Can people speak in tongues today?

FROM: 10/17/04 Radio Program

Question:

Answer:

What is meant by the term “tongue”? According to the Bible, a “tongue” is simply a language which is spoken by men. When we read Acts 2, we see that this is the case. When the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in other “tongues” (Acts 2:4), the people heard them (Acts 2:6), as the apostles were speaking in their own language. Acts 2:8, 11 make this clear as well. The tongues which the apostles spoke were languages. They were earth languages which people could hear and understand.

Now, do people today have the ability to speak in “tongues” (ex: Latin, Greek, Spanish, etc.)? Of course, they do! Can they speak languages due to the fact that they were miraculously endowed with the ability to speak certain languages, and never had to study them? Of course, not!

In the first century, such miraculous gifts as tongue-speaking, as well as working of miracles, interpretation of tongues, prophecies, etc., were available to folks. Yet, such gifts were promised to pass away (I Corinthians 13:8). These gifts passed away when the word of God was completed (I Corinthians 13:10; James 1:25).

Therefore, no one can miraculously speak in tongues today.