1 Corinthians 14:11
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.
Open 1 Corinthians 14:11 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Si ergo nesciero virtutem vocis, ero ei, cui loquor, barbarus : et qui loquitur, mihi barbarus.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- ἐὰν οὖν μὴ εἰδῶ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς φωνῆς, ἔσομαι τῷ λαλοῦντι βάρβαρος καὶ ὁ λαλῶν ἐν ἐμοὶ βάρβαρος.
The Fathers on this verse
Clement of Alexandria The Stromata, or Miscellanies, Chapter XVI. That the Inventors of Other Arts Were Mostly Barbarians
And barbarians were inventors not only of philosophy, but almost of every art. The Egyptians were the first to introduce astrology among men. Similarly also the Chaldeans. The Egyptians first showed how to burn lamps, and divided the year into twelve months, prohibited intercourse with women in the temples, and enacted that no one should enter the temples from a woman without bathing. Again, they were the inventors of geometry. There are some who say that the Carians invented prognostication by the stars. The Phrygians were the first who attended to the flight of birds. And the Tuscans, neighbours of Italy, were adepts at the art of the Haruspex. The Isaurians and the Arabians invented augury, as the Telmesians divination by dreams. The Etruscans invented the trumpet, and the Phrygians the flute. For Olympus and Marsyas were Phrygians. …
St John Chrysostom Homilies on First Corinthians, Homily XXXV
Ver. 11 . “If then I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian.” “For suppose not,” saith he, “that this happens only in our case; rather in all one may see this taking place: so that I do not say this to disparage the voice, but to signify that to me it is useless, as long as it is not intelligible.” Next, that he may not render the accusation unpalatable, he makes his charge alike for the two, saying, “He shall be unto me a barbarian, and I to him.” Not from the nature of the voice, but from our ignorance. Seest thou how by little and little he draws men to that which is akin to the subject. Which is his use to do, to fetch his examples from afar, and to end with what more properly belongs to the matter. …