33 Bible Verses about Language

Therefore, the man who speaks in ecstasy must pray for power to explain what he says.

I would like for all of you to speak in ecstasy, but I would rather that you prophesy. The man who speaks with real prophetic insight renders greater service than the man who speaks in ecstasy, unless the latter explains it, so the congregation may receive an uplift.

If anybody speaks in ecstasy, there must be only two, or three at most, and let one speak at a time, and someone explain what he says. But if there is no one to explain it, let him keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God alone.

And the following signs will attend those who believe: By using my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in foreign languages;

and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

to another, power for working wonders; to another, prophetic insight; to another, the power to discriminate between the true Spirit and false spirits; to another, various ecstatic utterances; and to another, the power to explain them.

They were perfectly astounded, and in bewilderment they continued to say, "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? So how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native tongue?

for they heard them speaking in foreign languages and telling of the greatness of God. Then Peter asked,

Hence, if the whole church has met and everybody speaks in ecstasy, and illiterate people or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are crazy?

For whoever speaks in ecstasy is speaking not to men but to God, for no one understands him, and yet by the Spirit he is speaking secret truths. But whoever prophesies is speaking to men for their upbuilding. encouragement, and comfort. Whoever speaks in ecstasy builds up himself alone, but whoever prophesies builds up the congregation too. read more.
I would like for all of you to speak in ecstasy, but I would rather that you prophesy. The man who speaks with real prophetic insight renders greater service than the man who speaks in ecstasy, unless the latter explains it, so the congregation may receive an uplift. But as it now is, brothers, if I do come back to you speaking in ecstasy, what good shall I do you, unless my speech contains a revelation or new knowledge or a prophetic message or some teaching? Even inanimate things, like the flute or the harp, may give out sounds, but if there is no difference in the notes, how can the tune that is played on the flute or the harp be told? Again, indeed, if the bugle does not sound a call distinct and clear, who will prepare for battle? So it is with you; unless in your ecstatic speaking you speak a message that is clearly intelligible, how can the message spoken by you be understood? You might just as well be talking to the air! There are, supposedly, ever so many languages in the world, and not one is without its own meaning. So if I do not know the meaning of the language, I should be a foreigner to the man who speaks it, and he would be a foreigner to me. So, as you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, you must keep trying to excel for the upbuilding of the church.

of Phrygia and Pamphylia, of Egypt and the district of Libya around Cyrene, transient dwellers from Rome, Jews and proselytes,

We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you continue to persecute me? It is hurting you to keep on kicking against the goad.'

It became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that this piece of land was called in their language Akeldamach, that is, The Field of Blood.)

Then they sang a new song: "You deserve to take the book and break its seals, because you have been slaughtered, and with your blood have bought men from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation,

But he denied it again. And again a few minutes later the bystanders began to say to Peter, "You are surely one of them, for you are a Galilean too."

So the crowds, because they saw what Paul had done, shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods in human form have come down to us!"

and when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in foreign tongues and to prophesy.

Then they laid their hands upon them, and one by one they received the Holy Spirit.

Many of the Jews read this placard, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.

So how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native tongue? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, of Judea and Cappadocia, of Pontus and Asia, of Phrygia and Pamphylia, of Egypt and the district of Libya around Cyrene, transient dwellers from Rome, Jews and proselytes, read more.
Cretans and Arabs -- we hear them all alike telling in our own tongues the great wonders of God."

So speaking in ecstasy is meant as a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is meant, not for unbelievers but for believers.

to another, power for working wonders; to another, prophetic insight; to another, the power to discriminate between the true Spirit and false spirits; to another, various ecstatic utterances; and to another, the power to explain them.

Many of the Jews read this placard, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.

Yes, there was a placard above His head: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

to another, power for working wonders; to another, prophetic insight; to another, the power to discriminate between the true Spirit and false spirits; to another, various ecstatic utterances; and to another, the power to explain them.

So if I do not know the meaning of the language, I should be a foreigner to the man who speaks it, and he would be a foreigner to me.

There are, supposedly, ever so many languages in the world, and not one is without its own meaning.

As he was about to be taken into the barracks, Paul said to the colonel, "May I say something to you?" The colonel asked, "Do you know Greek?

Yes, there was a placard above His head: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

of Phrygia and Pamphylia, of Egypt and the district of Libya around Cyrene, transient dwellers from Rome, Jews and proselytes,

A few minutes afterward the bystanders came up to Peter and said, "You are surely one of them, too, for your accent gives you away."

While Peter was still speaking these truths, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. Then the Jewish believers who had gone along with Peter were astounded because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been showered upon the heathen too, for they heard them speaking in foreign languages and telling of the greatness of God. Then Peter asked,

They were perfectly astounded, and in bewilderment they continued to say, "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? So how is it that each of us hears them speaking in his own native tongue? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, of Judea and Cappadocia, of Pontus and Asia, read more.
of Phrygia and Pamphylia, of Egypt and the district of Libya around Cyrene, transient dwellers from Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs -- we hear them all alike telling in our own tongues the great wonders of God."

And they saw tongues like flames of fire separating and resting on their heads, one to each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in foreign languages as the Spirit granted them to utter divine things.

And the following signs will attend those who believe: By using my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in foreign languages;

So the crowds, because they saw what Paul had done, shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods in human form have come down to us!"

As he was about to be taken into the barracks, Paul said to the colonel, "May I say something to you?" The colonel asked, "Do you know Greek?

Yes, there was a placard above His head: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, of Judea and Cappadocia, of Pontus and Asia, of Phrygia and Pamphylia, of Egypt and the district of Libya around Cyrene, transient dwellers from Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs -- we hear them all alike telling in our own tongues the great wonders of God."

Cretans and Arabs -- we hear them all alike telling in our own tongues the great wonders of God."

So the crowds, because they saw what Paul had done, shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods in human form have come down to us!"

After this I looked, and there was a vast throng that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,