1 Corinthians 14:23

Contextual Overview

²¹In the Law it is written: "Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord. ²¹ In the Law it is written: "With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord." ²¹It's even written in the Good Book, "I'll speak strange languages with the lips of strangers. I'll try to get through to these folks, but that doesn't mean they'll listen." That's what the Lord says. ²¹ In the Law it is written, "BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME," says the Lord. ²¹In the Law it is written, "By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me," says the Lord. ²¹ In the law it is said, By men of other tongues and by strange lips will my words come to this people; and not even so will they give ear to me, says the Lord. ²¹ It is written in the law, By people of other tongues, and by strange lips, will I speak to this people; and neither thus will they hear me, saith the Lord. ²¹ It is written in the law: I will speak to these people by people of other languages and by the lips of foreigners, and even then, they will not listen to Me, says the Lord. ²¹ In the law it is written, "By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. Not even thus will they hear me, says the Lord." ²¹ It is written in the law, In foreign tongues and with foreign lips will I speak to this people; and neither so will they hear me, saith the Lord.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the whole: 1 Corinthians 11:18

will: Hosea 9:7, John 10:20, Acts 2:13, Acts 26:24

Reciprocal: Genesis 11:7 - may Genesis 11:9 - Babel Acts 11:26 - with the church Acts 14:27 - and had Romans 1:14 - to the unwise 1 Corinthians 11:17 - that ye 1 Corinthians 12:10 - divers 1 Corinthians 14:16 - unlearned Hebrews 10:25 - forsaking

Cross-References

Genesis 14:9
against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar-four kings against five.

Genesis 14:9
against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five.

Genesis 14:9
against Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim and Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five—

Genesis 14:9
against Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim and Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five.

Genesis 14:9
And they ioyned battell with them in the vale of Siddim: that is to saye, with Chodorlaomer the kyng of Elam, and with Thidal kyng of nations, and with Amraphel kyng of Sinar, and with Arioch kyng of Elasar, foure kynges agaynst fyue.

Genesis 14:9
They fought against King Kedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Babylonia, and King Arioch of Ellasar. So there were four kings fighting against five.

Genesis 14:9
with Ched-or-lao'mer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goi'im, Am'raphel king of Shinar, and Ar'ioch king of Ella'sar, four kings against five.

Genesis 14:9
that is, ayens Chodorlaomor, kyng of Elamytis, and Thadal, kyng of folkis, and Amrafel, kyng of Sennaar, and Ariok, kyng of Ponte; foure kyngis ayens fyue.

Genesis 14:9
With Chedorlaomer the King of Elam, and with Tidal King of nations, and Amraphel King of Shinar, and Arioch King of Ellasar; foure Kings with fiue.

Genesis 14:9
With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If therefore the whole church,.... The whole congregation of believers incorporated together in a Gospel church state, consisting of its officers and private members; the church at Corinth is particularly designed:

be come together in one place; to worship God, to pray unto him, sing his praise, preach and hear the word, as were usually done. Hence may be observed the custom of the primitive churches to meet together, in some certain place, for divine worship; nor did the members of them in common forsake the assembling of themselves together on that account, though it was the evil practice of some of them; the whole church, all the members of it, met together: and it may be seen from hence, that the church, and the place where it met, are two different things:

and all speak with tongues; divers tongues, languages not understood; meaning, not that all that came together spoke with tongues; but that as many as did speak, should they speak with such, and without an interpreter.

And there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers; either private Christians, who, though they have learned Christ, and understand the doctrines of the Gospel, yet are ignorant of languages; or rather the same persons with unbelievers, Heathens that have no knowledge of Christ, nor faith in him, and who also understood no other language but the Greek: if any such persons should come into the place where the church was met together, and should hear him or them that spoke, speak in a language they understood not, and which they were very well assured was equally unknown to the whole congregation, and so could be of no service to them:

will they not say ye are mad? act like men in a frenzy, that have not the use of their reason; since speaking in a strange language to a congregation that know not one word of what is said, is speaking to the air, and to no profit at all to them that hear; and who but a madman would do this? The apostle here argues from the scandal and contempt that would be poured upon them by such a practice; and the rather he mentions this, because it seems as if their governing view was the glory and applause of men, in which, he suggests, they would be sadly disappointed.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Be come together into one place - For public worship.

And all speak with tongues - All speak with a variety of unknown tongues; all speak foreign languages. The idea is, that the church would usually speak the same language with the people among whom they dwelt; and if they made use of foreign languages which were unintelligible to their visitors, it would leave the impression that the church was a bedlam.

And there come in - those that are “unlearned.” Those that are unacquainted with foreign languages, and to whom, therefore, what was said would be unintelligible.

Or unbelievers - Heathen, or Jews, who did not believe in Christ. It is evident from this that such persons often attended on the worship of Christians. Curiosity might have led them to it; or the fact that they had relatives among Christians might have caused it.

That ye are mad - They will not understand what is said; it will be a confused jargon; and they will infer that it is the effect of insanity. Even though it might not, therefore, be in itself improper, yet a regard to the honor of Christianity should have led them to abstain from the use of such languages in their worship when it was needless. The apostles were charged, from a similar cause, with being intoxicated; see Acts 2:13.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 23. Will they not say that ye are mad? — So they well might, finding a whole assembly of people talking languages which those who had most need of instruction could not understand.