glōssa · tongue

What it means

glōssa (γλῶσσα) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “tongue”.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. The organ of the mouth used to speak and to taste.
2. The speech of a people.
3. The gift of speaking in tongues the Spirit gives.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

Word study

Tongue: the organ of the body and, hence, the language of a people. In Acts and 1 Corinthians, ‘speaking in tongues’ is speaking by the Spirit in a language one has not learned.

• The tongue of the body Mark 7:35Luke 16:24James 3:5
• What is said with the tongue James 3:81 John 3:18
• Speaking in other tongues Acts 2:4Acts 2:11Acts 10:46
• Tongues in the assembly 1 Corinthians 14:21 Corinthians 13:11 Corinthians 14:39
• All peoples and languages Revelation 7:9Philippians 2:11

How we translate it

“Tongue” 22 times and “tongues” 21, both for the organ and for speech, because the Greek uses one word (“tongues as of fire”, Acts 2:3; “speaking in our tongues”, 2:11). Where it is a list of peoples, “languages” (Revelation 7:9).

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• tongue ×22
• tongues ×21
• languages ×4
• language ×3

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Mark×3
• Luke×2
• Acts×6
• Romans×2
• 1 Corinthians×21
• Philippians×1
• James×5
• 1 Peter×1
• 1 John×1
• Revelation×8

• Mark 7:33

  And taking him aside from the crowd he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting, he touched his tongue;

• Mark 7:35

  And his ears were opened, and the binding of his tongue was loosed, and he was speaking plainly.

• Mark 16:17

  And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

• Luke 1:64

  And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, blessing God.

• Luke 16:24

  And he called out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame.’

• Acts 2:3

  And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, being distributed, and one rested on each of them.

• Acts 2:4

  And all were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out.

• Acts 2:11

  both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs: we hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God.”

• Acts 2:26

  Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; and moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope,

• Acts 10:46

  For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,

• Acts 19:6

  And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they were speaking in tongues and prophesying.

• Romans 3:13

  An open grave is their throat; with their tongues they deceive; the venom of asps is under their lips;

• Romans 14:11

  For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will confess to God.

• 1 Corinthians 12:10

  to another workings of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discernment of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, to another interpretation of tongues.

• 1 Corinthians 12:28

  And God has placed some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administration, kinds of tongues.

• 1 Corinthians 12:30

  Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

• 1 Corinthians 13:1

  If I speak in the tongues of humans and of angels but do not have love, I have become a resounding bronze gong or a clanging cymbal.

• 1 Corinthians 13:8

  Love never fails; but whether prophecies, they will be done away with; whether tongues, they will cease; whether knowledge, it will be done away with.

• 1 Corinthians 14:2

  For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God; for no one understands him, but by the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

• 1 Corinthians 14:4

  The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the assembly.

• 1 Corinthians 14:5

  Now I want all of you to speak in tongues, but even more that you prophesy; and the one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the assembly may receive building up.

• 1 Corinthians 14:6

  But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either by revelation or by knowledge or by prophecy or by teaching?

• 1 Corinthians 14:9

  So also you, if through the tongue you do not give an intelligible word, how will it be known what is being said? For you will be speaking into the air.

• 1 Corinthians 14:13

  Therefore the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.

• 1 Corinthians 14:14

  For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

• 1 Corinthians 14:18

  I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all;

• 1 Corinthians 14:19

  but in the assembly I would rather speak five words with my mind, so that I may also instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

• 1 Corinthians 14:22

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

• 1 Corinthians 14:23

  If then the whole assembly comes together in the same place and all speak in tongues, and uninstructed people or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

• 1 Corinthians 14:26

  What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

• 1 Corinthians 14:27

  If anyone speaks in a tongue, let it be by two or at the most three, and in turn, and let one interpret.

• 1 Corinthians 14:39

  So then, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

• Philippians 2:11

  and every tongue confess that Jesus the Messiah is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

• James 1:26

  If anyone thinks he is religious while not bridling his tongue but deceiving his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

• James 3:5

  So also the tongue is a small member and boasts of great things. See how great a forest so small a fire sets ablaze.

• James 3:6

  And the tongue is a fire, the world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body and setting on fire the wheel of existence, and is itself set on fire by Gehenna.

• James 3:8

  But no human being can tame the tongue: it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

• 1 Peter 3:10

  For Whoever wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;

• 1 John 3:18

  Little children, let us not love in word or with the tongue, but in deed and truth.

• Revelation 5:9

  And they sing a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered, and by your blood you bought for God people from every tribe and language and people and nation;

And 10 more times.