⁷ Come, let's go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."

²⁶ God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

²³ They didn't know that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.

²³ If therefore the whole assembly is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won't they say that you are crazy?

² For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

³ But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation.

⁴ He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly.

⁵ Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.

⁶ But now, brothers,{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."} if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?

⁷ 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?

⁸ For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war?

⁹ So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air.

¹⁰ There are, it may be, so many kinds of sounds in the world, and none of them is without meaning.

¹¹ If then I don't know the meaning of the sound, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me.

⁴ They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.

⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.

⁶ When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language.

⁷ They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Behold, aren't all these who speak Galileans?

⁸ How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?

⁹ Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,

¹⁰ Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

¹¹ Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!"

¹⁵ Behold, I will bring a nation on you from far, house of Israel, says Yahweh: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you don't know, neither understand what they say.

⁴ He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision.

⁴⁹ Yahweh will bring a nation against you from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flies; a nation whose language you shall not understand;

⁸ I heard the Lord's voice, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am. Send me!"

⁹ Confuse them, Lord, and confound their language, For I have seen violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰ Yahweh brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.

²⁰ He removes the speech of those who are trusted, And takes away the understanding of the elders.

¹² He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands can't perform their enterprise.

¹³ He takes the wise in their own craftiness; The counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.

⁵ Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built.

³² These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations. Of these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

²⁰ These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their languages, in their lands, in their nations.

⁵ Of these were the isles of the nations divided in their lands, everyone after his language, after their families, in their nations.

²² Yahweh God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he put forth his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever..."