, a man for every tribe, And say to them, Take up from the middle of Jordan, from the place where the feet of the priests were resting, twelve stones, and take them over with you and put them down in the place where you take your rest tonight.
After that you will come to Gibeah, the hill of God, where an armed force of the Philistines is stationed: and when you come to the town, you will see a band of prophets coming down from the high place with instruments of music before them; and they will be acting like prophets: And the spirit of the Lord will come on you with power, and you will be acting like a prophet with them, and will be changed into another man. read more. And when these signs come to you, see that you take the chance which is offered you; for God is with you. Then you are to go down before me to Gilgal, where I will come to you, for the offering of burned offerings and peace-offerings: go on waiting there for seven days till I come to you and make clear to you what you have to do. And it came about, that when he went away from Samuel, God gave him a changed heart: and all those signs took place that day. And when they came to Gibeah, a band of prophets came face to face with him; and the spirit of God came on him with power and he took his place among them as a prophet. Now when Saul's old friends saw him among the band of prophets, the people said to one another, What has come to Saul, the son of Kish? Is even Saul among the prophets? And one of the people of that place said in answer, And who is their father? So it became a common saying, Is even Saul among the prophets? Then going away from the prophets, he came to the house.
And Saul sent men to take David; and when they saw the band of prophets at work, with Samuel in his place at their head, the spirit of God came on Saul's men, and they became like prophets. And Saul, having news of this, sent other men, who in the same way became like prophets. And a third time Saul sent men, and they like the others became like prophets. read more. Then he himself went to Ramah, and came to the great water-spring in Secu; and questioning the people he said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, They are at Naioth in Ramah. And he went on from there to Naioth in Ramah: and the spirit of God came on him, and he went on, acting like a prophet, till he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he took off his clothing, acting like a prophet before Samuel, and falling down he was stretched out, without his clothing, all that day and all that night. This is the reason for the saying, Is even Saul among the prophets?
Further, David and the chiefs of the servants of the holy place made selection of certain of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun for the work of prophets, to make melody with corded instruments and brass; and the number of the men for the work they had to do was:
The arch of your house is based on the waters; you make the clouds your carriage; you go on the wings of the wind: He makes winds his angels, and flames of fire his servants.
To whom will he give knowledge? and to whom will he make clear the word? Will it be to those who have newly given up milk, and who have only now been taken from the breast?
To whom will he give knowledge? and to whom will he make clear the word? Will it be to those who have newly given up milk, and who have only now been taken from the breast? For it is one rule after another; one line after another; here a little, there a little.
For it is one rule after another; one line after another; here a little, there a little. No, but with broken talk, and with a strange tongue, he will give his word to this people:
No, but with broken talk, and with a strange tongue, he will give his word to this people: To whom he said, This is the rest, give rest to him who is tired; and by this you may get new strength; but they would not give ear.
To whom he said, This is the rest, give rest to him who is tired; and by this you may get new strength; but they would not give ear. For this cause the word of the Lord will be to them rule after rule, line after line, here a little, there a little; so that they may go on their way, and falling back may be broken, and taken in the net. read more. Give ear then to the word of the Lord, you men of pride, the rulers of this people in Jerusalem:
Give ear then to the word of the Lord, you men of pride, the rulers of this people in Jerusalem:
Is not my word like fire? says the Lord; and like a hammer, smashing the rock to bits?
And, looking, I saw a storm-wind coming out of the north, a great cloud with flames of fire coming after one another, and a bright light shining round about it and in the heart of it was something coloured like electrum.
And when they went, the sound of their wings was like the sound of great waters to my ears, like the voice of the Ruler of all, a sound like the rushing of an army: when they came to rest they let down their wings.
And take a flat iron plate, and put it for a wall of iron between you and the town: and let your face be turned to it, and it will be shut in and you will make an attack on it. This will be a sign to the children of Israel. Then, stretching yourself out on your left side, take the sin of the children of Israel on yourself: for as long as you are stretched out, so long will the sin of the children of Israel be on you.
And my hand will be against the prophets who see visions without substance and who make false use of secret arts: they will not be in the secret of my people, and they will not be recorded in the list of the children of Israel, and they will not come into the land of Israel; and it will be clear to you that I am the Lord.
