1 Corinthians 14:7
New International Version
Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes?

New Living Translation
Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody.

English Standard Version
If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played?

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?

Berean Literal Bible
Even lifeless things giving a sound, whether the flute or harp, unless they give distinction to the sounds, how will it be known what is being piped or being harped?

King James Bible
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?

New King James Version
Even 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?

New American Standard Bible
Yet even lifeless instruments, whether flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?

NASB 1995
Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?

NASB 1977
Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?

Legacy Standard Bible
Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?

Amplified Bible
Yet even lifeless things, whether flute or harp, when producing a sound, if they do not produce distinct [musical] tones, how will anyone [listening] know what is piped or played?

Christian Standard Bible
Even lifeless instruments that produce sounds—whether flute or harp —if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Even inanimate things that produce sounds—whether flute or harp—if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized?

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?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For even inanimate things which give sound, whether a flute or harp, if they make no distinction between one tone and another, how will anything that is played or anything that is harped be known?

Contemporary English Version
If all musical instruments sounded alike, how would you know the difference between a flute and a harp?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Even things without life that give sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction of sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped ?

English Revised 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?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Musical instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. If there is no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played?

Good News Translation
Take such lifeless musical instruments as the flute or the harp--how will anyone know the tune that is being played unless the notes are sounded distinctly?

International Standard Version
In the same way, lifeless instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. But if there's no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played?

Literal Standard Version
Yet the things without life giving sound—whether pipe or harp—if they may not give a difference in the sounds, how will be known that which is piped or that which is harped?

Majority 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?

New American Bible
Likewise, if inanimate things that produce sound, such as flute or harp, do not give out the tones distinctly, how will what is being played on flute or harp be recognized?

NET Bible
It is similar for lifeless things that make a sound, like a flute or harp. Unless they make a distinction in the notes, how can what is played on the flute or harp be understood?

New Revised Standard Version
It is the same way with lifeless instruments that produce sound, such as the flute or the harp. If they do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is being played?

New Heart English Bible
Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they did not give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped?

Webster's Bible Translation
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?

Weymouth New Testament
Even inanimate things--flutes or harps, for instance--when yielding a sound, if they make no distinction in the notes, how shall the tune which is played on the flute or the harp be known?

World English Bible
Even lifeless things that make a sound, whether pipe or harp, if they didn’t give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped?

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?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Prophecy and Tongues
6Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7Even 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? 8Again, if the trumpet sounds a muffled call, who will prepare for battle?…

Cross References
1 Samuel 10:5
After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.

Matthew 11:17
We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'

1 Corinthians 14:6
Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

1 Corinthians 14:8
Again, if the trumpet sounds a muffled call, who will prepare for battle?


Treasury of Scripture

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?

things.

1 Corinthians 13:1
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

except.

1 Corinthians 14:8
For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

Numbers 10:2-10
Make 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 11:17
And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

sounds.

Jump to Previous
Different Distinct Distinction Either Except Flute Flutes Harp Harps Instance Instrument Instruments Life Lifeless Notes Pipe Piped Played Produce Producing Sound Sounds Tones Tune Unless Voice Whether Yielding
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Different Distinct Distinction Either Except Flute Flutes Harp Harps Instance Instrument Instruments Life Lifeless Notes Pipe Piped Played Produce Producing Sound Sounds Tones Tune Unless Voice Whether Yielding
1 Corinthians 14
1. Prophecy is commended,
2. and preferred before speaking in tongues,
6. by a comparison drawn from musical instruments.
12. Both must be referred to edification,
22. as to their true and proper end.
26. The true use of each is taught,
27. and the abuse rebuked.
34. Women in the churches.














(7) And even things without life.--The pipe and harp were the best-known instruments, and the principle just laid down of the inutility of sounds unless they be distinctive is illustrated by reference to them. Whether it was a harp or a pipe which was being played you could not know unless each gives a distinct sound of its own. The point here is not, as the English seems to suggest, that there must be a difference in tune, so as know what is being piped or harped--that illustration comes in in the next verse--but that each instrument has its own peculiar sound.

Verse 7. - Even things without life giving sound. Even musical instruments - flute or harp - dead instruments as they are, must be so played as to keep up the distinction of intervals, without which the melody is ruined and the tune is unrecognizable. Much more is this the ease with the human voice.

"How sour sweet music is,
When time is broke and no proportion kept!"
The indiscriminate use of the tongue is here compared to the dissonance of jarring and unmodulated instrumental sounds, In harmony there must be due sequence and intervals of sound.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Even in the case of
ὅμως (homōs)
Conjunction
Strong's 3676: Yet, nevertheless, even. Adverb from the base of homou; at the same time, i.e. notwithstanding, yet still.

lifeless
ἄψυχα (apsycha)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 895: Lifeless, inanimate. Lifeless, i.e. Inanimate.

instruments,
διδόντα (didonta)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

such as
εἴτε (eite)
Conjunction
Strong's 1535: And if, whether. From ei and te; if too.

[the] flute
αὐλὸς (aulos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 836: A flute, pipe. From the same as aer; a flute.

or
εἴτε (eite)
Conjunction
Strong's 1535: And if, whether. From ei and te; if too.

harp,
κιθάρα (kithara)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2788: A harp, lyre. Of uncertain affinity; a lyre.

how
πῶς (pōs)
Adverb
Strong's 4459: Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much!

will [anyone] recognize
γνωσθήσεται (gnōsthēsetai)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

[the tune]
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

they are playing
δῷ (dō)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

unless
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

the
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

notes
φθόγγοις (phthongois)
Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5353: A sound. From phtheggomai; utterance, i.e. A musical note.

are distinct?
διαστολὴν (diastolēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1293: Distinction, difference, separation. From diastellomai; a variation.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 14:7 Even things without life giving a voice (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 14:6
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