1 Corinthians 14:9

Amplified Bible

So it is with you, if you speak words [in an unknown tongue] that are not intelligible and clear, how will anyone understand what you are saying? You will be talking into the air [wasting your breath]!

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
It is the same with you. If you don't speak clearly in a language people know, they cannot understand what you are saying. You will be talking to the air!

Revised Standard Version
So with yourselves; if you in a tongue utter speech that is not intelligible, how will any one know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Eve so lykwyse whe ye speake with toges excepte ye speake wordes that have signification how shall yt be vnderstonde what is spoke? For ye shall but speake in the ayer.

Hebrew Names Version
So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air.

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

New American Standard Bible
So you too, unless you produce intelligible speech by the tongue, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will just be talking to the air.

New Century Version
It is the same with you. Unless you speak clearly with your tongue, no one can understand what you are saying. You will be talking into the air!

Update Bible Version
So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech easy to understand, how shall it be known what is spoken? for you will be speaking into the air.

Webster's Bible Translation
So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will speak into the air.

English Standard Version
So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air.

World English Bible
So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
So likewise unless ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye will speak to the air.

Weymouth's New Testament
And so with you; if with the living voice you fail to utter intelligible words, how will people know what you are saying? You will be talking to the winds.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
So but ye yyuen an opyn word bi tunge, hou schal that that is seid be knowun? For ye schulen be spekynge in veyn.

English Revised Version
So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air.

Berean Standard Bible
So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.

Contemporary English Version
That's how it is when you speak unknown languages. If no one can understand what you are talking about, you will only be talking to the wind.

American Standard Version
So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air.

Bible in Basic English
So if you, in using a strange tongue, say words which have no sense, how will anyone take in what you are saying? for you will be talking to the air.

Complete Jewish Bible
It's the same with you: how will anyone know what you are saying unless you use your tongue to produce intelligible speech? You will be talking to the air!

Darby Translation
Thus also *ye* with the tongue, unless ye give a distinct speech, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking to the air.

Etheridge Translation
So you also, if you speak the word in a tongue, and there be no interpretation, how will it be known what you say ? Will you not be as if speaking with the air ?

Murdock Translation
So likewise if ye utter a discourse in a tongue, and there is no interpretation given, how will it be known what ye have said? Ye will have been as if ye spoke into the air.

King James Version (1611)
So likewise you, except ye vtter by the tongue words easie to be vnderstood, how shall it be knowen what is spoken? for ye shall speake into the aire.

New Living Translation
It's the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don't understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space.

New Life Bible
It is the same if you speak to a person in special sounds. How will he know what you say? Your sounds will be lost in the air.

New Revised Standard
So with yourselves; if in a tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is being said? For you will be speaking into the air.

Geneva Bible (1587)
So likewise you, by the tongue, except yee vtter wordes that haue signification, howe shall it be vnderstand what is spoken? for ye shal speake in the ayre.

George Lamsa Translation
Even so you, except you utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what you say? you shall speak as into the air.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So, also, ye, through means of the tongue, except ye give intelligible discourse, how shall it be known what is being spoken? for ye will be speaking, to the air.

Douay-Rheims Bible
So likewise you, except you utter by the tongue plain speech, how shall it be known what is said? For you shall be speaking into the air.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Euen so lykewyse, when ye speake with tongues, except ye speake wordes that haue signification, howe shall it be vnderstande what is spoken? For ye shall speake into the ayer.

Good News Translation
In the same way, how will anyone understand what you are talking about if your message given in strange tongues is not clear? Your words will vanish in the air!

Christian Standard Bible®
In the same way, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech, how will what is spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air.

King James Version
So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

Lexham English Bible
And so you through the tongue, unless you produce a clear message, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.

Literal Translation
So also you, if you do not give a clear word through the language, how will the thing being said be known? For you will be speaking into air.

Young's Literal Translation
so also ye, if through the tongue, speech easily understood ye may not give -- how shall that which is spoken be known? for ye shall be speaking to air.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Euen so ye likewyse, whan ye speake with tunges, excepte ye speake playne wordes, how shal it be knowne what is spoke? for ye shal but speake in ye ayre.

Mace New Testament (1729)
in like manner, if you express yourselves in words of obscure signification, you may as well talk to the wind, for how shall any comprehend you?

