<P> It was a commonplace idea within the Greco - Roman world that divine beings spoke languages different from human languages, and historians of religion have identified references to esoteric speech in Greco - Roman literature that resemble glossolalia, sometimes explained as angelic or divine language . An example is the account in the Testament of Job where the daughters of Job were given sashes enabling them to speak and sing in angelic languages . </P> <P> According to Dale B. Martin, glossolalia accorded high status in the ancient world due to its association with the divine . Alexander of Abonoteichus may have exhibited glossolalia during his episodes of prophetic ecstasy . Neoplatonist philosopher Iamblichus linked glossolalia to prophecy, writing that prophecy was divine spirit possession that "emits words which are not understood by those that utter them; for they pronounce them, as it is said, with an insane mouth (mainomenό stomati) and are wholly subservient, and entirely yield themselves to the energy of the predominating God ." </P> <P> As part of his attack on early Christianity, the Greek philosopher Celsus may include an account of Christian glossolalia . Celsus describes prophecies made by several Christians in Palestine and Phoenicia of which he writes, "Having brandished these threats they then go on to add incomprehensible, incoherent, and utterly obscure utterances, the meaning of which no intelligent person could discover: for they are meaningless and nonsensical, and give a chance for any fool or sorcerer to take the words in whatever sense he likes ." </P> <P> References to speaking in tongues by the Church fathers are rare . Except for Irenaeus' 2nd - century reference to many in the church speaking all kinds of languages "through the Spirit", and Tertullian's reference in 207 AD to the spiritual gift of interpretation of tongues being encountered in his day, there are no other known first - hand accounts of glossolalia, and very few second - hand accounts among their writings . </P>

Instances of speaking in tongues in the bible