40 Bible Verses about Language

Let the one who speaks in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret what he says.

I would like it that you all speak with tongues, but I prefer that you prophesy. The person who announces (teaches) (preaches) God's Word is greater than the person who speaks with tongues. The person who speaks with tongues should have an interpreter so the congregation may receive understanding and knowledge.

If anyone speaks in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three. It should be orderly by plan and someone must interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let the speaker keep silence in the congregation and speak to himself and to God.

I am bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel, declares Jehovah. It is an enduring nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know. You cannot understand (comprehend) (make sense of) what they say.

Jehovah will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you will not understand,

With stammering lips and another tongue he will speak to this people.

These signs will accompany those who believe. They will cast out demons in my name. They will speak with new languages.

Paul laid his hands on them and Holy Spirit came upon them. They spoke with tongues and prophesied.

To another the workings of miracles and to another prophesy. To another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.

And they were all amazed and marveled. They said to each other: Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans? How do we each hear them in our own language?

They heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then Peter responded:

If therefore the whole congregation comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and the unlearned, or unbelievers, come there will they not say that you are out of your mind?

For the person who speaks in an unknown tongue does not speak to men, but to God. No man understands him. He speaks secrets by the spirit. But the person who prophesies (proclaims God's Word openly) speaks to men to build up, encourage and comfort. The person who speaks in an unknown tongue enlightens himself; but he who declares God's Word enlightens the entire congregation! read more.
I would like it that you all speak with tongues, but I prefer that you prophesy. The person who announces (teaches) (preaches) God's Word is greater than the person who speaks with tongues. The person who speaks with tongues should have an interpreter so the congregation may receive understanding and knowledge. Now, brothers, if I come to 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? Inanimate objects that make a sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? If the trumpet gives an unclear sound, who will prepare himself for the battle? The same for you unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will speak into the air. There are many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning. Therefore if I do not know the meaning of what someone is saying I will be a foreigner to him that speaks. And he that speaks will be a foreigner to me too. As much as you are zealous for spiritual gifts, strive to build-up (increase) the enlightenment (understanding) of the congregation.

From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.

These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.

These are the sons of Shem by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.

Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace is multiplied to you.

He sent letters to all the divisions of the kingdom where their language is used. The letter said that every man was to be the ruler in his house, and that this order was to be given out in the language of his people.

Then the herald proclaimed: You are commanded to do this, O peoples, nations, and men of every language.

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

He established it for a testimony in Joseph (Israel) when he went throughout the land of Egypt. I heard a language that I did not understand. He said:

When Israel left Egypt, when Jacob's family left people who spoke a foreign language,

The Chaldeans spoke in the Syrian language: O king, may you live for a very long time. Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.

Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh (the commander): Will you kindly make use of the Aramaean language in talking to your servants. We are used to it. Do not use the Jews' language in the hearing of the people on the wall.

In the time of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his friends, sent a letter to Artaxerxes, king of Persia, writing it in the Aramaic language.

Jehovah said: If they become one people speaking the same language, nothing will be impossible for them. They have begun to do this.

The entire world had one language and common words.

We all fell to the ground. I heard a voice speaking to me. It said in the Hebrew tongue: 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' (You only hurt yourself.)

The official stood up and shouted in Hebrew: Listen to what the king of Assyria is telling you!

It became known to all who live in Jerusalem that the field was called the field of blood, in their language; Akeldama.

They sing a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the Rabshakeh (the commander): Will you kindly make use of the Aramaean language in talking to your servants. We are used to it. Do not use the Jews' language in the hearing of the people on the wall.

In the time of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his friends, sent a letter to Artaxerxes, king of Persia, writing it in the Aramaic language.

Peter denied it again. Later the bystanders accused Peter again saying: You cannot deny that you are one of them, because you, too, are from Galilee.

Seeing what Paul did, the crowd lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us, becoming like men.

