New King James Version
1 Corinthians 14:8
8For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?
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 Living Translation (NLT)And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle?
Context of 1 Corinthians 14:8
6But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance.
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- ·καίkai · andG2532
- ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- the trumpetσάλπιγξsalpigx · trumpetG4536
- giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- an uncertainἄδηλοςadēlos · unclearG82
- soundφωνήphōnē · voice/sound: noiseG5456
- whoτίςtis · which?G5101
- shall prepare himselfπαρασκευάζωparaskeuazō · to prepareG3903
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the battleπόλεμοςpolēmos · warG4171
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 14:8
- Numbers 10:9“When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.
- Joshua 6:4And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
- Judges 7:16Then he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet into every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers.
- Nehemiah 4:18Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
- Job 39:24He devours the distance with fierceness and rage; Nor does he come to a halt because the trumpet has sounded.
- Isaiah 27:13So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.
- Amos 3:6If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?
- Ephesians 6:11Put on the whole armor of God, that you 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries