How to Interpret Tongues

Learning how to interpret tongues of the Holy Spirit is vital for those seeking to deepen their spiritual connection and serve the Body of Christ. This divine gift, when properly understood and practiced, can bring powerful messages of encouragement to believers.

In the second half of this series, we'll explore the gift of interpretation of tongues, providing you with practical insights to help you develop and exercise this supernatural ability.

How to Interpret Tongues of the Holy Spirit

Part 2 of 2 by Don Bell | ⏱️ 7 minute read

Colorful Sunset Over the Andaman SeaInterpret Unknown Tongues and Bless the Body of Christ
(Source: © mr_Brightside/Depositphotos.com)

Jude reminds, "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit" (Jude 1:20).

Begin by praying privately in tongues to build up your faith beforehand. Then, when you are with the Church and sense the Holy Spirit prompting you to speak a message in an unknown tongue, you can promptly deliver it followed by its interpretation. The interpretation will flow from your mouth, and you'll know it's inspired by the Holy Spirit and not something you're making up.

That's the difference between someone who lacks understanding of the gifts and memorizes Bible verses for material to draw on. What they speak might sound inspired to an uninformed ear, but it's delivered naturally not supernaturally. Because it's delivered naturally in the flesh, it lacks anointing and falls flat, failing to edify.

Expect your words to come slowly when you first interpret a tongue, and you may find yourself pausing between phrases, as the words of the message are composed on your tongue.

Understanding How to Interpret Tongues

pez-dispenser

Picture a PEZ® candy dispenser.1 Each time you PRESS its head, out pops another candy from its mouth. Interpreting a tongue is similar in action, since the interpretation is uttered one word or phrase at a time, as it's spoken by faith.

Expect the Holy Spirit to start you off with a word or phrase. Speak it, and another phrase will be given. Speak it, and another phrase will be given, and so on.

For example…

  1. PRESS: "Our hearts are full of your praises."
  2. PRESS: "Your goodness and mercy surround us,"
  3. PRESS: "and we place our faith in you, Lord."
  4. PRESS: "You are…."

And so on, until you sense there's no more words and phrases to be added. Then, you will know it's time to stop. If you continue speaking beyond the Spirit's prompting, you'll find yourself tripping over your words and repeating yourself as your mind tries to compensate.

Be careful not to pressure yourself, as it's not the speed of delivery or how many words are spoken that's important; it's whether the interpreted message is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Remember, the interpretation of a tongue is NOT a word-for-word translation. It's similar to a paraphrase in that it offers the substance, the gist of what's been spoken.

Number of Words Spoken

It's important to note that the length of a message spoke in an unknown tongue bears NO relationship to the length of its interpretation. It's not the multitude of words spoken in tongues that's important, it's whether the interpreted message is inspired by the Holy Spirit, containing the GIST of the message.

During mission trips to St. Petersburg, Russia, my wife and I relied on our translator when communicating with the orphanage director. Fluent in both Russian and English, Irina translated our questions word-for-word into Russian and in turn translated the director's replies word for word into English for our understanding.

Although the director had spent several minutes answering each question in Russian, Irina's English interpretation sometimes took barely a minute to relate. However, she gave us the sum and substance (gist) of the replies, and it was similar to how messages in tongues are interpreted.

Some speakers who interpret are naturally more wordy in everyday speaking than others, so some interpretations of tongues are longer, while others are shorter, and some will be more flowery in their delivery based on personality.

Be True to Yourself

Simply be yourself when learning how to interpret tongues. Don't attempt to model your delivery of the interpretation after anyone else. Let your own personality shine through.

I once had a prophetic word spoken over me at a camp meeting in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was delivered by a young prophet who was clearly from South Carolina. "Y'all hear me now," he began, and the anointed word was prophesied entirely in the Southern dialect.

Expect your first attempts to be halting and slow. You may find yourself pausing between the phrases, as they are composed on your tongue, but your delivery will improve as you gain confidence through experience.

Take your time to speak clearly and loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. Speak confidently in the first person; for example, "God, I praise your wonderful works."