The hand of the Lord had been on me, and he took me out in the spirit of the Lord and put me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones; And he made me go past them round about: and I saw that there was a very great number of them on the face of the wide valley, and they were very dry. read more. And he said to me, Son of man, is it possible for these bones to come to life? And I made answer, and said, It is for you to say, O Lord. And again he said to me, Be a prophet to these bones, and say to them, O you dry bones, give ear to the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord has said to these bones: See, I will make breath come into you so that you may come to life; And I will put muscles on you and make flesh come on you, and put skin over you, and breath into you, so that you may have life; and you will be certain that I am the Lord. So I gave the word as I was ordered: and at my words there was a shaking of the earth, and the bones came together, bone to bone. And looking I saw that there were muscles on them and flesh came up, and they were covered with skin: but there was no breath in them. And he said to me, Be a prophet to the wind, be a prophet, son of man, and say to the wind, The Lord has said: Come from the four winds, O wind, breathing on these dead so that they may come to life. And I gave the word at his orders, and breath came into them, and they came to life and got up on their feet, a very great army. Then he said to me, Son of man, these bones are all the children of Israel: and see, they are saying, Our bones have become dry our hope is gone, we are cut off completely. For this cause be a prophet to them, and say, This is what the Lord has said: See, I am opening the resting-places of your dead, and I will make you come up out of your resting-places, O my people; and I will take you into the land of Israel. And you will be certain that I am the Lord by my opening the resting-places of your dead and making you come up out of your resting-places, O my people. And I will put my spirit in you, so that you may come to life, and I will give you a rest in your land: and you will be certain that I the Lord have said it and have done it, says the Lord.
And there was the glory of the God of Israel coming from the way of the east: and his voice was like the sound of great waters, and the earth was shining with his glory.
But he, answering, said to them, An evil and false generation is looking for a sign; and no sign will be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the stomach of the great fish, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. read more. The men of Nineveh will come up in the day of judging and give their decision against this generation: because they were turned from their sins at the preaching of Jonah; and now a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will come up in the day of judging and give her decision against this generation: for she came from the ends of the earth to give ear to the wisdom of Solomon; and now a greater than Solomon is here.
And those who went before him, and those who came after, gave loud cries, saying, Glory to the Son of David: A blessing on him who comes in the name of the Lord: Glory in the highest.
But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the works of power which he did, and the children crying out in the Temple, Glory to the son of David, they were angry and said to him,
Now when he came back from the dead early on the first day of the week, he went first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had sent out seven evil spirits. She went and gave news of it to those who had been with him, while they were sorrowing and weeping. read more. And they, when it came to their ears that he was living, and had been seen by her, had no belief in it. And after these things he was seen in another form by two of them, while they were walking on their way into the country. And they went away and gave news of it to the rest; and they had no belief in what was said. And later he was seen by the eleven themselves while they were taking food; and he said sharp words to them because they had no faith and their hearts were hard, and because they had no belief in those who had seen him after he had come back from the dead. And he said to them, Go into all the world, and give the good news to everyone. He who has faith and is given baptism will get salvation; but he who has not faith will be judged. And these signs will be with those who have faith: in my name they will send out evil spirits; and they will make use of new languages;
And these signs will be with those who have faith: in my name they will send out evil spirits; and they will make use of new languages; They will take up snakes, and if there is poison in their drink, it will do them no evil; they will put their hands on those who are ill, and they will get well. read more. So then the Lord Jesus, after he had said these words to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. And they went out, preaching everywhere, the Lord working with them, and giving witness to the word by the signs which came after. So be it.
For he will be great in the eyes of the Lord; he will not take wine or strong drink; and he will be full of the Spirit of God from his birth.
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, came back from the Jordan, and was guided by the Spirit in the waste land
And they said to one another, Were not our hearts burning in us while he was talking to us on the way, making clear to us the holy Writings?
And when the day of Pentecost was come, they were all together in one place.
And when the day of Pentecost was come, they were all together in one place.
And when the day of Pentecost was come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rushing of a violent wind, and all the house where they were was full of it.
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rushing of a violent wind, and all the house where they were was full of it.
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rushing of a violent wind, and all the house where they were was full of it. And they saw tongues, like flames of fire, coming to rest on every one of them.
And they saw tongues, like flames of fire, coming to rest on every one of them.
And they saw tongues, like flames of fire, coming to rest on every one of them. And they were all full of the Holy Spirit, and were talking in different languages, as the Spirit gave them power.
And they were all full of the Holy Spirit, and were talking in different languages, as the Spirit gave them power.
And they were all full of the Holy Spirit, and were talking in different languages, as the Spirit gave them power. Now there were living at Jerusalem, Jews, God-fearing men, from every nation under heaven.
Now there were living at Jerusalem, Jews, God-fearing men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound came to their ears, they all came together, and were greatly surprised because every man was hearing the words of the disciples in his special language.
And when this sound came to their ears, they all came together, and were greatly surprised because every man was hearing the words of the disciples in his special language. And they were full of wonder and said, Are not all these men Galilaeans?
And they were full of wonder and said, Are not all these men Galilaeans? And how is it that every one of us is hearing their words in the language which was ours from our birth?
And how is it that every one of us is hearing their words in the language which was ours from our birth?
