Interpretation of Tongues

Biblical Text

In the New Testament, the interpretation of tongues appears only in 1 Corinthians 12–14. In listing the various gifts the Spirit distributes to each person, Paul names "divers kinds of tongues" followed by "the interpretation of tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:10). He then asks, "do all interpret?" (1 Corinthians 12:30), making clear that this is not a gift given to every believer.

Chapter 14 addresses how tongues should be used in church gatherings. Paul states that tongues, when accompanied by interpretation, can edify the church (1 Corinthians 14:5). He urges the one who speaks in a tongue to pray that he may interpret (1 Corinthians 14:13). In the assembly, two or three are to speak in turn and one is to interpret; if there is no interpreter, the speaker is to keep silence in the church and speak to himself and to God (1 Corinthians 14:27-28).

Terminology and Background

The word "interpretation" in 12:10 is the Greek hermēneia (ἑρμηνεία), meaning interpretation, explanation, or translation. Chapter 14 uses the cognate verb diermēneuō (διερμηνεύω). The church at Corinth appears to have held tongues in high esteem while struggling with disorder in its gatherings. Paul requires interpretation on the grounds that unintelligible speech prevents others from responding with "Amen" (1 Corinthians 14:16).

Significance in the Whole of Scripture

In the account of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2, people from various regions are recorded as hearing the disciples speak in their own languages, and no interpretation is mentioned. In 1 Corinthians, by contrast, tongues are treated as speech the hearers do not understand, which makes interpretation necessary. Because the love chapter (chapter 13) stands between chapters 12 and 14, which deal with spiritual gifts, the passage as a whole is read as teaching that the gifts exist to build up the community.

Interpretive Questions

• Does the gift continue today? Cessationism holds that tongues and interpretation were gifts that ceased with the apostolic age. This position is represented by B. B. Warfield and by part of the Reformed tradition. Pentecostalism and the charismatic movement hold that the gift is still given today.
• The nature of tongues and interpretation: If tongues are understood as actual foreign languages, interpretation is close to translation. If they are understood as unlearned prayer of the spirit (1 Corinthians 14:2, 14:14), interpretation becomes the act of setting forth their meaning through understanding given by the Holy Spirit.
• The content of interpretation: Some in the Pentecostal tradition, citing 14:5, hold that interpreted tongues function for the congregation much like prophecy. Other interpreters hold that because tongues are speech addressed to God (14:2), their interpreted content is likewise prayer and praise.
• What the text does not say: The text does not explain the specific method of interpretation. Nor does it mention interpreting another person's prayer in tongues in order to disclose that person's circumstances or future. According to 14:13, the one who speaks in a tongue may himself interpret.

In the Korean Church

In the Korean church, prayer in tongues has been widely practiced through tongsung gido (praying aloud together) and gatherings at prayer mountains. However, public tongues and interpretation during Sunday worship are reportedly rare. Pentecostal denominations such as the Korea Assemblies of God recognize and emphasize tongues and interpretation as gifts of the Holy Spirit, while many Presbyterian denominations tend to take a cautious stance. At some gatherings, individuals' tongues are interpreted in order to tell them about private matters; even among those who affirm the gift, some warn against such abuse on the basis of the principles of order in 1 Corinthians 14.