40 Bible Verses about Language

Most Relevant Verses

Genesis 11:7

Come, let us go down and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand {each other's language}."

Genesis 11:1

Now the whole earth [had] one language and the same words.

Zephaniah 3:9

Because then I will {make the speech of the nations pure}; that all of them might call on the name of Yahweh, to serve him {in unison}.

Genesis 11:9

Therefore its name was called Babel, for there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth, and there Yahweh scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Genesis 11:6

And Yahweh said, "Behold, {they are one people with one language}, and {this is only the beginning of what they will do}. So now nothing that they intend to do will be impossible for them.

1 Corinthians 14:9

And so you through the tongue, unless you produce a clear message, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.

Colossians 3:8

But now you also lay aside all [these] things: anger, rage, wickedness, slander, abusive language from your mouth.

1 Corinthians 14:27

If anyone speaks in a tongue, [it must be] on one occasion two or at most three, and {one after the other}, and one must interpret.

1 Corinthians 14:2

For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, because no one understands, but by the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

1 Corinthians 14:5

Now I want you all to speak with tongues, but even more that you may prophesy. The one who prophesies [is] greater than the one who speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, in order that the church may receive edification.

Revelation 7:9

After these [things] I looked, and behold, a great crowd that no one was able to number, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed [in] white robes and [with] palm branches in their hands.

1 Corinthians 14:4

The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

Acts 2:6

And [when] this sound occurred, the crowd gathered and was in confusion, because each one was hearing them speaking in his own language.

John 8:43

{Why} do you not understand my way of speaking? Because you are not able to listen to my message.

John 16:25

"I have said these [things] to you in figurative sayings. An hour is coming when I will speak to you in figurative sayings no longer, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.

Deuteronomy 28:49

Yahweh will raise [up] against you a nation from far [off], from the end of the earth, [attacking] as the eagle swoops [down], {a nation whose language you will not understand},

1 Corinthians 14:19

but in the church I prefer to speak five words with my mind, in order that I may instruct other [people], than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Acts 2:8

And how do we hear, each one [of us], in {our own native language}?

1 John 4:5

They are from the world; {therefore} they speak from the world and the world listens to them.

From Thematic Bible


Language » Interpretation of » Most important in the early church

1 Corinthians 14:13

Therefore the one who speaks in a tongue must pray that he may interpret.

1 Corinthians 14:5

Now I want you all to speak with tongues, but even more that you may prophesy. The one who prophesies [is] greater than the one who speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, in order that the church may receive edification.

1 Corinthians 14:27-28

If anyone speaks in a tongue, [it must be] on one occasion two or at most three, and {one after the other}, and one must interpret. But if there is no interpreter, he must be silent in the church, but let him speak to himself and to God.

Language » Interpretation of » The jews punished by being given up to people of a strange

Jeremiah 5:15

Look, I [am] about to bring on you a nation from afar, house of Israel," {declares} Yahweh. "It [is] an enduring nation, it [is] {an ancient nation}. A nation whose language you do not know, and you cannot understand what they speak.

Deuteronomy 28:49

Yahweh will raise [up] against you a nation from far [off], from the end of the earth, [attacking] as the eagle swoops [down], {a nation whose language you will not understand},

Language » Gift of

Acts 2:7-8

And they were astounded and astonished, saying, "Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how do we hear, each one [of us], in {our own native language}?

Acts 10:46

for they heard them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter said,

Language » Power of speaking different » Sometimes abused

1 Corinthians 14:23

Therefore, if the whole church comes together at the same [time] and all speak with tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

1 Corinthians 14:2-12

For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, because no one understands, but by the Spirit he speaks mysteries. But the one who prophesies speaks to people edification and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. read more.
Now I want you all to speak with tongues, but even more that you may prophesy. The one who prophesies [is] greater than the one who speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, in order that the church may receive edification. But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with tongues, how do I benefit you, unless I speak to you either with a revelation or with knowledge or with a prophecy or with a teaching? Likewise, the inanimate things which produce a sound, whether flute or lyre, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the lyre? For indeed, if the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare for battle? And so you through the tongue, unless you produce a clear message, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are probably so many kinds of languages in the world, and none without meaning. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a barbarian to the one who is speaking, and the one who is speaking [will be] a barbarian in my [judgment]. In this way also you, since you are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek for the edification of the church, in order that you may abound.

Language » Confusion of » Divided men into separate nations

Genesis 10:5

From these the coastland peoples spread out through their lands, each according to his own language by their own families, in their nations.

Genesis 10:20

These [are] the descendants of Ham, according to their families and their languages, in their lands, and in their nations.

Genesis 10:31

These [are] the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, and according to their nations.

Language » Ancient kingdoms often comprehended nations of different

Daniel 6:25

Then Darius the king wrote to all the people, the nations, and the languages living in the whole earth, "May your prosperity become great!

Esther 1:22

And he sent letters to all the provinces of the king, to each province according to its own script, and to every people in their own {language}, that every man should be the master of his house and who speaks in the {language} of his people.

