Who can interpret speaking in tongues? Can a person interpret their own tongues?
The Bible says that every believer who has been baptized in the Holy Spirit can receive an interpretation of the gift of tongues. This includes interpreting your own tongue as well as interpreting others.
The Bible reveals that every born-again believer can speak in tongues.
“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues” (Mark 16:17)
Notice Jesus said, “THESE signs will follow THOSE who believe.”
Meaning all of the signs mentioned will follow all of the believers. So Jesus made it clear in this verse that every single believer can speak in tongues.
I know that there are many different views on this belief which is why I have an entire article dedicated to answering this question. It is called Is Speaking in Tongues for Everyone? (Biblical Answer). Click on the link to check it out.
But I have to make this point that the gift of tongues is for every believer because if I don’t we won’t be able to see that the interpretation of tongues is for every believer as well.
You see, the apostle Paul said that when we speak in tongues we should ask God for the interpretation so that others around us can receive edification and so we can hear what the Spirit is saying through our inspired utterance.
“Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.” (1 Corinthians 14:13-14)
So this verse reveals that as we speak in tongues, we can interpret our tongues by asking God for that interpretation.
Another passage in 1 Corinthians 14 reveals that not only can we interpret our own tongues but others around us can interpret our tongues as well.
“If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.” (1 Corinthians 14:27-28)
In this passage, Paul is giving instructions about the order of tongues when believers are gathered together.
He tells us that if we have a tongue to give then there should only be 2-3 people at a time and that they should each take turns speaking in tongues.
Then he tells us that there should be one interpreter to those tongues.
Now it doesn’t have to be the same interpreter every time, he just means that there should be someone that receives a divine interpretation every time a tongue is given. And if there is none to interpret then that person should speak in tongues silently and not publicly.
So we can see from these two passages that the interpretation of tongues comes to the person speaking in the tongue as well as other believers sitting by.
Can you pray in tongues without an interpretation?
Believers can pray in tongues without an interpretation when they are in private. But when they are in a church setting the Bible tells us that we should have an interpretation following the tongue so that the church can receive edification.
The Bible reveals that there are two categorical purposes for speaking in tongues; (1) for private and personal use, and (2) for public use.
The personal side of speaking in tongues does not require any interpretation of that tongue because the individual is already receiving edification as they speak directly to God through mysteries. (Related article: 7 Biblical Purposes of Speaking in Tongues and Is Speaking in Tongues a (Private) Prayer Language?).
“For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries…He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:2 & 4)
Now, of course, they can ask God for an interpretation and they can receive edification that way as well but it is not required (1 Corinthians 14:13 & 18-19).
However, when the speaker is in a public gathering of the church the Bible reveals that tongues need to be interpreted so that everyone can receive edification.
You see, when a believer speaks in tongues for themselves they are receiving edification in their spirit, not in their mind.
But when this same believer speaks in tongues in front of other believers, they may be receiving spiritual edification but the others are not, therefore, there needs to be an interpretation of what they speak so that the other’s minds can be edified.
This is exactly what Paul meant when he said,
“Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit (speak in tongues), how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.” (1 Corinthians 14:16:17)
Therefore, Paul gives them guidelines so this problem is avoided.
“If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.” (1 Corinthians 14:27-28)
When does speaking in tongues have an interpreter
Speaking in tongues primarily has an interpreter when it is done in a public gathering of the Church, however, you may also receive an interpretation when you are speaking in tongues in private as well.
As mentioned previously, the interpretation of tongues is required when done in a public gathering of believers, but it is not required when done in private.
Here are some scriptures that reveal that tongues need to have an interpretation when done in public:
“He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.” (1 Corinthains 14:4-5)
“I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue” (1 Corinthians 14:18-19).
“Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?” (1 Corinthians 14:23)
If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. (1 Corinthians 14:27-28)
How to receive the gift of interpretation of tongues
We receive the gift of interpretation of tongues the same way we receive all of the gifts; (1) receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, (2) ask God for more of that gift to manifest in your life, and (3) start acting in faith and take risks.
The first step if you are a follower of Jesus is to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus was referring to the baptism in the Holy Spirit He said,
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
This “power” that Jesus mentioned was referring to the power of the Holy Spirit which is the gifts of the Spirit found in 1 Corinthians 12. So if we want to receive the ability to interpret tongues then we need to be baptized in Holy Spirit.
[Related article: How to Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Speak in Tongues (Explained)]
The second step is to ask God for more of the gifts to manifest in your life.
Paul said that we should desire spiritual gifts and he told us this three times.
“But earnestly desire the best gifts.” (1 Corinthians 12:31)
“Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1)
“Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.” (1 Corinthians 14:39)
Clearly, if we are commanded to desire the gifts of the Spirit to manifest in our lives then that means that our desire plays a huge role in how much of the gifts manifest through us.
So how can we let God know that we desire these gifts? By asking.
And we have a promise from Jesus Himself that every good gift God will not withhold from His children.
“If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
“Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:11-13)
Finally, the last step is to start taking risks in faith.
See every time we ask God for something, we need to ask Him in faith believing that we receive the moment that we prayed.
“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24)
So once you ask God for the gift of interpretation, begin asking Him for that interpretation as you speak in tongues. And when you get a sense of what you are saying in the spirit then you should start speaking that out by faith, trusting God is revealing it to you.
Because the truth is God is only pleased by faith, so even the gifts of the Spirit need faith to operate. Otherwise, it would never please Him.
How to Interpret speaking in tongues
You interpret speaking in tongues by (1) asking God for an interpretation of that tongue, (2) by listening to His voice and waiting patiently for His response, and (3) by speaking out what you heard.
A verse that reveals to us this process is 1 Corinthians 14:13
“Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.”
So first we see that we must “pray” to be able to interpret. Another way of saying this is we should God for an interpretation of the tongue that we are either speaking or hearing.
Second, if we are asking God for an interpretation then that would mean that God would have to speak to us in order for us to receive an interpretation, so the next step is to listen for God’s voice.
God may speak to us through an image, a thought, a sense of something, a vision, an audible voice, etc.
God speaks in many different ways, but the important thing to understand is when He speaks it’ll be an interpretation of the tongue, not a translation.
Translation is word for word, interpretation is thought for thought. Big difference! You will rarely receive, if ever, a translation of a tongue, but you will receive almost every time an interpretation.
Finally, the next step is to speak out in faith believing that you received an interpretation.
An interpretation cannot be an interpretation without speaking and God is not pleased without the exercise of faith.
So once you and I receive a sense of what the tongue is saying, we should begin to speak it out by faith.
The beautiful thing about this is the church is supposed to be involved in this and asking God for an interpretation as well, so once you speak everyone can weigh it and see if it was God or not.
This is why the apostle Paul said this about tongues, the interpretation of tongues, and prophecy,
“If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.
“Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But 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 14:27-31)
We have to remember that tongues when interpreted is equivalent to prophecy, so the rules of prophecy are the same as the rules of interpretation that’s why Paul mentioned them both here in the same instance.
So if we speak the interpretation and the church agrees that it was not accurate, no big deal. That is why Paul says, “you can all prophesy, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.”
Prophecy and interpretation is a learned thing and the Church is supposed to be a safe place for everyone to learn and grow together.
So in short, we interpret tongues by (1) asking God for the interpretation, (2) listening to what He tells us, and (3) speaking it out by faith. And as a bonus, we should be open to input from other believers so that we can become increasingly more accurate in hearing the voice of God.
I hope you enjoyed this article and that it assisted you in your walk with God!
