began to interpret part of my prayer. I realized then that I was talking to God about a wife,
although from the natural standpoint, I hadn't been thinking or praying with my understanding
along that line. I wasn't even concerned about getting married at that time.
I prayed in English, interpreting what I had been praying in tongues. As I did, by interpretation
of tongues I knew in the Spirit that I would be married.
I knew who the girl was that I was going to marry, although at this time I had only had one or
two dates with her. I also knew by interpretation that we would have two children; the first child
would be a boy and the second would be a girl.
Naturally, after we were married and were expecting our first child, I told my wife, "It's a boy."
We only picked out a boy's name. We didn't select any girls' names. Then when we were
expecting our second child, I said, "This one is a girl." This is what I had learned in the Spirit
even before we had been sweethearts.
So we see that there is a private side to the gift of interpretation of tongues that is of great
importance to us personally.
There is also a public side to the manifestation of this gift. But not all of us will be used in this
way. That will occur only as the Lord wills.
The Gift of Interpretation of Tongues In Public Ministry
1 CORINTHIANS 14:27
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, LET IT BE BY TWO, OR AT THE MOST BY
THREE, and that by course; and LET ONE INTERPRET.
In ministering publicly in tongues in any one service, Paul is saying here that it should be done
by two or at the most by three people. In other words, only two or three people at the most
should participate.
The meaning of this passage is made clearer in the New International Version.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:27 (NIV)
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two — or at the most three — should speak, one at a
time, and someone must interpret.
Some have asked the question, "Does that refer to three messages?" Actually we do not find
the expression "messages in tongues" anywhere in the Bible. This is just a phrase that man
has coined to try to explain this verse. A better term would be "utterance in tongues."
But this particular verse is talking about people, not messages or utterances: "If any MAN
speak [not necessarily referring to the male gender but to any human being] . . . let it be by
two, or at the most by three. . ."(lCor. 14:27).
Paul didn't actually say how much they were to speak or not to speak. He just said to let two or
three people speak and let it be by course or in succession.