top of page
  • Writer's pictureRowan Collins

What are angelic tongues?

Updated: Jul 23, 2023

Angelic tongues is a theoretical language that some believe is spoken by heavenly beings, namely angels. Some also believe that the Holy Spirit makes this language accessible to Christians.


There are no verses in the Bible that suggest angels speak in a language separate from mankind, except one verse:


If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:1


Some suggest that this verse is proof of a doctrine of heavenly languages. However, Paul is setting out a doctrine that love is the greatest gift of all and that the Corinthians should pursue that instead of the spiritual gifts. He outlines that clearly in his final remarks of 1 Corinthians 13:


So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13


Who can speak angelic tongues?

Some believe that this language is tied to the gift of tongues. However, this conjecture does not have any additional supporting verses.


On the contrary, there are many verses where angels speak to men and vice versa, with no reason to believe they spoke in another language. One such conversation can be found in the book of Zechariah:


Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, “Lift your eyes and see what this is that is going out.” And I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the basket that is going out.” And he said, “This is their iniquity in all the land.” And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket! And he said, “This is Wickedness.” And he thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down the leaden weight on its opening.


Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they taking the basket?” He said to me, “To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base.”

Zechariah 5:5-11


Likewise, you might expect that God spoke in such a heavenly language or showed a preference for others to pray in this language. However, when God refers to Jesus as his beloved son, the disciples say they heard it with their voice:


For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

2 Peter 1:17-18


If such a language exists, it doesn't seem to be used by angels or God in the Old or New Testament.

44 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page