'Language' in the Bible

When I came to you, brothers, I didn't come and tell you about God's secret with rhetorical language or wisdom.

For the person who speaks in a foreign language is not actually speaking to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands him, because he is talking about secrets by the Spirit.

The person who speaks in a foreign language builds himself up, but the person who prophesies builds up the church.

Now I wish that all of you could speak in foreign languages, but especially that you could prophesy. The person who prophesies is more important than the person who speaks in a foreign language, unless he interprets it so that the church may be built up.

In the same way, unless you speak an intelligible message with your language, how will anyone know what is being said? You'll be talking into the air!

If I don't 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 a foreign language should pray for the ability to interpret it.

For if I pray in a foreign language, my spirit prays but my mind is not productive.

But in church I would rather speak five words with my mind to instruct others than 10,000 words in a foreign language.

What, then, does this mean, brothers? When you gather, everyone has a psalm, teaching, revelation, foreign language, or interpretation. Everything must be done for upbuilding.

If anyone speaks in a foreign language, only two or three at the most should do so, one at a time, and somebody must interpret.