Xenoglossy is also called the gift of tongues. It is the speaking of intelligible languages by someone who does not under ordinary means have proficiency in that language. It is a spiritual gift spoken of in His Word, the bible. As a note, this not the gibberish of the Pentecostals and Charismatics, which are not real languages. Not everyone has xenoglossy, and there is no "baptism of the holy spirit" after salvation and baptism.
The key scriptures here for the gift of xenoglossy are Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 14, which I provide below. Does scripture allow for a private prayer language, as the SBC now seems content to allow? Does scripture allow for utterance beyond strictly evangelism? If it is shown that the utterances are just gibberish, should that Christian be told to stop using it even in a private prayer language? What are the rules for speaking in tongues according to the bible?
Acts 2 NASB
The Day of Pentecost
2 When the day of Pentecost [
a]had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire [
b]distributing themselves, and [
c]they [
d]rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other [
e]tongues, as the Spirit was giving them [
f]utterance.
5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own [
g]language. 7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, “[
h]Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we each hear them in our own [
i]language [
j]to which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and [
k]Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and [
l]visitors from Rome, both Jews and [
m]proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” 12 And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of [
n]sweet wine.”
Peter’s Sermon
14 But Peter, [
o]taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. 15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the [
p]third hour of the day;