The entire world had one language and common words. As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar (Babylon) and settled there. They said to each other: Let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly. They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. read more.
Then they said: Let us build ourselves a city, with a lofty tower that reaches into space, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth. But Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. Jehovah said: If they become one people speaking the same language, nothing will be impossible for them. They have begun to do this. Let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other. Jehovah scattered them from there over all the earth. They stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel (confusion) because Jehovah confused the language of the whole world. Jehovah scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth.

From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.

These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.

These are the sons of Shem by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.

Paul laid his hands on them and Holy Spirit came upon them. They spoke with tongues and prophesied.

So they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

This title was read by many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was impaled was near the city. It was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek.

How do we each hear them in our own language? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, 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, read more.
Cretes and Arabians, we hear them speak in our language the wonderful works of God.

Therefore speaking in tongues is a sign not for believers, but for those who do not believe. Prophesying (proclaiming God's Word) serves the believer and not the unbeliever.

To another the workings of miracles and to another prophesy. To another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.

This title was read by many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was impaled was near the city. It was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek.

There was a superscription over him, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

To another the workings of miracles and to another prophesy. To another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.

Therefore if I do not know the meaning of what someone is saying I will be a foreigner to him that speaks. And he that speaks will be a foreigner to me too.

There are many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without meaning.

And as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, Might I say something to you? He replied: Do you know Greek?

There was a superscription over him, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

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

When Israel left Egypt, when Jacob's family left people who spoke a foreign language,

A few moments later, those who were near approached and said to Peter: Indeed, you are one of them, because the way you speak gives you away.

they would tell him to say Shibboleth. But he would say Sibboleth, because he could not pronounce it correctly. Then they would kill him at the Jordan River crossing. Forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites were killed.

As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar (Babylon) and settled there. They said to each other: Let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly. They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said: Let us build ourselves a city, with a lofty tower that reaches into space, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth. read more.
But Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. Jehovah said: If they become one people speaking the same language, nothing will be impossible for them. They have begun to do this.

Jehovah scattered them from there over all the earth. They stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel (confusion) because Jehovah confused the language of the whole world. Jehovah scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth.

Holy Spirit descended on all who heard the message Peter spoke. Those circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of Holy Spirit was also poured out on the people of the nations. They heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then Peter responded:

They did not know that Joseph understood. There was an interpreter between them.

I am not sending you to people whose language is hard to understand or difficult to speak. I am sending you to Israel. I am not sending you to nations whose language is hard to understand, difficult to speak, or whose words you cannot understand. If I send you to those nations they will certainly listen to you.

Let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.

And they were all amazed and marveled. They said to each other: Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans? How do we each hear them in our own language? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, read more.
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we hear them speak in our language the wonderful works of God.

Tongues of fire that sat on each of them appeared. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak with different tongues, as the Spirit moved them to speak.

These signs will accompany those who believe. They will cast out demons in my name. They will speak with new languages.

Seeing what Paul did, the crowd lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us, becoming like men.

These were young people who had no defects. They were good looking and intelligent, with knowledge. They showed wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of science. They had ability to serve in the king's court and were taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

And as Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, Might I say something to you? He replied: Do you know Greek?

There was a superscription over him, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, 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 hear them speak in our language the wonderful works of God.

Cretes and Arabians, we hear them speak in our language the wonderful works of God.

Jehovah said: If they become one people speaking the same language, nothing will be impossible for them. They have begun to do this.

The entire world had one language and common words.

Seeing what Paul did, the crowd lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us, becoming like men.

Their children were talking half in the language of Ashdod; they had no knowledge of the Jews' language, but made use of the language of the two peoples.

These were young people who had no defects. They were good looking and intelligent, with knowledge. They showed wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of science. They had ability to serve in the king's court and were taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

After this I saw a great crowd that no man could number. It was from all nations, and tribes, and people, and tongues. It stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes. They had palm branches in their hands.

Because of their actions and their thoughts, I am coming to gather the nations of every language. They will come and see my glory.

From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.

These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.