And how is it that every one of us is hearing their words in the language which was ours from our birth? Men of Parthia, Media, and Elam, and those living in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
Men of Parthia, Media, and Elam, and those living in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, In Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and those who have come from Rome, Jews by birth and others who have become Jews,
In Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and those who have come from Rome, Jews by birth and others who have become Jews, Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God.
Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God.
Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God. And they were all surprised and in doubt saying to one another, What is the reason of this?
And they were all surprised and in doubt saying to one another, What is the reason of this? But others, making sport of them, said, They are full of new wine.
But others, making sport of them, said, They are full of new wine.
But others, making sport of them, said, They are full of new wine.
But others, making sport of them, said, They are full of new wine.
But others, making sport of them, said, They are full of new wine. But Peter, getting up, with the eleven, said in a loud voice, O men of Judaea, and all you who are living in Jerusalem, take note of this and give ear to my words. read more. For these men are not overcome with wine, as it seems to you, for it is only the third hour of the day;
For these men are not overcome with wine, as it seems to you, for it is only the third hour of the day; But this is the thing which was said by the prophet Joel;
But this is the thing which was said by the prophet Joel; And it will come about, in the last days, says God, that I will send out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will be prophets, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams:
And it will come about, in the last days, says God, that I will send out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will be prophets, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams: And on my men-servants and my women-servants I will send my Spirit, and they will be prophets.
And on my men-servants and my women-servants I will send my Spirit, and they will be prophets.
And they were talking in tongues, and giving glory to God. Then Peter said,
And they were talking in tongues, and giving glory to God. Then Peter said,
And they were talking in tongues, and giving glory to God. Then Peter said,
And when the people saw what Paul had done, they said in a loud voice, in the language of Lycaonia, The gods have come down to us in the form of men.
Good people, why are you doing these things? We are men with the same feelings as you, and we give you the good news so that you may be turned away from these foolish things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all things in them:
And it came about that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having gone through the higher country, came to Ephesus, where there were certain disciples:
And it came about that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having gone through the higher country, came to Ephesus, where there were certain disciples:
And when Paul had put his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they had the power of talking in tongues, and acting like prophets.
And when Paul had put his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they had the power of talking in tongues, and acting like prophets.
And when Paul had put his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they had the power of talking in tongues, and acting like prophets.
For you did not get the spirit of servants again to put you in fear, but the spirit of sons was given to you, by which we say, Abba, Father.
And in the same way the Spirit is a help to our feeble hearts: for we are not able to make prayer to God in the right way; but the Spirit puts our desires into words which are not in our power to say;
So it is my desire for you to be clear about this; that no one is able to say by the Spirit of God that Jesus is cursed; and no one is able to say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.
So it is my desire for you to be clear about this; that no one is able to say by the Spirit of God that Jesus is cursed; and no one is able to say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.
And to another the power of working wonders; and to another the prophet's word; and to another the power of testing spirits; to another different sorts of tongues; and to another the power of making clear the sense of the tongues:
And God has put some in the church, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then those with wonder-working powers, then those with the power of taking away disease, helpers, wise guides, users of strange tongues.
But let your desires be turned to the more important things given by the Spirit. And now I am pointing out to you an even better way.
If I make use of the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am like sounding brass, or a loud-tongued bell.
If I make use of the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am like sounding brass, or a loud-tongued bell.
Though the prophet's word may come to an end, tongues come to nothing, and knowledge have no more value, love has no end.
When I was a child, I made use of a child's language, I had a child's feelings and a child's thoughts: now that I am a man, I have put away the things of a child.
For he who makes use of tongues is not talking to men but to God; because no one has the sense of what he is saying; but in the Spirit he is talking of secret things.
He who makes use of tongues may do good to himself; but he who gives the prophet's word does good to the church. Now though it is my desire for you all to have the power of tongues, it would give me more pleasure to be hearing the prophet's word from you; for this is a greater thing than using tongues, if the sense is not given at the same time, for the good of the church. read more. But, now, my brothers, if I come to you using tongues, what profit will it be to you, if I do not give you a revelation, or knowledge, or the word of the prophet, or teaching? Even things without life, having a voice, such as a music-pipe or other instrument, if they do not give out different sounds, who may be certain what is being played?
Even things without life, having a voice, such as a music-pipe or other instrument, if they do not give out different sounds, who may be certain what is being played? For if the war-horn gives out an uncertain note, who will get ready for the fight? read more. So if you, in using a strange tongue, say words which have no sense, how will anyone take in what you are saying? for you will be talking to the air. There are, it may be, a number of different voices in the world, and no voice is without sense. But if the sense of the voice is not clear to me, I am like a man from a strange country to him who is talking, and he will be the same to me.
But if the sense of the voice is not clear to me, I am like a man from a strange country to him who is talking, and he will be the same to me.
