ἑτερόγλωσσος

speaking another language

Definition

The adjective ἑτερόγλωσσος literally means 'speaking another language' or 'of a different tongue.' In its sole New Testament occurrence in 1 Corinthians 14:21, it is used substantively to refer to 'those who speak another language' or 'foreigners.' The context is a quotation from Isaiah 28:11-12, where God declares He will speak to His people through the lips of foreigners (ἑτερόγλωσσοι) as a sign of judgment for their unbelief. Paul applies this to the gift of tongues, suggesting that unintelligible spiritual speech, like a foreign language, serves as a sign not for believers but for unbelievers.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in 1 Corinthians 14:21. Paul employs it in a midrashic (interpretive) argument, quoting the Greek Septuagint version of Isaiah 28:11-12. His usage is directly tied to the discussion of spiritual gifts, specifically the gift of tongues (glossolalia). The word describes people whose language is foreign and unintelligible to the hearers, and Paul uses this Old Testament concept to illustrate a principle about the purpose of miraculous speech in the church.

Etymology

Derived from two Greek roots: ἕτερος (heteros, G2087), meaning 'another' or 'different' (often of a different kind), and γλῶσσα (glōssa, G1100), meaning 'tongue' or 'language.' It is a compound adjective literally meaning 'other-tongued.' The word emphasizes linguistic difference and foreignness.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant in Paul's discussion of spiritual gifts and church order. It connects the New Testament phenomenon of speaking in tongues to a pattern of God's communication found in the Old Testament, specifically a sign of judgment for covenant unfaithfulness. Understanding this Greek term enriches the reading of 1 Corinthians 14 by showing that Paul is not introducing a new idea but grounding his apostolic instruction in the prophetic scripture. It highlights that the primary purpose of unintelligible spiritual speech is as a sign for unbelievers, directing the church to prioritize prophecy (intelligible speech) for edification.

In the Greco-Roman world, linguistic barriers were a significant marker of ethnic and cultural identity. The term 'foreign-tongued' carried connotations of being an outsider, barbarian, or non-Greek speaker. Paul's use of this term from the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) would have resonated with his Hellenistic audience, who were familiar with the cultural divide between Greek speakers and 'barbarians.' In the Isaiah passage, God using the language of Israel's foreign oppressors (the Assyrians) was a stark sign of judgment and their alienation from Him.

βάρβαρος (barbaros, G915) — emphasizes the foreign, non-Greek speaker, often with a connotation of rudeness or strangeness, whereas ἑτερόγλωσσος is more neutrally descriptive of linguistic difference.

Word Details

Scripture References