1 Corinthians 14:11
◄  1 Corinthians 14:11  ►
New International Version (©2011)
If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me.

New Living Translation (©2007)
But if I don't understand a language, I will be a foreigner to someone who speaks it, and the one who speaks it will be a foreigner to me.

English Standard Version (©2001)
but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me.

International Standard Version (©2012)
If I don't know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker will be a foreigner to me.

NET Bible (©2006)
If then I do not know the meaning of a language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
And if I do not know the import of the sound, I am a foreigner to him who speaks, and also he who speaks is a foreigner to me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
If I don't know what a language means, I will be a foreigner to the person who speaks it and that person will be a foreigner to me.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaks a foreigner, and he that speaks shall be a foreigner unto me.

American King James Version
Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaks a barbarian, and he that speaks shall be a barbarian to me.

American Standard Version
If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
If then I know not the power of the voice, I shall be to him to whom I speak a barbarian; and he that speaketh, a barbarian to me.

Darby Bible Translation
If therefore I do not know the power of the sound, I shall be to him that speaks a barbarian, and he that speaks a barbarian for me.

English Revised Version
If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian unto me.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore, if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh will be a barbarian to me.

Weymouth New Testament
If, however, I do not know the meaning of the particular language, I shall seem to the speaker of it, and he to me, to be merely talking some foreign tongue.

World English Bible
If then I don't know the meaning of the sound, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me.

Young's Literal Translation
if, then, I do not know the power of the voice, I shall be to him who is speaking a foreigner, and he who is speaking, is to me a foreigner;

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

14:6-14 Even an apostle could not edify, unless he spoke so as to be understood by his hearers. To speak words that have no meaning to those who hear them, is but speaking into the air. That cannot answer the end of speaking, which has no meaning; in this case, speaker and hearers are barbarians to each other. All religious services should be so performed in Christian assemblies, that all may join in, and profit by them. Language plain and easy to be understood, is the most proper for public worship, and other religious exercises. Every true follower of Christ will rather desire to do good to others, than to get a name for learning or fine speaking.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 11. - A barbarian; in other words, unintelligible, according to the definition of the word by Ovid —

"Barbarus hic ego sum, quia non intelligor ulli." Unto me; rather, in my eyes.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice,.... The force and power of a language, the signification of it, the ideas its words convey, but only hear the sound of it:

I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me: like one of those rude and uncultivated people that inhabit deserts and wild places, who can neither understand the language of others, nor be understood by others; and indeed may be meant of any sort of people, that do not understand one another's language: the word "bar", and "bara", in the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic languages, not only signifies a field, a wood, or desert place, but also without, or any thing extraneous; and being doubled, signifies one that lives without, in another land; a stranger, and that speaks a strange language; so all other nations of the world were barbarians to the Hebrews, and particularly the Egyptians; see the Targum on Psalm 114:1 and so were all other nations to the Greeks, see Romans 1:14 and also to the Romans: and the sense is, that where the signification of a language and the sense of words are not known, the speaker is like a man that lives in a strange country to him that hears him; and the hearer is like to one that lives in a strange country to him that speaks, since they cannot understand one another. The word sometimes is used for men, , (z), "that can neither speak nor hear", men dumb and deaf; and when words cannot be understood, the case is all one as with such persons.

(z) Scholia in Aristoph. in Avibus, p. 550.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

11. Therefore—seeing that none is without meaning.

a barbarian—a foreigner (Ac 28:2). Not in the depreciatory sense as the term is now used, but one speaking a foreign language.

1 Corinthians 14:11 Parallel Commentaries

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Prophecy and Tongues
…10There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 11Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaks a barbarian, and he that speaks shall be a barbarian to me. 12Even so you, for as much as you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that you may excel to the edifying of the church. …

Acts 28:2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.
1 Corinthians 14:10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.