For this reason, let the man who has the power of using tongues make request that he may, at the same time, be able to give the sense.
For this reason, let the man who has the power of using tongues make request that he may, at the same time, be able to give the sense. For if I make use of tongues in my prayers, my spirit makes the prayer, but not my mind. read more. What then? let my prayer be from the spirit, and equally from the mind; let my song be from the spirit, and equally from mind. For if you give a blessing with the spirit, how will the man who has no knowledge say, So be it, after your prayer, seeing that he has not taken in what you are saying? For your giving of the blessing is certainly well done, but of no profit to the man without knowledge. I give praise to God that I am able to make use of tongues more than you all:
I give praise to God that I am able to make use of tongues more than you all: But in the church it would be better for me to make use of five words of which the sense was clear, so that others might have profit, than ten thousand words in a strange tongue. read more. My brothers, do not be children in mind: in evil be as little children, but in mind be of full growth.
My brothers, do not be children in mind: in evil be as little children, but in mind be of full growth. In the law it is said, By men of other tongues and by strange lips will my words come to this people; and not even so will they give ear to me, says the Lord. read more. For this reason tongues are for a sign, not to those who have faith, but to those who have not: but the prophet's word is for those who have faith, and not for the rest who have not. If, then, the church has come together, and all are using tongues, and there come in men without knowledge or faith, will they not say that you are unbalanced?
If, then, the church has come together, and all are using tongues, and there come in men without knowledge or faith, will they not say that you are unbalanced?
What is it then, my brothers? when you come together everyone has a holy song, or a revelation, or a tongue, or is giving the sense of it. Let everything be done for the common good. If any man makes use of a tongue, let it not be more than two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let someone give the sense:
If any man makes use of a tongue, let it not be more than two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let someone give the sense:
And the spirits of the prophets are controlled by the prophets;
So then, my brothers, let it be your chief desire to be prophets; but let no one be stopped from using tongues.
If any man has not love for the Lord, let him be cursed. Maran atha (our Lord comes).
How he was taken up into Paradise, and words came to his ears which may not be said, and which man is not able to say.
And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, saying, Abba, Father.
And do not take overmuch wine by which one may be overcome, but be full of the Spirit; Joining with one another in holy songs of praise and of the Spirit, using your voice in songs and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Joining with one another in holy songs of praise and of the Spirit, using your voice in songs and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
See, the money which you falsely kept back from the workers cutting the grass in your field, is crying out against you; and the cries of those who took in your grain have come to the ears of the Lord of armies.
After these things there came to my ears a sound like the voice of a great band of people in heaven, saying, Praise to the Lord; salvation and glory and power be to our God:
And there came to my ears the voice of a great army, like the sound of waters, and the sound of loud thunders, saying, Praise to the Lord: for the Lord our God, Ruler of all, is King.
Hastings
TONGUES, GIFT OF
1. In NT we read of 'speaking with tongues' or 'in a tongue' as a remarkable sign of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; but the exact meaning of the phenomenon described has been much disputed. We may take the passages in the chronological order of writing.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And after a little time those who were near came and said to Peter, Truly you are one of them; because your talk is witness against you.
And they were all full of the Holy Spirit, and were talking in different languages, as the Spirit gave them power.
Men of Parthia, Media, and Elam, and those living in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God.
But others, making sport of them, said, They are full of new wine.
Then they put their hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came on them.
And they were talking in tongues, and giving glory to God. Then Peter said,
And, while I was talking to them, the Holy Spirit came on them, as on us at first.
And when the people saw what Paul had done, they said in a loud voice, in the language of Lycaonia, The gods have come down to us in the form of men.
But when this came to the ears of the Apostles, Paul and Barnabas, they went running out among the people, parting their clothing, and crying out,
She came after Paul and us, crying out and saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who are giving you news of the way of salvation.
And he went into the Synagogue, and for three months he was preaching there without fear, reasoning and teaching about the kingdom of God.
For you did not get the spirit of servants again to put you in fear, but the spirit of sons was given to you, by which we say, Abba, Father.
And in the same way the Spirit is a help to our feeble hearts: for we are not able to make prayer to God in the right way; but the Spirit puts our desires into words which are not in our power to say;
And to another the power of working wonders; and to another the prophet's word; and to another the power of testing spirits; to another different sorts of tongues; and to another the power of making clear the sense of the tongues:
Are all able to take away disease? have all the power of tongues? are all able to give their sense?
Though the prophet's word may come to an end, tongues come to nothing, and knowledge have no more value, love has no end.
For if I make use of tongues in my prayers, my spirit makes the prayer, but not my mind.
I give praise to God that I am able to make use of tongues more than you all:
If, then, the church has come together, and all are using tongues, and there come in men without knowledge or faith, will they not say that you are unbalanced?
