What Does the Bible Say About Language?

“By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.”

“These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.”

“These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.”

“And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. language: Heb. lip. speech: Heb. words”

“And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. from: or, eastward”

“And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. they said: Heb. a man said to his neighbour burn: Heb. burn them to a burning”

“And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.”

“And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.”

“And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.”

“Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.”

“So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.”

“Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. Babel: that is, Confusion”

“And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore , nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. eloquent: Heb. a man of words heretofore: Heb. since yesterday, nor since the third day”

“The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; understand: Heb. hear”

“Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.”

“And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. Bishlam: or, in peace companions: Heb. societies”

“And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. could: Heb. they discerned not to speak of each: Heb. of people and people”

“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork .”

“When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;”

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. stammering: Heb. stammerings of lip will: or, he hath spoken”

“The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.”

“Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.”

“Children in whom was no blemish , but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.”

“Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.”

“For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent. language: Heb. lip consent: Heb. shoulder”

“And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee .”

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;”

“And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

“This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.”

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”

“And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another , Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?”

“And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?”

“Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,”

“Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,”

“Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”

“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”

“And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

“For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,”

“And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.”

“And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”

“And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?”

“(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)”

“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. fail: Gr. vanish away”

“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.”

“But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. done away: Gr. vanish away”

“For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. understandeth: Gr. heareth”

“But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.”

“He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.”

“I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.”

“Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?”

“And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? sounds: or, tunes”

“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?”

“So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. easy: Gr. significant”

“There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification .”

“Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.”

“Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. of spiritual gifts: Gr. of spirits”

“Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.”

“For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.”

“What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”

“Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?”

“For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.”

“I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:”

“Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.”

“Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. men: Gr. perfect, or, of a ripe age”

“In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.”

“Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.”

“If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?”

“But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:”

“And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.”

“How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.”

“If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. two: by two or three sentences separately”

“But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.”

“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number , of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;”