'Language' in the Bible

But let your language be, 'Yes, yes,' or 'No, no.' Anything in excess of this comes from the Evil one.

"Such language is impious," said some of the Scribes among themselves.

He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow.

(And His disciples came and asked Him, "Why do you speak to them in figurative language?"

I speak to them in figurative language for this reason, that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they neither hear nor understand.

All this Jesus spoke to the people in figurative language, and except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them,

in fulfilment of the saying of the Prophet, "I will open my mouth in figurative language, I will utter things kept hidden since the creation of all things."

"Explain to us this figurative language," said Peter.

Again Jesus spoke to them in figurative language.

"When you have seen (to use the language of the Prophet Daniel)

Then the High Priest tore his robes and exclaimed, "Impious language! What further need have we of witnesses! See, you have now heard the impiety.

So He called them to Him, and using figurative language He appealed to them, saying, "How is it possible for Satan to expel Satan?

Then He proceeded to teach them many lessons in figurative language; and in His teaching He said,

When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language.

"To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language;

But except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them; while to His own disciples He expounded everything, in private.

thefts, covetousness, wickednesses, deceit, licentiousness, a wicked eye, injurious language, haughtiness, folly;

Then He began to speak to them in figurative language. "There was once a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a pit for the wine-tank, and built a strong lodge. Then he let the place to vine-dressers and went abroad.

Those who were passing by were insulting Him with abusive and insolent language, wagging their heads [as a sign of contempt], and saying, “Ha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in [only] three days,

Now, see, you will be without voice or language till the day when these things come about, because you had not faith in my words, which will have effect at the right time.

And they were greatly impressed by His teaching, because He spoke with the language of authority.

All were astonished and awe-struck; and they asked one another, "What sort of language is this? For with authority and real power He gives orders to the foul spirits and they come out."

He also spoke in figurative language to them. "No one," He said, "tears a piece from a new garment to mend an old one. Otherwise he would not only spoil the new, but the patch from the new would not match the old.

He also spoke to them in figurative language. "Can a blind man lead a blind man?" He asked; "would not both fall into the ditch?

So in figurative language He asked them,

And having watched him, they sent out suborned persons, pretending to be just men, that they might take hold of him in his language, so that they might deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.

“He who comes from [heaven] above is above all others; he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks [about things] of the earth [his viewpoint and experience are earthly]. He who comes from heaven is above all.

Jesus spoke to them in this figurative language, but they did not understand what He meant.

Others were saying, “These are not the words and thoughts of one possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

"I have said these things to you in figurative language. The time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly about the Father.

“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).

Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

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

Yet we all alike hear these Galilaeans speaking in our own language about the wonderful things which God has done."

Then [to attack him another way] they secretly instructed men to say, “We have heard this man [Stephen] speak blasphemous (slanderous, sacrilegious, abusive) words against Moses and against God.”

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!”

And this is in harmony with the language of the Prophets, which says:

But upon their opposing him with abusive language, he shook his clothes by way of protest, and said to them, "Your ruin will be upon your own heads. I am not responsible: in future I will go among the Gentiles."

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.’

But if our unrighteousness sets God's righteousness in a clearer light, what shall we say? (Is God unrighteous--I speak in our everyday language-- when He inflicts punishment?

For this is the language of the promise: "At this time I will return, and Sarah will have a son."

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

And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom [using clever rhetoric], but [they were delivered] in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit [operating through me] and of [His] power [stirring the minds of the listeners and persuading them],

We also speak of these things, not in words taught or supplied by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual thoughts with spiritual words [for those being guided by the Holy Spirit].

But the sense of my letter was that if a brother had the name of being one who went after the desires of the flesh, or had the desire for other people's property, or was in the way of using violent language, or being the worse for drink, or took by force what was not his, you might not keep company with such a one, or take food with him.

Or is a thief, or the worse for drink, or makes use of strong language, or takes by force what is not his, will have any part in the kingdom of God.

When I was a child, I made use of a child's language, I had a child's feelings and a child's thoughts: now that I am a man, I have put away the things of a child.

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.

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!

There are, we will suppose, a great number of languages in the world, and no creature is without a language.

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.

In the law it is written: "By those who speak a foreign language and by the lips of others I will speak to this people, and not even in this way will they obey me," says the Lord.

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.

As certainly as God is faithful, our language to you is not now "Yes" and now "No."

I use the language of self-disparagement, as though I were admitting our own feebleness. Yet for whatever reason any one is 'courageous' --I speak in mere folly--I also am courageous.

Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].

Let all bitterness, and heat of passion, and wrath, and clamour, and injurious language, be removed from you, with all malice;

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

Let your language be always seasoned with the salt of grace, so that you may know how to give every man a fitting answer.

For, as you are well aware, we have never used the language of flattery nor have we found pretexts for enriching ourselves--God is our witness;

he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,

and healthy language which no one can censure, so that our opponents may feel ashamed at having nothing evil to say against us.

He never sinned, and no deceitful language was ever heard from His mouth.

Though the angels, who are greater in strength and power, do not make use of violent language against them before the Lord.

They are the world's children, and so their language is that of the world, and the world listens to them. We are God's children.

For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, unjustly accusing us with wicked words and unjustified charges. And not satisfied with this, he refuses to receive the [missionary] brothers himself, and also forbids those who want to [welcome them] and puts them out of the church.

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.

They have over them as king the angel of the great deep: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek language Apollyon.

For three and a half days those from every people, tribe, nation, and language will look at their corpses, because they will not permit them to be placed in a tomb.

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.