If, then, the church has come together, and all are using tongues, and there come in men without knowledge or faith, will they not say that you are unbalanced?
Let all things be done in the right and ordered way.
And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, saying, Abba, Father.
Joining with one another in holy songs of praise and of the Spirit, using your voice in songs and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Morish
This gift was in the early church, and was a sign 'to them that believed not,' in fulfilment of Isa 28:11-12: cf. 1Co 14:21. The gift was exhibited in a special way on the day of Pentecost, when people of many lands heard the wonderful things of God each in his own language. In the assembly these gifts were not to be exercised unless there was present an interpreter, that the saints might be edified. Paul thanked God that he spake with tongues more than all at Corinth; but in the assembly he would rather speak five words through his understanding, that he might teach others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 1Co 12:10,8/type/bbe'>28,30; 13:1,8; 14:2-39.
The expression 'unknown tongue' is unhappy, because it has led some to think that the gift of tongues consisted of a sort of unintelligible gibberish. The word 'unknown' has been added in the A.V., where it should read simply 'tongue.' At Pentecost it was shown that the gift of 'tongues' was in a person speaking a language which he had never learnt, but which was at once understood by those who knew it.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
No, but with broken talk, and with a strange tongue, he will give his word to this people: To whom he said, This is the rest, give rest to him who is tired; and by this you may get new strength; but they would not give ear.
And to another the power of working wonders; and to another the prophet's word; and to another the power of testing spirits; to another different sorts of tongues; and to another the power of making clear the sense of the tongues:
And God has put some in the church, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then those with wonder-working powers, then those with the power of taking away disease, helpers, wise guides, users of strange tongues.
Are all able to take away disease? have all the power of tongues? are all able to give their sense?
If I make use of the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am like sounding brass, or a loud-tongued bell.
Though the prophet's word may come to an end, tongues come to nothing, and knowledge have no more value, love has no end.
For he who makes use of tongues is not talking to men but to God; because no one has the sense of what he is saying; but in the Spirit he is talking of secret things. But the word of the prophet gives men knowledge and comfort and strength. read more. He who makes use of tongues may do good to himself; but he who gives the prophet's word does good to the church. Now though it is my desire for you all to have the power of tongues, it would give me more pleasure to be hearing the prophet's word from you; for this is a greater thing than using tongues, if the sense is not given at the same time, for the good of the church. But, now, my brothers, if I come to you using tongues, what profit will it be to you, if I do not give you a revelation, or knowledge, or the word of the prophet, or teaching? Even things without life, having a voice, such as a music-pipe or other instrument, if they do not give out different sounds, who may be certain what is being played? For if the war-horn gives out an uncertain note, who will get ready for the fight? So if you, in using a strange tongue, say words which have no sense, how will anyone take in what you are saying? for you will be talking to the air. There are, it may be, a number of different voices in the world, and no voice is without sense. But if the sense of the voice is not clear to me, I am like a man from a strange country to him who is talking, and he will be the same to me. So if you are desiring the things which the Spirit gives, let your minds be turned first to the things which are for the good of the church. For this reason, let the man who has the power of using tongues make request that he may, at the same time, be able to give the sense. For if I make use of tongues in my prayers, my spirit makes the prayer, but not my mind. What then? let my prayer be from the spirit, and equally from the mind; let my song be from the spirit, and equally from mind. For if you give a blessing with the spirit, how will the man who has no knowledge say, So be it, after your prayer, seeing that he has not taken in what you are saying? For your giving of the blessing is certainly well done, but of no profit to the man without knowledge. I give praise to God that I am able to make use of tongues more than you all: But in the church it would be better for me to make use of five words of which the sense was clear, so that others might have profit, than ten thousand words in a strange tongue. My brothers, do not be children in mind: in evil be as little children, but in mind be of full growth. In the law it is said, By men of other tongues and by strange lips will my words come to this people; and not even so will they give ear to me, says the Lord.