THE MESSAGE
So if you speak in a way no one can understand, what's the point of opening your mouth? There are many languages in the world and they all mean something to someone. But if I don't understand the language, it's not going to do me much good. It's no different with you. Since you're so eager to participate in what God is doing, why don't you concentrate on doing what helps everyone in the church?

New English Translation
It is the same for you. If you do not speak clearly with your tongue, how will anyone know what is being said? For you will be speaking into the air.

New King James Version
So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Y'all should be able to understand all this. If someone can't understand you, what's the point in opening your mouth?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.

Legacy Standard Bible
So also you, unless you utter by the tongue a word that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.

Contextual Overview

⁶Now, believers, if I come to you speaking in unknown tongues, how will I benefit you unless I also speak to you [clearly] either by revelation [revealing God's mystery], or by knowledge [teaching about God], or by prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], or by instruction [teaching precepts that develop spiritual maturity]? ⁷Yet even lifeless things, whether flute or harp, when producing a sound, if they do not produce distinct [musical] tones, how will anyone [listening] know what is piped or played? ⁸And if the [war] bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? ⁹So it is with you, if you speak words [in an unknown tongue] that are not intelligible and clear, how will anyone understand what you are saying? You will be talking into the air [wasting your breath]!¹⁰There are, I suppose, a great many kinds of languages in the world [unknown to us], and none is lacking in meaning. ¹¹But if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will [appear to] be a foreigner to the one who is speaking [since he knows exactly what he is saying], and the one who is speaking will [appear to] be a foreigner to me. ¹²So it is with you, since you are so very eager to have spiritual gifts and manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in ways that will build up the church [spiritually]. ¹³Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may [be gifted to] translate or explain [what he says]. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive [because it does not understand what my spirit is praying].

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

easy: Gr. significant, 1 Corinthians 14:19

for: 1 Corinthians 9:26

Reciprocal: Esther 8:9 - and according 1 Corinthians 14:2 - he that

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So likewise you, unless ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood,.... This is an accommodation of the foregoing similes to the case in hand: for as unless there is a distinction of notes and tunes, it cannot be music, nor it cannot be known what is piped or harped; and unless the trumpet gives a certain sound, none can know when to prepare himself for the battle; so unless in the public ministry and service a language is spoken, and words made use of, which are understood without difficulty:

how shall it be known what is spoken? the subject matter of the discourse, prayer, or psalm, will be all lost, and therefore cannot be for edification, exhortation, or comfort:

for ye shall speak into the air; into which such words are resolved, and the use and benefit of them, as to others, cease with the breath, by which they are delivered: any part of divine service performed in such a way is all in vain, and to no purpose; it is all lost labour, it is beating the air, and talking to the wind. This condemns the practice of the Papists, performing divine service in a language not understood by the common people; and exposes the folly of those, who are fond of a florid style, of bombast words, great swelling words of vanity in their public discourses: this is only speaking into the air, with regard to the vulgar, whose edification should be consulted: and as the end of the Gospel ministry is public usefulness and edification, plainness of speech, words easy to be understood, should be used; such as are apt and fit to convey the true idea of things to people in common; these are the acceptable words, which the wise preacher, who is desirous of doing good to the souls of men, will seek out, and studiously make use of.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

So likewise ye ... - To apply the case. If you use a foreign language, how shall it be known what is said, or of what use will it be, unless it is made intelligible by interpretation?

Utter by the tongue - Unless you speak.

Words easy to be understood - Significant words (margin), words to which your auditors are accustomed.

For ye shall speak into the air - You will not speak so as to be understood; and it will be just the same as if no one was present, and you spoke to the air. We have a proverb that resembles this: “You may as well speak to the winds:” that is, you speak where it would not be understood, or where the words would have no effect. It may he observed here, that the practice of the papists accords with what the apostle here condemns, where worship is conducted in a language not understood by the people; and that there is much of this same kind of speaking now, where unintelligible terms are used, or words are employed that are above the comprehension of the people; or where doctrines are discussed which are unintelligible, and which are regarded by them without interest. All preaching should be plain, simple, perspicuous, and adapted to the capacity of the hearers.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 14:9. Likewise ye — If ye do not speak in the Church so as to be understood, your labour is useless; ye shall speak into the air-your speech will be lost and dissipated in the air, without conveying any meaning to any person: there will be a noise or sound, but nothing else. Gifts of that kind, thus used, are good for nothing.