γλῶσσα G1100
The tongue as a physical organ; by extension, speaking in tongues as Spirit-empowered ecstatic or foreign-language utterance.
In its most basic sense, this word denotes the physical tongue in the mouth — the organ of taste and speech. The Gospels use it in healing narratives where Jesus looses a bound tongue (Mark 7:33, 35) or Zechariah's tongue is freed to praise God (Luke 1:64). Spanish lengua, French langue, and German Zunge all carry both physical and linguistic meanings, mirroring the Greek semantic range. The distinctive New Testament development is 'speaking in tongues,' the charismatic gift of Spirit-empowered utterance in unlearned languages or ecstatic speech, prominent at Pentecost (Acts 2:3-4) and throughout Paul's discussion of spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12-14).
1. tongue (body part) — The physical organ of the tongue. Used of the body part itself, especially in contexts of healing, speech, and physical sensation. Spanish lengua, French langue, and German Zunge all retain the bodily reference. Key passages include the healing of the deaf-mute (Mark 7:33, 35), Zechariah's restored speech (Luke 1:64), and the rich man's torment (Luke 16:24). James uses it vividly as a 'fire' that no one can tame (Jas 3:5-8). 32×
AR["اللِّسانَ","اللِّسانُ","اللِّسانِ","لِسانٌ","لِسانٍ","لِسانَهُ","لِسانِ","لِسَانٍ","لِسَانَ","لِسَانُهُ","لِسَانِ","لِسَانِي"]·ben["জিভ","জিহ্বা","জিহ্বায়","জিহ্বার","ভাষা","ভাষায়।","ভাষার","ভাষার,"]·DE["Zunge"]·EN["a-tongue","tongue"]·FR["langue"]·heb["לְשׁוֹנִ","לְשׁוֹנִי","לְשׁוֹנוֹ","לָשׁוֹן","עַם"]·HI["और","जीभ","जीभ-को","जीभ-पर","जेएभ","भाषा","भाषा,"]·ID["Lidah","bahasa,","bahasa-roh","bahasa-roh.","lidah","lidah,","lidahnya"]·IT["lingua"]·jav["-basa","basa","ilat"]·KO["나-의","방언","방언을","언어-와","언어와","혀","혀-가","혀-로","혀-를","혀가","혀는","혀를"]·PT["língua","língua,","língua."]·RU["язык","языка","языка,","языке","языком,","языку,"]·ES["lengua"]·SW["lugha","lugha,","ulimi"]·TR["benim","dil","dili","diline","dilini","dilinin","dille","o-","ve-"]·urd["زبان","زبان-سے","زبان-میں","زبان-کا","زبان-کو","زبان-کے","زبان،"]
Mark 7:33, Mark 7:35, Luke 1:64, Luke 16:24, Acts 2:3, Acts 2:4, Acts 2:11, Acts 2:26, Rom 3:13, Rom 14:11, 1 Cor 13:1, 1 Cor 13:8 (+20 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. tongue, ecstatic utterance — Speaking in tongues — Spirit-empowered utterance in unlearned languages or ecstatic speech. A distinctly New Testament phenomenon, the multilingual glosses shift from simple 'tongue' to prepositional phrases like English 'in tongues' and Spanish en lenguas, marking the charismatic/spiritual gift context. Central at Pentecost (Acts 2:3-4), in Cornelius's household (Acts 10:46), and throughout Paul's extended treatment of the gift and its regulation (1 Cor 12:10; 14:2-27). 18×
AR["ألسِنَةٍ","بِألسِنَةٍ","بِأَلْسِنَةٍ","بِـ-أَلْسِنَةٍ","بِلِسانٍ"]·ben["ভাষায়","ভাষায়,","ভাষাসমূহে","ভাষাসমূহে,","ভাষাসমূহে।","ভাষাসমূহের;","ভাষাসমূহের।"]·DE["Zunge"]·EN["in-a-tongue","in-tongues","of-tongues"]·FR["langue"]·heb["בִּ-לְשׁוֹנוֹת","בִּ-לָשׁוֹן","בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹת","לְשׁוֹנוֹת"]·HI["भाषा-में","भाषाओं-का","भाषाओं-के","भाषाओं-में"]·ID["bahasa-bahasa","bahasa-roh","dalam-bahasa-bahasa","dalam-bahasa-roh","dalam-bahasa-roh,","dalam-bahasa-roh.","dengan-bahasa-bahasa"]·IT["lingua"]·jav["basa","basa-manca,","basa.","basa;","ing-basa","ing-basa-basa"]·KO["방언들-로","방언들-의","방언들로","방언으로"]·PT["de-línguas.","de-línguas;","em-língua","em-língua,","em-línguas","em-línguas,","em-línguas."]·RU["языками","языков.","языков;","языком"]·ES["de-lenguas","en-lengua","en-lenguas"]·SW["kwa-lugha","lugha,","lugha.","za-lugha"]·TR["daha ziyade","değil","dilde","dillerde","dillerin","dillerle","girse","konuşarak","konuşuyorum","muhtemelen-"]·urd["زبان-میں","زبانوں-میں","زبانوں-کا","زبانوں-کی"]
Mark 16:17, Acts 10:46, Acts 19:6, 1 Cor 12:10, 1 Cor 12:10, 1 Cor 12:28, 1 Cor 12:30, 1 Cor 14:2, 1 Cor 14:4, 1 Cor 14:5, 1 Cor 14:5, 1 Cor 14:6 (+6 more)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
γλῶσσα, Ionic dialect γλάσσα, Refs 3rd c.BC+, Attic dialect γλῶττα, ης, ἡ, tongue, Refs 8th c.BC+ __b γ. λάρυγγος, ={γλωττίς}, larynx, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __2 tongue, as the organ of speech, γλώσσης χάριν through love of talking, Refs 8th c.BC+; γλώσσῃ δεινός, θρασύς, Refs 5th c.BC+ by frankness of speech, Refs 6th c.BC+, of fraud opposed to violence, Refs 8th c.BC+; also, by word of mouth, Refs 5th…