Chapter 6

by Praise Malinga

The manifestation gift of interpretation of tongues is a supernatural ability to understand and communicate the meaning of words spoken in an unknown tongue, so that the church can be edified.

As it is written in 1 Corinthians 12:10, "To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:" This gift is closely tied to the gift of divers kinds of tongues, and when both are present, they equal prophecy in their ability to edify the church (1 Corinthians 14:5).

The gift of interpretation of tongues is not a translation of the words spoken in tongues, but rather a supernatural revelation of the meaning of the message. This means that the interpretation may not be a word-for-word translation, but rather a conveyance of the overall meaning and intent of the message.

A biblical example of this is found in Daniel 5:25-28, where the prophet Daniel interprets the words "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" written on the wall by an unseen hand. The interpretation is not a direct translation of the words, but rather a revelation of their meaning:

• Mene: "God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it."
• Tekel: "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting."
• Upharsin: "Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."

In this example, the interpretation is a sentence or a phrase that conveys the meaning of the original words, rather than a direct translation.

Characteristics of the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues

• Supernatural understanding: The gift of interpretation of tongues is a supernatural ability to understand the meaning of words spoken in an unknown tongue.
• Edifying: The gift of interpretation of tongues is meant to edify the church, bringing understanding and clarity to the message spoken in tongues.
• Revelation: The gift of interpretation of tongues is a revelation of the meaning of the words spoken in tongues, and is not a guess or interpretation based on human understanding.

When to use it?

The gift of interpretation of tongues should be used in conjunction with the gift of divers kinds of tongues, when someone speaks in an unknown tongue in a church gathering. The interpretation should be given to the church, so that all can be edified (1 Corinthians 14:27-28).

Previous

Next