In the law it is said, By men of other tongues and by strange lips will my words come to this people; and not even so will they give ear to me, says the Lord. For this reason tongues are for a sign, not to those who have faith, but to those who have not: but the prophet's word is for those who have faith, and not for the rest who have not. read more. If, then, the church has come together, and all are using tongues, and there come in men without knowledge or faith, will they not say that you are unbalanced? But if all are teaching as prophets, and a man without faith or knowledge comes in, he is tested by all, he is judged by all; The secrets of his heart are made clear; and he will go down on his face and give worship to God, saying that God is truly among you. What is it then, my brothers? when you come together everyone has a holy song, or a revelation, or a tongue, or is giving the sense of it. Let everything be done for the common good. If any man makes use of a tongue, let it not be more than two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let someone give the sense: But if there is no one to give the sense, let him keep quiet in the church; and let his words be to himself and to God. And let the prophets give their words, but not more than two or three, and let the others be judges of what they say. But if a revelation is given to another who is seated near, let the first be quiet. For you may all be prophets in turn so that all may get knowledge and comfort; And the spirits of the prophets are controlled by the prophets; For God is not a God whose ways are without order, but a God of peace; as in all the churches of the saints. Let women keep quiet in the churches: for it is not right for them to be talking; but let them be under control, as it says in the law. And if they have a desire for knowledge about anything, let them put questions to their husbands privately: for talking in the church puts shame on a woman. What? was it from you that the word of God went out? or did it only come in to you? If any man seems to himself to be a prophet or to have the Spirit, let him take note of the things which I am writing to you, as being the word of the Lord. But if any man is without knowledge, let him be so. So then, my brothers, let it be your chief desire to be prophets; but let no one be stopped from using tongues.
Smith
Tongues, Gift of.
I. glotta, or glossa, the word employed throughout the New Testament for the gift now under consideration, is used-- (1) for the bodily organ of speech; (2) for a foreign word imported and half-naturalized in Greek; (3) in Hellenistic Greek, for "speech" or "language." The received traditional view, which starts from the third meaning, and sees in the gift of tongues a distinctly linguistic power, is the more correct one. II. The chief passages from which we have to draw our conclusion as to the nature and purpose of the gift in question are-- 1.
2
3
1/type/bbe'>12/1/type/bbe'>1/type/bbe'>2Co 1/type/bbe'>12:1/type/bbe'>1,1/type/bbe'>1,1/type/bbe'>1
... III. The promise of a new power coming from the divine Spirit, giving not only comfort and insight into truth, but fresh powers of utterance of some kind, appears once and again in our Lord's teaching. The disciples are to take no thought what they shall speak, for the spirit of their Father shall speak in them.
The lips of Galilean peasants are to speak freely and boldly before kings. The promise of our Lord to his disciples, "They shall speak with new tongues,"
was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, when cloven tongues like fire sat upon the disciples, and "every man heard them speak in his own language."
IV. The wonder of the day of Pentecost is, in its broad features, familiar enough to us. What views have men actually taken of a phenomenon so marvellous and exceptional? The prevalent belief of the Church has been that in the Pentecostal gift the disciples received a supernatural knowledge of all such languages as they needed for their work as evangelists. The knowledge was permanent. Widely diffused as this belief has been it must be remembered that it goes beyond the data with which the New Testament supplies us. Such instance of the gift recorded in the Acts connects it not with the work of teaching, but with that of praise and adoration; not with the normal order of men's lives but with exceptional epochs in them. The speech of St. Peter which follows, like meet other speeches addressed to a Jerusalem audience, was spoken apparently in Aramaic. When St. Paul, who "spake with tongues more than all," was at Lystra, there is no mention made of his using the language of Lycaonia. It is almost implied that he did not understand it.
Not one word in the discussion of spiritual gifts in 1Cor 12-14 implies that the gift was of this nature, or given for this purpose. Nor, it may be added, within the limits assigned the providence of God to the working of the apostolic Church,was such a gift necessary. Aramaic, Greek, Latin, the three languages of the inscription on the cross were media, of intercourse throughout the empire. Some interpreters have seen their way to another solution of the difficulty by changing the character of the miracle. It lay not in any new character bestowed on the speakers, but in the impression produced on the hearers. Words which the Galilean disciples uttered in their own tongue were heard as in their native speech by those who listened. There are, it is believed, weighty reasons against both the earlier and later forms of this hypothesis.
1. It is at variance with the distinct statement of
They began to speak with other tongues.
2. It at once multiplies the miracle and degrades its character. Not the 120 disciples, but the whole multitude of many thousands, are in this case the subjects of it.
3. It involves an element of falsehood. The miracle, on this view, was wrought to make men believe what was not actually the fact.
4. It is altogether inapplicable to the phenomena of
... Critics of a negative school have, as might be expected, adopted the easier course of rejecting the narrative either altogether or in part. What then, are, the facts actually brought before us? What inferences may be legitimately drawn from them? (a) The utterance of words by the disciples, in other languages than their own Galilean Aramaic, is distinctly asserted. (b) The words spoken appear to have been determined, not by the will of the speakers, but by the Spirit which "gave them utterance." (c) The word used, apoftheggesthai, has in the LXX. a special association with the oracular speech of true or false prophets, and appears to imply a peculiar, perhaps physical, solemn intonation. Comp.
