1 Corinthians 14:21

“In the law it is written: By people of other tongues and by the lips of others I will speak to this people, and not even so will they listen to me, says the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 14:21 · direct translation from the Greek

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With the Greek beneath

Inἐνthe lawτῷ νόμῳit is written:γέγραπταιByἘνpeople of other tonguesἑτερογλώσσοιςandκαὶbyἐνthe lipsχείλεσινof othersἑτέρωνI will speakλαλήσωto thisτούτῳpeople,τῷ λαῷandκαὶnot evenοὐδ’soοὕτωςwill they listenεἰσακούσονταίto me,μουsaysλέγειthe Lord.κύριος

Quotation · Isaiah 28:11-12

Go to Isaiah 28:11-12

Paul calls Isaiah “law” and quotes 28:11-12 abbreviated, with “says the Lord” at the end.

Formula: γέγραπται “it is written” (1 Corinthians 14:21)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γέγραπται ὅτι Ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ ἐν χείλεσιν ἑτέρων λαλήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ καὶ οὐδ’ οὕτως εἰσακούσονταί μου λέγει κύριος

Hebrew (Masoretic text): כִּי בְּלַעֲגֵי שָׂפָה וּבְלָשׁוֹן אַחֶרֶת יְדַבֵּר אֶל הָעָם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָמַר אֲלֵיהֶם זֹאת הַמְּנוּחָה הָנִיחוּ לֶעָיֵף וְזֹאת הַמַּרְגֵּעָה וְלֹא אָבוּא שְׁמוֹעַ

Septuagint (Isaiah 28:11 in the Septuagint numbering): διὰ φαυλισμὸν χειλέων, διὸ. γλώσσης ἑτέρας· ὅτι λαλήσουσιν τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ,

In the Septuagint verse that most resembles it, at most 3 consecutive words match the Greek of the NT. The transcription has reading errors, so a match may not show.

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

1 Corinthians 14:21, word by word

the lawνόμῳnomōi

law

The instructions God gave Israel through Moses; also, the whole of Scripture.

Where else “nomōi” appears

it is writtenγέγραπταιgegraptai

it is written

So the Bible says; a passage is quoted.

Where else “gegraptai” appears

people of other tonguesἑτερογλώσσοιςheteroglōssois

of another tongue

Of another tongue: someone who speaks a foreign language.

Where else “heteroglōssois” appears

the lipsχείλεσινcheilesin

lip

The mouth's edge used in speech; what one says.

Where else “cheilesin” appears

of othersἑτέρωνheterōn

other, another

Other, another, different.

Where else “heterōn” appears

I will speakλαλήσωlalēsō

speak

To use voice and words to communicate with others.

Where else “lalēsō” appears

peopleλαῷlaōi

people

A people, above all Israel, God's people.

Where else “laōi” appears

will they listenεἰσακούσονταίeisakousontai

heed

Heed and obey.

Where else “eisakousontai” appears

saysλέγειlegei

say

To express something in words to others.

Where else “legei” appears

the Lordκύριοςkyrios

Lord

The Lord: God, whose name is YHWH; also Jesus.

Where else “kyrios” appears

Translation note

Isaiah 28:11-12, quoted freely.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Isaiah 28:11-12

Paul calls Isaiah “law” and quotes 28:11-12 abbreviated, with “says the Lord” at the end.

See them side by side

1 Corinthians 14:21

²¹In the law it is written: By people of other tongues and by the lips of others I will speak to this people, and not even so will they listen to me, says the Lord.

Isaiah 28:11-12

¹¹For with stammerings of lip and with another tongue he will speak to this people,

The context

20Brothers, do not be children in your thinking, but in malice be infants, and in your thinking be mature.

21 · This verse (above)

22So then, tongues are a sign not for those who believe but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 14

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