‘to eliminate them altogether’) in the contemporary church. Paul does not damn tongues with faint praise, as some have argued, nor does he stand in awe of the phenomenon, as apparently the Corinthians had done and some later Pentecostals and charismatics as well. As with all Spirit-empowered activity, Paul held it in high regard in its proper place. 2. About the actual phenomenon itself, two things need to be noted. First, the regulations for its community use in 1 Cor. 14:27–28 make it clear that