SPEAKING IN TONGUES (also known as just "tongues") is a phenomenon within Pentecostal and Charismatic circles in which individuals speak, either in their private prayers or in a public meeting, in what appears to be a language, a "tongue" unknown to them. The primary scripture used to justify tongues speaking is found in Acts 2. On the day of Pentecost, ten days after Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples were gathered together in Jerusalem when they first received the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. The most noticeable feature of this occasion was that each of the disciples "spoke with other tongues," and those in the audience, who were from many other nations, were surprised to hear them speak in their own native languages:"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. "And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. "Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, 'Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia . . . " (Acts 2:1-9, NKJV)
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