Tongues (the gift)

How Nave’s arranged it

• The miraculous gift granted to some early Christians1 Corinthians 12:101 Corinthians 12:281 Corinthians 12:301 Corinthians 13:81 Corinthians 14:2–191 Corinthians 14:21–281 Corinthians 14:39

The passages, in Bible order (7)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 7 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. 1 Corinthians 12:10

   to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

   ›Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12:102 voices

   “The working of other miracles. Prophecy - Foretelling things to come. The discerning - Whether men be of an upright spirit or no; whether they have natural or supernatural gifts for offices in the church; and whether they who profess to speak by inspiration speak from a divine, a natural, or a diabolical spirit.

   “Three classes of gifts are distinguished by a distinct Greek word for "another" (a distinct class), marking the three several genera: allo marks the species, hetero the genera (compare Greek, 1Co 15:39-41). Gifts of intellect, namely, (1) wisdom; Gifts dependent on a special faith, namely, that of miracles (Mt 17:20): (1) healings;

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2. 1 Corinthians 12:28

   And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.

   ›Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12:282 voices

   “For this gift of God has been entrusted to the Church, as breath was to the first created man, for this purpose, that all the members receiving it may be vivified; and the [means of] communion with Christ has been distributed throughout it, that is, the Holy Spirit, the earnest of incorruption, the means of confirming our faith, and the ladder of ascent to God.

   “First apostles - Who plant the gospel in the heathen nations. Secondly prophets - Who either foretel things to come, or speak by extra-ordinary inspiration, for the edification of the church.

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3. 1 Corinthians 12:30

   Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

   ›Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12:301 voice

   “Only of pride cometh contention. These contests in the church of Corinth sprang from this original. It was a quarrel about precedency (as most quarrels among Christians are, with whatever pretences they are gilded over); and it is no wonder that a quarrel about precedence should extinguish charity.

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4. 1 Corinthians 13:8

   Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be restrained; where there is knowledge, it will be dismissed.

   ›Commentary on 1 Corinthians 13:82 voices

   “This living principle of all duty and obedience is the more excellent way of which the apostle speaks, preferable to all gifts. Nay, without this the most glorious gifts are nothing, of no account to us, of no esteem in the sight of God.

   “Love never faileth - It accompanies to, and adorns us in, eternity; it prepares us for, and constitutes, heaven. But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail - When all things are fulfilled, and God is all in all.

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5. 1 Corinthians 14:2–19

   For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.

   ›Commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:2–192 voices

   “In regard to the second it should be noted that because there were few in the early Church assigned to preaching faith of Christ throughout the world, the Lord enabled them to proclaim the word to more people by giving them the gift of tongues, …

   “He says in the outset -- He that speaketh in another tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God: that is, according to the proverb, "He sings to himself and to the Muses." In the use of the word tongue, there is not a pleonasm, as in those expressions -- "She spake thus with her mouth," and "I caught the sound with these ears." The term denotes a foreign language.

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6. 1 Corinthians 14:21–28

   It is written in the Law: “By strange tongues and foreign lips I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to Me, says the Lord.”

   ›Commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:21–282 voices

   “It is written in the Law - The word here, as frequently, means the Old Testament. In foreign tongues will I speak to this people - And so he did. He spake terribly to them by the Babylonians, when they had set at nought what he had spoken by the prophets, who used their own language.

   “In the law--as the whole Old Testament is called, being all of it the law of God. Compare the citation of the Psalms as the "law," Joh 10:34. Here the quotation is from Isa 28:11, 12, where God virtually says of Israel, This people hear Me not, though I speak to. them in the language with which they are familiar;

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7. 1 Corinthians 14:39

   So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

   ›Commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:391 voice

   “Here the Apostle concludes the general admonition. In regard to this he does three things: first, he admonishes them to desire all the gifts, saying: therefore, to speak in tongues is good. But earnestly desire to prophesy. The reason for this, as it says in …

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