The divine enabling of a believer to use a language, unknown to the speaker. The gift of tongues may be used to praise God or to utter a message from God that, supplemented by the gift of interpretation of tongues, edifies other believers. Note that "tongues" can simply mean "other languages" at times.

Acts 2:4

Tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit

See also

It is given to individual believers

1 Corinthians 12:11,30
1 Corinthians 14:21

it is not universal among Christians

Isaiah 28:11

It was foretold in the OT

Mark 16:17

It is a divine gift in response to faith

Acts 19:6

It may be given through the laying on of hands

Acts 10:44-46

It is a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 13:1

Tongues in relation to other gifts

The need for love

1 Corinthians 14:4-6

The need for prophecy

See also

1 Corinthians 14:9,13,16-19,23

The need for intelligibility

1 Corinthians 12:8-10; 14:12-13

The need for interpretation

1 Corinthians 13:8

The transience of tongues

See also

The use of tongues within the church

Romans 8:26

In prayer and praise

1 Corinthians 14:14-15,26,28
Ephesians 6:18
Jude 1:20
1 Corinthians 12:7-10

See also

For the benefit of believers

1 Corinthians 14:5,16-17,26
1 Corinthians 14:26-28

See also

In public it needs to be augmented by the gift of interpretation

1 Corinthians 12:30; 14:5,13

See also

3221 Holy Spirit & prayer
3257 Holy Spirit, gift of
5194 touch
5375 law
6257 unbelievers
7966 spiritual gifts
8414 encouragement