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NASB | 1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 13:1 ¶ If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God's love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. |
Bible Question: 1 Cor. 13:1--does anyone know what the"tounges of angels" sound like?-apparently,Paul did.--angel1 |
Bible Answer: Greetings, Angel1! Here is some commentary on 1 Cor. 13:1.. "..tongues.. of angels. The apostle was writing in general hypothetical terms. There is no biblical teaching of any special angelic language that people could learn to speak." (1) "..speak with the tongues--with the eloquence which was so much admired at Corinth (for example, Apollos, Act_18:24; compare 1Co_1:12; 1Co_3:21-22), and with the command of various languages, which some at Corinth abused to purposes of mere ostentation (1Co_14:2)." (2) There are many examples of angels speaking to humans throughout the entire Bible. However, there is no mention of an 'angelic' language, that is, that angels have a 'tongue' that is only understood or spoken between their ranks. If there is such a language, than this is the only verse in the Bible that would confirm such a claim. Rather, I see Paul as saying in this verse, "Regardless of how eloquent my speech is, or how convincing my argument, if I do not speak in love, then my speech is nothing but a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." If I were to write a paraphrase, then that is how I would render 1 Cor. 13:1. And this, I believe, is the idea that Paul is trying to communicate to us in this passage. Blessings to you, Makarios (1) MacArthur Study Bible, 1997, Word Publishing, Author and Editor: John MacArthur (2) Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Critical and Explanatory Commentary on the Whole Bible |