KJV King James Version
And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
VERSE STUDY • KJV
1 Corinthians 14:7
And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
Even in the case of lifeless instruments, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone recognize the tune they are playing unless the notes are distinct?
WEB World English Bible
Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they didn’t give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped?
ASV American Standard Version
Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
yet the things without life giving sound—whether pipe or harp—if a difference in the sounds they may not give, how shall be known that which is piped or that which is harped?
Surrounding context — 1 Corinthians 14
4 He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater [is] he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them [is] without signification.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
ὅμωςG3676 · homōsjust asτὰG3588 · hothe/this/whoἄψυχαG895 · apsuchoslifelessφωνὴνG5456 · phōnēvoice/sound: voiceδιδόντα,G1325 · didōmito giveεἴτεG1535 · eitewhetherαὐλὸςG836 · aulosfluteεἴτεG1535 · eitewhetherκιθάρα,G2788 · kitharaharpἐὰνG1437 · eanifδιαστολὴνG1293 · diastolēdistinctionτοῖςG3588 · hothe/this/whoφθόγγοιςG5353 · phthongossoundμὴG3361 · mēnotδῷ,G1325 · didōmito giveπῶςG4459 · pōshow?!γνωσθήσεταιG1097 · ginōskōto knowτὸG3588 · hothe/this/whoαὐλούμενονG832 · auleōto play the fluteἢG2228 · ēorτὸG3588 · hothe/this/whoκιθαριζόμενον;G2789 · kitharizōto play the harp
Cross-references
1 Corinthians 13:1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become [as] sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.1 Corinthians 14:8For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?Numbers 10:2-10Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.Matthew 11:17And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.Luke 7:32They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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