Daniel 3:4

Then the herald proclaimed {aloud}, "To you {it is commanded}, O peoples, {nations and people of all languages},

Language » Kinds of, mentioned » Egyptian

Acts 2:10

Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya toward Cyrene, and the Romans who were in town,

Psalm 81:5

He made it a statute in Joseph when he went out against the land of Egypt, [where] I heard a language I did not know.

Psalm 114:1

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

Language » Mentioned in scripture » Syrian

Daniel 2:4

And the {astrologers} said to the king [in] Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants and we will reveal the explanation."

2 Kings 18:26

Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and Shebna and Joah said to the chief commander, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we [are] understanding, but you must not speak Judean with us in the ears of the people who [are] on the wall."

Ezra 4:7

And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic.

Language » Of all mankind one at first

Genesis 11:6

And Yahweh said, "Behold, {they are one people with one language}, and {this is only the beginning of what they will do}. So now nothing that they intend to do will be impossible for them.

Genesis 11:1

Now the whole earth [had] one language and the same words.

Language » Kinds of, mentioned » Hebrew

Acts 26:14

And [when] we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Aramaic language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? [It is] hard for you to kick against the goads!'

2 Kings 18:28

Then the chief commander stood and called with a great voice in Judean, and he spoke and said, "Hear the word of the king, the great king of Assyria!

Language » Called » Tongue

Acts 1:19

And it became known to all who live in Jerusalem, so that that field was called in their own language "Akeldama," that is, "Field of Blood.")

Revelation 5:9

And they were singing a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slaughtered, and bought [people] for God by your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation,

Language » Kinds of, mentioned » Syriac

2 Kings 18:26

Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and Shebna and Joah said to the chief commander, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we [are] understanding, but you must not speak Judean with us in the ears of the people who [are] on the wall."

Ezra 4:7

And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic.

Language » Called » Speech

Mark 14:70

But he denied [it] again. And after a little [while], again the bystanders began to say to Peter, "You really are [one] of them, because you also are a Galilean, and your accent {shows it}!"

Acts 14:11

And [when] the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices in the Lycaonian language, saying, "The gods have become like men [and] have come down to us!"

Language » Confusion of

Genesis 11:1-9

Now the whole earth [had] one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said {to each other}, "Come, let us make bricks and {burn them thoroughly}." And they had brick for stone and they had tar for mortar. read more.
And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower whose top [reaches to] the heavens. And let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over the face of the whole earth." Then Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower that {humankind} was building. And Yahweh said, "Behold, {they are one people with one language}, and {this is only the beginning of what they will do}. So now nothing that they intend to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand {each other's language}." So Yahweh scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth, and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, for there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth, and there Yahweh scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Genesis 10:5

From these the coastland peoples spread out through their lands, each according to his own language by their own families, in their nations.

Genesis 10:20

These [are] the descendants of Ham, according to their families and their languages, in their lands, and in their nations.

Genesis 10:31

These [are] the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, and according to their nations.

Language » Power of speaking different » Conferred by laying on of the apostles' hands

Acts 8:17

Then they placed [their] hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

Language » Many spoken at jerusalem

John 19:20

So many of the Jews read this notice, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. And it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, [and] in Greek.

Acts 2:8-11

And how do we hear, each one [of us], in {our own native language}? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those residing [in] Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya toward Cyrene, and the Romans who were in town, read more.
both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs--we hear them speaking in our [own] languages the great deeds of God!"

Language » Power of speaking different » A sign to unbelievers

1 Corinthians 14:22

So then, tongues are for a sign not to those who believe, but to unbelievers, but prophecy [is] not for unbelievers, but for those who believe.

Language » Power of speaking different » A gift of the holy ghost

Language » Mentioned in scripture » Latin

John 19:20

So many of the Jews read this notice, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. And it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, [and] in Greek.

Language » Interpretation of » A gift of the holy ghost

Language » The term barbarian applied to those who spoke a strange

1 Corinthians 14:11

Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a barbarian to the one who is speaking, and the one who is speaking [will be] a barbarian in my [judgment].

Language » Great variety of, spoken by men

1 Corinthians 14:10

There are probably so many kinds of languages in the world, and none without meaning.

Language » Mentioned in scripture » Greek

Acts 21:37

And [as he] was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the military tribune, "Is it permitted for me to say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?

Language » Mentioned in scripture » Egyptian

Acts 2:10

Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya toward Cyrene, and the Romans who were in town,

Psalm 114:1

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

Language » Dialects of the jews

Matthew 26:73

And after a little [while] those who were standing there came up [and] said to Peter, "You really are [one] of them also, because even your accent {reveals who you are}."

Judges 12:6

they said to him, "Please say Shibboleth," and [if] he said, "Sibboleth"--because he could not {pronounce it} correctly--they grabbed him and executed him at the fords of Jordan. At that time forty-two thousand from Ephraim fell.

