ἑτερόγλωσσος (heteroglōssos)
heteroglōssos
in another language
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective heteroglōssos describes something or someone belonging to a different language or tongue. It is a compound word formed from heteros, meaning "other," and glōssa, meaning "tongue" or "language." In the New Testament, this term appears only once, in 1 Corinthians 14:21, where Paul quotes Isaiah 28:11 to illustrate a point about spiritual gifts.
Paul uses the word to refer to speaking in foreign languages as a sign of judgment for unbelievers. He explains that God will speak to this people "by men of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners" (Isaiah 28:11, quoted in 1 Corinthians 14:21). The term highlights the barrier of communication, emphasizing that unintelligible speech can alienate rather than edify those who do not understand it.
The word underscores the importance of clarity in worship. Paul argues that if the message is not understood, it cannot build up the community. This single usage connects the phenomenon of speaking in tongues with the prophetic warning in Isaiah, where unintelligible speech served as a sign of divine judgment against a rebellious people.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word heteroglōssos points to a language foreign to the listener. In 1 Corinthians 14:21, Paul uses this term to describe speaking in tongues as a sign for unbelievers. He quotes Isaiah, noting that God would speak through strangers' lips to a people who refused to listen. This shows that unintelligible speech can create distance rather than build connection.
For your faith life, this reminds us that clarity matters. If others cannot understand what is said, the message of love and truth gets lost. Worship should aim for understanding so that everyone can be encouraged. When we gather, let our words serve unity, not confusion.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- other tongues1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἑτερογλώσσοις1×
Key Verses
-
I Corinthians 14:21
In the law it is written, “By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. They won’t even listen to me that way, says the Lord.”
Paul quotes Isaiah to show that speaking in an unknown language serves as a sign of judgment for those who reject God's clear message.