Key Term. Speaking in “tongues” is a major issue in 1 Corinthians (1 Cor 12–14). The Bible seems to describe at least two, and perhaps three, different kinds of tongues: speaking in a foreign language supernaturally with no prior knowledge of the language (Acts 2:1–11), a private prayer (perhaps angelic) language unintelligible to others (1 Cor 14:14–17; compare Rom 8:26); and a spiritual (or angelic) language that requires the interpretation of someone else (1 Cor 12:29–30; 14:26–33). The spiritual language may be the same as the private prayer language. When used in church services, Paul commands that the spiritual language be interpreted by someone with the gift of interpretation or not used at all (1 Cor 14:26–33). (Faithlife Study Bible)