Language » Confusion of » A punishment for presumption, &c

Genesis 11:2-6

And as people migrated from the east they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said {to each other}, "Come, let us make bricks and {burn them thoroughly}." And they had brick for stone and they had tar for mortar. And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower whose top [reaches to] the heavens. And let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over the face of the whole earth." read more.
Then Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower that {humankind} was building. And Yahweh said, "Behold, {they are one people with one language}, and {this is only the beginning of what they will do}. So now nothing that they intend to do will be impossible for them.

Language » Confusion of » Scattered men over the earth

Genesis 11:8-9

So Yahweh scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth, and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, for there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth, and there Yahweh scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Language » Power of speaking different » Followed receiving the gospel

Acts 10:44-46

[While] Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening to the message. And those believers from the circumcision who had accompanied Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter said,

Language » Interpretation of » Antiquity of engaging persons for

Genesis 42:23

Now they did not know that Joseph understood, for the interpreter [was] between them.

Language » Of some nations difficult

Ezekiel 3:5-6

For you are sent to the house of Israel, not to a people {of obscure speech} and {of a difficult language}, [and] not to many nations {of obscure speech} and {a difficult language} {whose words} you do not understand, [for] if I had sent you to them they would have listened to you.

Language » Confusion of » Originated the varieties in

Genesis 11:7

Come, let us go down and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand {each other's language}."

Language » Power of speaking different » Necessary to spread of the gospel

Acts 2:7-11

And they were astounded and astonished, saying, "Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how do we hear, each one [of us], in {our own native language}? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those residing [in] Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, read more.
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya toward Cyrene, and the Romans who were in town, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs--we hear them speaking in our [own] languages the great deeds of God!"

Language » Power of speaking different » Given on the day of pentecost

Acts 2:3-4

And divided tongues like fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them [ability] to speak out.

Language » Power of speaking different » Promised

Language » Kinds of, mentioned » Lycaonian

Acts 14:11

And [when] the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices in the Lycaonian language, saying, "The gods have become like men [and] have come down to us!"

Language » Kinds of, mentioned » Chaldee

Daniel 1:4

youths who {have no physical defect}, and [who are] {handsome}, and [who are] prudent in all wisdom and {endowed with knowledge}, and [who] understand insight, and who [have] the {ability} in them to serve in the palace of the king. [And the king ordered him] to teach them the literature and the language of [the] Chaldeans.

Language » Kinds of, mentioned » Greek

Acts 21:37

And [as he] was about to be brought into the barracks, Paul said to the military tribune, "Is it permitted for me to say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek?

Language » Kinds of, mentioned » Latin

Language » Mentioned in scripture » Parthian and other lands

Acts 2:9-11

Parthians and Medes and Elamites and those residing [in] Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya toward Cyrene, and the Romans who were in town, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs--we hear them speaking in our [own] languages the great deeds of God!"

Language » Kinds of, mentioned » Arabic, &c

Acts 2:11

both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs--we hear them speaking in our [own] languages the great deeds of God!"

Language » Unity of

Genesis 11:6

And Yahweh said, "Behold, {they are one people with one language}, and {this is only the beginning of what they will do}. So now nothing that they intend to do will be impossible for them.

Genesis 11:1

Now the whole earth [had] one language and the same words.

Language » Mentioned in scripture » Lycaonian

Acts 14:11

And [when] the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices in the Lycaonian language, saying, "The gods have become like men [and] have come down to us!"

Language » Mentioned in scripture » Ashdod

Nehemiah 13:24

Half of their children spoke Ashdodite and could not speak Judean, but [only] the tongues of other nations.

Language » Mentioned in scripture » Chaldee

Daniel 1:4

youths who {have no physical defect}, and [who are] {handsome}, and [who are] prudent in all wisdom and {endowed with knowledge}, and [who] understand insight, and who [have] the {ability} in them to serve in the palace of the king. [And the king ordered him] to teach them the literature and the language of [the] Chaldeans.

Tongue » Language

Revelation 7:9

After these [things] I looked, and behold, a great crowd that no one was able to number, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed [in] white robes and [with] palm branches in their hands.

Isaiah 66:18

"And I--their works and thoughts!--[am] about to come to gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come and see my glory.

Genesis 10:5

From these the coastland peoples spread out through their lands, each according to his own language by their own families, in their nations.

Genesis 10:20

These [are] the descendants of Ham, according to their families and their languages, in their lands, and in their nations.

Topics on Language

All Languages

1 Corinthians 14:10

There are probably so many kinds of languages in the world, and none without meaning.

Aramaic Language

Ezra 4:7

And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic.

Interpreting Language

Genesis 42:23

Now they did not know that Joseph understood, for the interpreter [was] between them.

Languages

Genesis 11:1-9

Now the whole earth [had] one language and the same words.

Languages Mentioned In Scripture

2 Kings 18:28

Then the chief commander stood and called with a great voice in Judean, and he spoke and said, "Hear the word of the king, the great king of Assyria!

Unknown Languages

Psalm 114:1

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

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Theasaurus: Language