'Language' in the Bible

The coastland peoples spread out into their lands. These are Japheth’s sons by their clans, in their nations. Each group had its own language.

At one time the whole earth had the same language and vocabulary.

The Lord said, “If they have begun to do this as one people all having the same language, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.

Come, let Us go down there and confuse their language so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”

Therefore its name is called Babylon, for there the Lord confused the language of the whole earth, and from there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

The Lord will bring a nation from far away, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down on you like an eagle, a nation whose language you don’t understand,

Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples but could not speak Hebrew.

He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language, that every man should be master of his own house and speak in the language of his own people.

The royal scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded. It was intended for the royal satraps, the governors of each of the provinces, and the officials of each ethnic group and written for each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring.

On the twenty-third day of the third month (that is, the month Sivan), the royal scribes were summoned. Everything was written exactly as Mordecai ordered for the Jews, to the satraps, the governors, and the officials of the 127 provinces from India to Cush. The edict was written for each province in its own script, for each ethnic group in its own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.

Your iniquity teaches you what to say,and you choose the language of the crafty.

He set it up as an ordinance for Josephwhen He went throughout the land of Egypt.I heard an unfamiliar language:

When Israel came out of Egypt—the house of Jacob from a peoplewho spoke a foreign language—

sends couriers by sea,in reed vessels on the waters.Go, swift messengers,to a nation tall and smooth-skinned,to a people feared far and near,a powerful nation with a strange language,whose land is divided by rivers.

At that time a gift will be brought to Yahweh of Hosts from a people tall and smooth-skinned, a people feared far and near, a powerful nation with a strange language, whose land is divided by rivers—to Mount Zion, the place of the name of Yahweh of Hosts.

On that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear loyalty to the Lord of Hosts. One of the cities will be called the City of the Sun.

So He will speak to this peoplewith stammering speechand in a foreign language.

You will no longer see the barbarians,a people whose speech is difficult to comprehend—who stammer in a language that is not understood.

I am about to bring a nationfrom far away against you,house of Israel.This is the Lord’s declaration.It is an established nation,an ancient nation,a nation whose language you do not knowand whose speech you do not understand.

For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language but to the house of Israel.

You are not being sent to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. No doubt, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you.

young men without any physical defect, good-looking, suitable for instruction in all wisdom, knowledgeable, perceptive, and capable of serving in the king’s palace—and to teach them the Chaldean language and literature.

A herald loudly proclaimed, “People of every nation and language, you are commanded:

Therefore, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and every kind of music, people of every nation and language fell down and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Therefore I issue a decree that anyone of any people, nation, or language who says anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be torn limb from limb and his house made a garbage dump. For there is no other god who is able to deliver like this.”

King Nebuchadnezzar, To those of every people, nation, and language, who live in all the earth: May your prosperity increase.

Then King Darius wrote to those of every people, nation, and language who live in all the earth: “May your prosperity abound.

He was given authority to rule,and glory, and a kingdom;so that those of every people,nation, and languageshould serve Him.His dominion is an everlasting dominionthat will not pass away,and His kingdom is onethat will not be destroyed.

The Lord of Hosts says this: “In those days, 10 men from nations of every language will grab the robe of a Jewish man tightly, urging: Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

“Ah!” His disciples said. “Now You’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language.

This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that in their own language that field is called Hakeldama (that is, Field of Blood).

When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

How is it that each of us can hear in our own native language?

When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the form of men!”

After he had given permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand to the people. When there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language: >

When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even quieter.

We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

For the person who speaks in another language is not speaking to men but to God, since no one understands him; however, he speaks mysteries in the Spirit.

The person who speaks in another language builds himself up, but he who prophesies builds up the church.

Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me.

Therefore the person who speaks in another language should pray that he can interpret.

For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than 10,000 words in another language.

What then is the conclusion, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, another language, or an interpretation. All things must be done for edification.

If any person speaks in another language, there should be only two, or at the most three, each in turn, and someone must interpret.

But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.

And they sang a new song:You are worthy to take the scrolland to open its seals,because You were slaughtered,and You redeemed peoplefor God by Your bloodfrom every tribe and languageand people and nation.

After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were robed in white with palm branches in their hands.

And he was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. He was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.

Then I saw another angel flying high overhead, having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.