American Standard Version
1 Corinthians 14:8
8For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war?
1 Corinthians 14:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
- New International Version (NIV)Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?
- English Standard Version (ESV)And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?
- New King James Version (NKJV)For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?
Context of 1 Corinthians 14:8
6But now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching? 7Even 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? For if the trumpet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare himself for war? 9So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking into the air. 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and no kind is without signification.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 141 Corinthians 14:8 word by word
καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν ἄδηλον σάλπιγξ φωνὴν δῷ, τίς παρασκευάσεται εἰς πόλεμον;Read the interlinear
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 14:8
- Numbers 10:9And when ye go to war in your land against the adversary that oppresseth you, then ye shall sound an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before Jehovah your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.
- Joshua 6:4And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
- Judges 7:16And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers.
- Nehemiah 4:18and the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
- Job 39:24He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage; Neither believeth he that it is the voice of the trumpet.
- Isaiah 27:13And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great trumpet shall be blown; and they shall come that were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and they that were outcasts in the land of Egypt; and they shall worship Jehovah in the holy mountain at Jerusalem.
- Amos 3:6Shall the trumpet be blown in a city, and the people not be afraid? shall evil befall a city, and Jehovah hath not done it?
- Ephesians 6:11Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 14:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8If the trumpet give an uncertain sound - If, when the soldier should prepare himself for the battle, the trumpet should give a different sound to that which is ordinarily used on such occasions, the soldier is not informed of what he should do, and therefore does not arm himself; consequently, that vague, unintelligible sound of the trumpet, is of no use.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound - The trumpet was used commonly in war. It is a well-known wind instrument, and was made of brass, silver, etc. It was used for various purposes in war - to summon the soldiers; to animate them in their march; to call them forth to battle; to sound a retreat; and to signify to them what they were to do in battle, whether to charge, advance, or retreat, etc. It therefore employed a “language” which was…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-14Verses 6-14 Even an apostle could not edify, unless he spoke so as to be understood by his hearers. To speak words that have no meaning to those who hear them, is but speaking into the air. That cannot answer the end of speaking, which has no meaning; in this case, speaker and hearers are barbarians to each other. All religious services should be so performed in Christian assemblies, that all may join in, and profit by them. Language plain and easy to be…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-12A message must be clear to communicate well.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. Translate, "For if also," an additional step in the argument. uncertain sound--having no definite meaning: whereas it ought to be so marked that one succession of notes on the trumpet should summon the soldiers to attack; another, to retreat; another, to some other evolution.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 14:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries