Bible Strands
1 Corinthians 14:10
Assuredly, there are many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Corinthian church during a directive on spiritual gifts, specifically correcting the misuse of tongues. He pauses his argument to ground the discussion in the universal reality of human speech.
The words — The Greek phrase τοσαῦτα γένη φωνῶν (tosauta genē phōnōn) literally translates to "so many kinds of languages." It introduces the factual observation that every existing tongue carries inherent meaning.
The thread — The concept of linguistic diversity and intelligibility recurs in the immediate context of 1 Corinthians 14:9 and 14:11. Paul uses the same premise to argue that speech without meaning isolates the speaker from the listener.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to recognize that communication depends on shared meaning rather than mere vocalization. It demands that believers prioritize intelligibility when seeking to convey truth to others.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.