In Acts 2, 'tongues' means spoken, recognizable human languages — not unknown, meaningless, or ecstatic speech.
The believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages. The crowd was confounded because every man heard them speak in his own language. Les Feldick stresses that these were known languages from all over the then-known world, and the miracle was that uneducated Galileans could speak them.
Acts 2:4 — This verse directly says the disciples 'began to speak with other tongues,' identifying tongues as speech.
Acts 2:6 — This verse defines those 'other tongues' as languages the crowd each heard in his own language.
The plain text of Acts 2:4 states: "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Verse 6 identifies what those "other tongues" were: "Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language." Verse 8 repeats it in the first person: "And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?" In the King James Version, the word "tongue" is therefore set in parallel with "language" in the same passage. Verse 3 also mentions "cloven tongues like as of fire," a visible appearance that "sat upon each of them."
Les Feldick emphasizes that the tongues at Pentecost were actual human languages, not ecstatic or unintelligible speech. He notes that the Jews present came from all over the then-known world — many displaced from Israel for generations — and therefore spoke different languages. When the Holy Spirit filled the believers, they began speaking "other languages" so that every person in the crowd could understand in his own language. He describes the miracle as God giving the apostles the ability to speak all the languages of the people in the crowd, languages that were not part of their own education, since most of the disciples were uneducated Galilean fishermen.
Les Feldick explains that this was the miracle of Pentecost: God gave the apostles the gift to speak all the languages represented in the crowd. Most of the disciples came from Galilee and were uneducated fishermen, yet they suddenly spoke various languages that were present that day. This was the first time in Scripture that the Holy Spirit gave men the gift of speaking known languages that were not intrinsic to their own education.
The "cloven tongues" are distinct from the spoken tongues. "Cloven" means separated, and they appeared as visible little flames of fire sitting upon each person. They were like fire, but not actual burning fire.
Les teaches that Scripture records only three times when the Holy Spirit gave the gift of speaking a multitude of languages: Acts 2 to Jews, Acts 10 to a household of Gentiles, and Acts 19 to a small representative group. In each case, they were known languages that could be understood by someone from that same background.
The people in the crowd were confounded, because every man heard them speak not in an unknown guttural noise, but in a language they could understand. The hearers included Jews from Babylon, Spain, and other regions who had been displaced from Israel for generations.
Pentecost Setting and Cloven Tongues
Les describes the Jewish feast setting of Pentecost and notes the Holy Spirit came invisibly, while the "cloven tongues" were separated visible appearances.
Tongues as Other Languages
Les says the believers began speaking other languages, since Jews from all over the world had come to Jerusalem, many speaking different languages; he emphasizes Pentecost was Jewish.
First of Three Tongues Events
Les places Acts 2 as the first of only three miracles of speaking in tongues, on the Jewish feast day of Pentecost, while contrasting the "unknown tongue" of 1 Corinthians.
Only Three Manifestations
Les states these are the only three times in Scripture that the Holy Spirit gave the gift of speaking a multitude of languages, and they were known languages understandable to someone from that background.
Second and Third Tongues Events
Les identifies Acts 10 as a whole household of Gentiles and Acts 19 as another unique small group, showing the three-fold pattern he sees.
Gentile Tongues in Acts 10
Les notes the gift of languages was used again when Gentiles received the Holy Spirit, and they spoke with tongues or other languages and magnified God.
Tongues Means Languages
Les explains that when Paul uses "tongues" plural, he is talking about languages — several languages were used in Corinth — and contrasts that with today's unknown tongues movement.
Understandable Languages at Pentecost
Les describes the miracle as God giving apostles languages not from their education, and says the crowd heard understandable languages, not unknown guttural noise.
Acts 2:3: And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
This verse describes the visible "tongues like as of fire" that rested on each believer.
Acts 2:4: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
This is the direct statement that the disciples spoke with "other tongues."
Acts 2:5: And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
This explains the audience consisted of devout Jews from every nation.
Acts 2:6: Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
This is the key parallel: "tongues" are what each man heard in his own language.
Acts 2:8: And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
This uses "tongue" as a synonym for the language in which a person was born.
Yes. Les Feldick teaches that the believers began speaking other languages, and the crowd heard them in their own languages. The miracle was that uneducated Galilean fishermen suddenly spoke known languages they had never learned.
The cloven tongues were visible appearances like separated little flames that sat upon each person. They were like fire, but not actual fire and did not burn anyone.
Les Feldick teaches there are only three times in all of Scripture where the Holy Spirit gave the gift of speaking a multitude of languages: Acts 2, Acts 10, and Acts 19. In every case the languages were known and understandable.
No. Les contrasts the Acts 2 tongues with today's tongues movement, which he says involves an unknown language that nobody can decipher or reduce to print. The tongues at Pentecost were known languages people could understand.
Watch the Teaching: What Really Happened at Pentecost? Acts 2 Explained