Remember, you are speaking an interpreted message from the human spirit to God only you won't know what the message is until you've finished speaking it nor will anyone listening.

Proper Order for Interpreting Tongues

Paul suggests, "If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret" (1 Corinthians 14:27).

One to three messages in tongues can be given either by the same person or by different persons, but each tongue must be followed by its interpretation. Also, each tongue and its interpretation must be given in turn to avoid the confusion of people speaking over one another.

However, when two to three messages in tongues are given either by the same person or by different persons, and there's been no interpretation, then whoever interprets will give ONE interpretation that covers ALL previous messages lacking interpretations.

Afterwards, if someone follows with an inspired message in their known language, it won't be the interpretation of one of the previous tongues, since they'll have already been interpreted, it'll be considered a word of prophecy or an inspired teaching.

Why "two or at the most three" messages in tongues? Paul is likely suggesting that limiting the messages in tongues to three permits other believers the opportunity to follow prompting of the Holy Spirit to share a Scripture verse, a teaching, or a word of prophecy, for the edification of the local Body of Christ.

When No Interpretation Is Given

Paul instructs, "But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in Church, and let him speak to himself and to God" (1 Corinthians 14:28).

The obligation is on the speaker of the tongue to ensure the tongue will be interpreted by either himself or by someone else present who's known to exercise the gift.

Unfortunately, there are times when a message in tongues is given and the speaker of the tongue is unaware that he or she should also bring the interpretation and doesn't know how to interpret tongues, or because of nervousness has chosen not to.

In those situations, a leader who's experienced in the gifts should gently encourage the speaker of the tongue to interpret the message, and if the speaker is unwilling, then the leader can invite another who's prompted by the Spirit to interpret or exercise the gift of interpretation of tongues themselves.

However, if two or three messages have been spoken in tongues, and nobody has been obedient to the Holy Spirit's promptings to interpret, there should be no additional messages in tongues given to avoid confusion.

If Anything Is Revealed to Another

Paul says, "If anything is REVEALED to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged (1 Corinthians 14:30, 31, emphasis added).

The use of the word REVEALED indicates this verse has nothing to do with prophecy or the interpretation of tongues. Paul is likely referring to one of the REVELATION gifts: word of knowledge, word of wisdom, or discernment of spirits.

You may hear someone say, "I also had the interpretation, and that wasn't the message!" No, that's not possible! The interpretation of tongues is spoken phrase-by-phrase as it's inspired by the Holy Spirit, so they could not have known what the interpreted message was unless they had first spoken it.

Very likely they had received a word of REVELATION from God that the interpretation was meant to inspire them, and they should keep silent to avoid sowing seeds of doubt and confusion.

The Interpreter of the Tongue Is in Control

Paul says, "For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets" (1 Corinthians 14:31, 32).

What Paul is saying concerning the gift of prophecy can also be applied to the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation of tongues.

Paul reminds that we are always in full control of our actions. We can choose to be obedient to the Holy Spirit's prompting and bring a message of edification, or we can choose not to.

We Are Commanded to Edify and Bless

Paul gives ends his instruction on the gifts of the Holy Spirit with a no-nonsense caution: "If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 14:37, emphasis added).

It's a reminder that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not to be ignored or taken lightly. They are given to empower us for service. We cannot fulfill our calling as believers to edify the local Body of Christ and do our part to advance the Kingdom of God using our natural abilities alone!

We need the supernatural abilities given us by the Holy Spirit, and knowing how to interpret tongues of a heavenly nature enables us to deliver divinely inspired words within our local assembly that will edify and bless our fellow believers.

Endnote

1 PEZ® is a registered trademark of PEZ Candy, Inc.

End of This 2-Part Series

If you missed it, Part 1: Gift of Interpretation of Tongues


Don Bell of Kingdom Anointing

By Don Bell, a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ. As the author of Kingdom Anointing, he shares decades of insights from his spiritual journey to encourage and empower ordinary believers to seek God's Kingdom first and lead extraordinary lives guided by the Holy Spirit.


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