λαλέω

λαλῶ; imperfect 3 person singular ἐλάλει, plural ἐλάλουν; future λαλήσω; 1 aorist ἐλάλησα; perfect λελάληκα; passive, present λαλοῦμαι; perfect λελάλημαι; 1 aorist ἐλαλήθην; 1 future λαληθήσομαι: (from Sophocles down); found in Biblical Greek much more frequent than in secular authors, in the Sept. times without number for דִּבֵּר or דִּבֶּר, more rarely for אָמַר; properly, to utter a sound (cf. (onomatop. la-la, etc.) German lallen), to emit a voice make oneself heard; hence to utter or form words with the mouth, to speak, having reference to the sound and pronunciation of the words and in general the form of what is uttered. while λεγο refers to the meaning and substance of what is spoken; hence λαλεῖν is employed not only of men, especially when chatting and prattling, but also of animals (of birds, Mosch. 3, 47; of locusts, Theocritus, 5, 34; λαλοῦσι μέν, οὐ φραζουσι δέ, of dogs and apes, Plutarch, mor. ii., p. 909 a.), and so of inanimate things (as trees, Theocritus, 27, 56 (57); of an echo, Dio C. 74, 21, 14). Accordingly, everything λεγόμενον is also λαλούμενον, but not everything λαλούμενον is also λεγόμενον (Eupolis in Plutarch, Alc. 13 λαλεῖν ἄριστος, ἀδυνατωτατος λέγειν); (the difference between the words is evident where they occur in proximity, e. g. Rom 3:19 ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει, τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ, and the very common ἐλάλησεν... λέγων, Mt 13:3, etc.). Moreover, the primary meaning of λαλεῖν, to utter oneself, enables us easily to understand its very frequent use in the sacred writers to denote the utterances by which G o d indicates or gives proof of his mind and will, whether immediately or through the instrumentality of his messengers and heralds. (Perhaps this use may account in part for the fact that, though in classic Greek λαλεῖν is the term for light and familiar speech, and so assumes readily a disparaging notion: in Biblical Greek it is nearly ff not quite free from any such suggestion.) Cf. Day. Schulz die Geistesgaben der ersten Christen, p. 94ff; Tittmann de Synonymis N. T., p. 79f; Trench, Synonyms, § lxxvi.; (and on classical usage Schmidt, Syn. 1:1). But let us look at the N. T. usage in detail:
1. to utter a voice, emit a sound: of things inanimate, as βρονταί, Rev 10:4; with τάς ἑαυτῶν φωνάς added, each thunder uttered its particular voice (the force and meaning of which the prophet understood, cf. Jn 12:28f); Jn 12:3; σάλπιγγος λαλούσης μετ' ἐμοῦ, λέγων (Rec. λέγουσα) followed by direct discourse Rev 4:1; of the expiatory blood of Christ, metaphorically, to crave the pardon of sins, Heb 12:24; of the murdered Abel, long since dead, equivalent to to call for vengeance (see Gen 4:10, and cf. κράζω, 1 at the end), Heb 11:4 according to the true reading λαλεῖ; (G L T Tr WH; the Rec. λαλεῖται must be taken as passive, in the exceptional sense to be talked of, lauded; see below, 5 at the end (πρᾶγμα κατ' ἀγοράν λαλούμενον, Aristophanes Thesm. 578, cf. πάντες αὐτήν λαλοῦσιν, Alciphro fragment 5, ii., p. 222, 10 edition Wagner)).
2. to speak, i. e. to use the tongue or the faculty of speech; to utter articulate sounds: absolutely 1 Cor 14:11; of the dumb, receiving the power of speech, Mt 9:33; Mt 12:22; Mt 15:31; Lk 11:14; Rev 13:15; (τούς (T Tr WH omit)) ἀλάλους λαλεῖν, Mk 7:37; ἐλάλει ὀρθῶς, Mk 7:35; of a deaf-mute man, μή δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι, Lk 1:20 (of idols, στόμα ἔχουσι καί οὐ λαλήσουσι, Psalm 113:13; Psalms 134:16>; cf. 3Macc. 4:16); to speak, i. e. not to be silent, opposed to holding one's peace, λαλεῖ καί μή σιωπήσῃς, Acts 18:9; opposed to hearing, Jas 1:19; opposed to the soul's inner experiences, 2 Cor 4:13 from Ps 115:1; opposed to ποιεῖν (as λόγος to ἔργον which see 3), Jas 2:12.