(d) The "tongues" were used as an instrument not of teaching, but of praise. (e) Those who spoke them seemed to others to be under the influence of some strong excitement, "full of new wine." (f) Questions as to the mode of operation of a power above the common laws of bodily or mental life lead us to a region where our words should be "wary and few." It must be remembered then, that in all likelihood such words as they then uttered had been heard by the disciples before. The difference was that before the Galilean peasants had stood in that crowd neither heeding nor understanding nor remembering what they heard, still less able to reproduce it; now they had the power of speaking it clearly and freely. The divine work would in this case take the form of a supernatural exaltation of the memory, not of imparting a miraculous knowledge of words never heard before. (g) The gift of tongues, the ecstatic burst of praise, is definitely asserted to be a fulfillment of the prediction of
We are led, therefore, to look for that which answers to the gift of tongues in the other element of prophecy which is included in the Old Testament use of the word; and this is found in the ecstatic praise, the burst of sang.
1Sa 10:5-13; 19:20-24; 1Ch 25:3
(h) The other instances in the Acts offer essentially the same phenomena. By implication in ch.
by express statement in ch.
it belongs to special critical epochs. V. The First Epistle to the Corinthians supplies fuller data. The spiritual gifts are classified and compared arranged, apparently, according to their worth. The facts which may be gathered are briefly these:
1. The phenomena of the gift of tongues were not confined to one church or section of a church.
2. The comparison of gifts, in both the lists given by St. Paul --
places that of tongues and the interpretation of tongues lowest in the scale.
3. The main characteristic of the "tongue" is that it is unintelligible. The man "speaks mysteries," prays, blesses, gives thanks, in the tongue,
but no one understands him.
4. The peculiar nature of the gift leads the apostle into what at first appears a contradiction. "Tongues are for a sign," not to believers, but to those who do not believe; yet the effect on unbelievers is not that of attracting, but of repelling. They involve of necessity a disturbance of the equilibrium between the understanding and the feeling. Therefore it is that, for those who believe already, prophecy is the greater gift.
5. The "tongues," however, must be regarded as real languages. The "divers kinds of tongues."
the "tongues of men,"
point to differences of some kind and it is easier to conceive of these as differences of language than as belonging to utterances all equally mild and inarticulate.
6. Connected with the "tongues" there was the corresponding power of interpretation. VI.
1. Traces of the gift are found in the Epistles to the Romans, the Galatians, the Ephesians. From the Pastoral Epistles, from those of St. Peter and St. John, they are altogether absent, and this is in itself significant.
2. It is probable, however, that the disappearance of the "tongues" was gradual. There must have been a time when "tongues" were still heard, though less frequently and with less striking results. For the most part, however, the pierce which they had filled in the worship of the Church was supplied by the "hymns and spiritual songs" of the succeeding age, after this, within the Church we lose nearly all traces of them. The gift of the day of Pentecost belonged to a critical epoch, not to the continuous life of the Church. It implied a disturbance of the equilibrium of man's normal state but it was not the instrument for building up t
See Verses Found in Dictionary
After that you will come to Gibeah, the hill of God, where an armed force of the Philistines is stationed: and when you come to the town, you will see a band of prophets coming down from the high place with instruments of music before them; and they will be acting like prophets: And the spirit of the Lord will come on you with power, and you will be acting like a prophet with them, and will be changed into another man. read more. And when these signs come to you, see that you take the chance which is offered you; for God is with you. Then you are to go down before me to Gilgal, where I will come to you, for the offering of burned offerings and peace-offerings: go on waiting there for seven days till I come to you and make clear to you what you have to do. And it came about, that when he went away from Samuel, God gave him a changed heart: and all those signs took place that day. And when they came to Gibeah, a band of prophets came face to face with him; and the spirit of God came on him with power and he took his place among them as a prophet. Now when Saul's old friends saw him among the band of prophets, the people said to one another, What has come to Saul, the son of Kish? Is even Saul among the prophets? And one of the people of that place said in answer, And who is their father? So it became a common saying, Is even Saul among the prophets? Then going away from the prophets, he came to the house.
And Saul sent men to take David; and when they saw the band of prophets at work, with Samuel in his place at their head, the spirit of God came on Saul's men, and they became like prophets. And Saul, having news of this, sent other men, who in the same way became like prophets. And a third time Saul sent men, and they like the others became like prophets. read more. Then he himself went to Ramah, and came to the great water-spring in Secu; and questioning the people he said, Where are Samuel and David? And one said, They are at Naioth in Ramah. And he went on from there to Naioth in Ramah: and the spirit of God came on him, and he went on, acting like a prophet, till he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he took off his clothing, acting like a prophet before Samuel, and falling down he was stretched out, without his clothing, all that day and all that night. This is the reason for the saying, Is even Saul among the prophets?
