It was a limited, sign miracle that marked three specific groups in God's program — Israel, Gentiles, and transitional Jewish believers.
In Acts, the Spirit enabled believers to speak in real, known languages on three occasions: at Pentecost, in Cornelius's house, and at Ephesus. Each occasion proved that the Holy Spirit was now working with a different group and that God's program was moving forward.
Acts 2:4 — This verse records the first occurrence at Pentecost, when the disciples began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 10:46 — This verse records the second occurrence, when Jewish believers heard Gentile believers speak with tongues and magnify God.
Acts 19:6 — This verse records the third occurrence, when transitional Jewish disciples at Ephesus spoke with tongues and prophesied after Paul laid hands on them.
In Acts 2, on the Day of Pentecost, the twelve disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance, and the Jewish pilgrims heard them speak in his own language. In Acts 10, while Peter was still preaching to Cornelius and his household, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word, and the Jewish believers heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. In Acts 19, Paul found certain disciples at Ephesus who had only received John's baptism; when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. These are the three narrative accounts of this manifestation in the Book of Acts.
Les Feldick teaches that this phenomenon was not a common, everyday experience but a limited sign event. He says it happened only three times in Scripture: in Acts 2, Acts 10, and Acts 19. When it happened, the speaking was in real languages and dialects. At Pentecost, the Greek word is dialectos, from which we get dialect, so the disciples were speaking the dialect of individual areas, not meaningless sounds.
At Pentecost, the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues. Les points out that the Greek word is dialectos, meaning dialect, so the miracle went down to the dialect of each individual area. Jews were gathered in Jerusalem from all over the then-known world, and every man heard them speak in his own language.
When the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentile household of Cornelius, the Jewish believers with Peter were astonished. They knew the Spirit had come because they heard the Gentiles speak with tongues and magnify God. Les says this proved that God was doing something these Jews never thought possible — pouring out the Holy Spirit on Gentiles.
The twelve men at Ephesus were Jewish disciples who had been baptized with John's baptism and had not so much as heard that there is a Holy Spirit. Paul explained that John's baptism was a baptism of repentance through the nation of Israel. Then Paul baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus and laid his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them; they spoke with languages and prophesied. Les identifies this as the third and final occurrence of this sign.
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul writes, 'Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.' Les explains that this ability to speak in various languages was a sign, especially to Israel, which required signs. Paul was not trying to impress people; he used real Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic dialects to communicate the gospel.
Les observes from Paul's own words that Paul thanked God he spoke with languages more than all the Corinthians early in his ministry. But by the end of his ministry, Paul no longer practiced it. Add to this the fact that the sign appears only three times in Acts, and Les concludes it was a temporary sign for a transitional period, not a permanent feature of the church.
Les uses 1 Corinthians 14 to show the priority: 'He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.' Speaking forth God's Word edifies the whole congregation, while speaking in an unknown tongue only edifies the speaker. Therefore the greater gift to seek is prophesying.
The Third Occurrence at Ephesus
Les teaches that the twelve men at Ephesus were transitional Jewish disciples of John's baptism who had not heard of the Holy Spirit; when Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came and they spoke in languages and prophesied — the third time this sign appeared.
The Sign for the Jews at Cornelius's House
Les says God used the gift of languages at Cornelius's house so that the astonished Jewish believers could hear Gentiles speaking with tongues and magnifying God, proving that the Holy Spirit was being poured out on Gentiles.
Gentiles Speak with Tongues
Les explains that the Jewish believers knew the Holy Spirit had come on the Gentiles because they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God; it proved God was doing something they had never thought possible.
Paul's Own Use of Languages
Les notes that early in his ministry Paul could say, 'I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all,' but by the end of his ministry he no longer practiced the gift, showing it was not permanent.
Prophesying Edifies the Church
Les applies 1 Corinthians 14: the one who speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies speaks forth the Word of God and edifies the whole congregation.
Real Languages for Gospel Communication
Les explains that Paul's ability to speak languages was the ability to communicate in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic dialects; in the church he would rather speak five words with understanding than ten thousand in an unknown tongue.
Tongues Were a Sign to Unbelievers
Les says Paul's use of languages was a sign, not to those who believe but to those who do not believe, and that prophesying was the corresponding gift for believers.
Pentecost and Dialects
Les shows from the Greek word dialectos that at Pentecost the disciples spoke in the dialect of each individual area so that Jews from all over the world understood in their own language.
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 first occurrence of the sign at Pentecost, when the Spirit caused the disciples to speak in other languages.
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.
It shows that these were real languages, because every hearer understood them in his own language.
Acts 10:46: For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
It records the second occurrence, when Jewish believers heard Gentile believers speaking with tongues and magnifying God.
Acts 19:6: And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
It records the third occurrence, when transitional Jewish disciples spoke with tongues and prophesied after Paul laid hands on them.
1 Corinthians 14:22: Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
Paul's own explanation that the sign of tongues was directed to unbelievers, not believers.
1 Corinthians 14:4: He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
It supports Les's point that prophesying, not speaking in an unknown tongue, edifies the whole congregation.
According to Les Feldick, it happens three times: at Pentecost, at the house of Cornelius, and at Ephesus. He says these are the only three times in Scripture.
Yes. Les points out that the Greek word is dialectos, meaning dialect, and the disciples spoke the dialect of individual areas at Pentecost. Paul's gift involved Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic dialects for gospel communication.
Les teaches that the sign was for the Jewish believers with Peter. They heard the Gentiles speak with tongues and magnify God, and that proved God was saving Gentiles — something the Jewish believers never thought possible.
Les points to 1 Corinthians 14: prophesying, or speaking forth the Word of God, edifies the whole congregation, while speaking in an unknown tongue edifies only the speaker. Therefore prophesying is the greater gift.
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About Speaking in Tongues