Further, David and the chiefs of the servants of the holy place made selection of certain of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun for the work of prophets, to make melody with corded instruments and brass; and the number of the men for the work they had to do was:
And my hand will be against the prophets who see visions without substance and who make false use of secret arts: they will not be in the secret of my people, and they will not be recorded in the list of the children of Israel, and they will not come into the land of Israel; and it will be clear to you that I am the Lord.
And after that, it will come about, says the Lord, that I will send my spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will be prophets, your old men will have dreams, your young men will see visions:
But when you are given up into their hands, do not be troubled about what to say or how to say it: for in that hour what you are to say will be given to you; Because it is not you who say the words, but the Spirit of your Father in you.
And when you are taken and given up to be judged, do not be troubled about what to say: but whatever is given to you in that hour, say: because it is not you who say it, but the Holy Spirit.
And these signs will be with those who have faith: in my name they will send out evil spirits; and they will make use of new languages;
And these signs will be with those who have faith: in my name they will send out evil spirits; and they will make use of new languages;
And when the day of Pentecost was come, they were all together in one place.
And when the day of Pentecost was come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rushing of a violent wind, and all the house where they were was full of it.
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rushing of a violent wind, and all the house where they were was full of it. And they saw tongues, like flames of fire, coming to rest on every one of them.
And they saw tongues, like flames of fire, coming to rest on every one of them. And they were all full of the Holy Spirit, and were talking in different languages, as the Spirit gave them power.
And they were all full of the Holy Spirit, and were talking in different languages, as the Spirit gave them power. Now there were living at Jerusalem, Jews, God-fearing men, from every nation under heaven.
Now there were living at Jerusalem, Jews, God-fearing men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound came to their ears, they all came together, and were greatly surprised because every man was hearing the words of the disciples in his special language.
And when this sound came to their ears, they all came together, and were greatly surprised because every man was hearing the words of the disciples in his special language. And they were full of wonder and said, Are not all these men Galilaeans?
And they were full of wonder and said, Are not all these men Galilaeans? And how is it that every one of us is hearing their words in the language which was ours from our birth?
And how is it that every one of us is hearing their words in the language which was ours from our birth? Men of Parthia, Media, and Elam, and those living in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
Men of Parthia, Media, and Elam, and those living in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, In Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and those who have come from Rome, Jews by birth and others who have become Jews,
In Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and those who have come from Rome, Jews by birth and others who have become Jews, Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God.
Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God. And they were all surprised and in doubt saying to one another, What is the reason of this?
And they were all surprised and in doubt saying to one another, What is the reason of this? But others, making sport of them, said, They are full of new wine.
And they were talking in tongues, and giving glory to God. Then Peter said, Will any man say that these may not have baptism who have been given the Holy Spirit as we have?
And, while I was talking to them, the Holy Spirit came on them, as on us at first.
If then God gave them, when they had faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the same as he gave to us, who was I to go against God?
Said in a loud voice, Get up on your feet. And, jumping up, he went walking about. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they said in a loud voice, in the language of Lycaonia, The gods have come down to us in the form of men.
And when the people saw what Paul had done, they said in a loud voice, in the language of Lycaonia, The gods have come down to us in the form of men. And they gave the name of Jupiter to Barnabas, and to Paul that of Mercury, because he was the chief talker. read more. And the priest of the image of Jupiter, which was before the town, took oxen and flowers to the doors of the town, and was about to make an offering with the people. But when this came to the ears of the Apostles, Paul and Barnabas, they went running out among the people, parting their clothing, and crying out, Good people, why are you doing these things? We are men with the same feelings as you, and we give you the good news so that you may be turned away from these foolish things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all things in them: Who in the past let all nations go in the ways which seemed good to them.
And when Paul had put his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they had the power of talking in tongues, and acting like prophets.
For to one are given words of wisdom through the Spirit; and to another words of knowledge through the same Spirit: To another faith in the same Spirit; and to another the power of taking away disease, by the one Spirit; read more. And to another the power of working wonders; and to another the prophet's word; and to another the power of testing spirits; to another different sorts of tongues; and to another the power of making clear the sense of the tongues:
And God has put some in the church, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then those with wonder-working powers, then those with the power of taking away disease, helpers, wise guides, users of strange tongues.
And God has put some in the church, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then those with wonder-working powers, then those with the power of taking away disease, helpers, wise guides, users of strange tongues. Are all Apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? have all the power of working wonders? read more. Are all able to take away disease? have all the power of tongues? are all able to give their sense?
If I make use of the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am like sounding brass, or a loud-tongued bell.
Go after love; still desiring to have the things which the Spirit gives, but most of all that you may have the prophet's power.
What then? let my prayer be from the spirit, and equally from the mind; let my song be from the spirit, and equally from mind. For if you give a blessing with the spirit, how will the man who has no knowledge say, So be it, after your prayer, seeing that he has not taken in what you are saying?