3. to talk; of the sound and outward form of speech: τῇ ἰδίᾳ διαλέκτῳ, Acts 2:6; ἑτέραις καιναῖς γλώσσαις, Acts 2:4; Mk 16:17 (here Tr text WH text omit καιναῖς), from which the simple γλώσσαις λαλεῖν, and the like, are to be distinguished, see γλῶσσα, 2.
4. to utter, tell: with the accusative of the thing, 2 Cor 12:4.
5. to use words in order to declare one's mind and disclose one's thoughts; to speak: absolutely, ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος, Mt 12:46; Mt 17:5; Mt 26:47; Mk 5:35; Mk 14:43; Lk 8:49; Lk 22:47, Lk 22:60; with the adverbs κακῶς, καλῶς, Jn 18:23; ὡς νήπιος ἐλάλουν, 1 Cor 13:11; ὡς δράκων, Rev 13:11; στόμα πρός στόμα, face to face (German mündlich), 2 Jn 1:12 (after the Hebrew of Num 12:8); εἰς ἀέρα λαλεῖν, 1 Cor 14:9; ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύματος τῆς καρδίας τό στωμα λαλεῖ, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, namely, so that it expresses the soul's thoughts, Mt 12:34; Lk 6:45; ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖν, to utter words in accordance with one's inner character, Jn 8:44. with the accusative of the thing: τί λαλήσω, λαλήσητε, etc., what I shall utter in speech, etc., Jn 12:50; Mt 10:19; Mk 9:6 (here T Tr WH ἀποκριθῇ); ; τί, anything, Mk 11:23 L T Tr text WH; Rom 15:18; 1 Thess 1:8; οὐκ οἴδαμεν τί λαλεῖ, what he says, i. e. what the words uttered by him mean (WH brackets τί λαλεῖ), Jn 16:18; ταῦτα, these words, Lk 24:36; Jn 8:30; Jn 17:1, Jn 17:13; 1 Cor 9:8; τό λαλούμενον, 1 Cor 14:9; plural Acts 16:14 (of the words of a teacher); τόν λόγον λαλούμενον, Mk 5:36 (see Buttmann, 302 (259) note); λόγους, 1 Cor 14:19; ῤήματα, Jn 8:20; Acts 10:44; παραβολήν, Mt 13:33; βλασφημίας, Mk 2:7 (L T Tr WH βλασφημεῖ); Lk 5:21; ῤήματα βλάσφημα εἰς τινα, Acts 6:11; ῤήματα (Rec. adds βλάσφημα) κατά τίνος, Acts 6:13; σκληρά κατά τίνος, Jude 1:15; ὑπέρογκα, Jude 1:16 (Dan. (Theod.) ); τά μή δέοντα, 1 Tim 5:13 (ἅ μή θέμις, 2 Macc. 12:14; εἰς τινα τά μή καθήκοντα, 3Macc. 4:16; (cf. Winer's Grammar, 480 (448))); διεστραμμένα, Acts 20:30; τό ψεῦδος, Jn 8:44; δόλον, 1 Pet 3:10 from Ps 33:14; ἀγαθά, Mt 12:31; σοφίαν, 1 Cor 2:6f; μυστήρια; 1 Cor 14:2; followed by ὅτι (equivalent to περί τούτου, ὅτι etc. to speak of this, viz. that they knew him (see ὅτι, I. 2 under the end)), Mk 1:34; Lk 4:41; contrary to classic usage, followed by direct discourse, Mk 14:31 L text T Tr WH; Heb 5:5; Heb 11:18, (but in these last two passages of the utterances of God); more correctly elsewhere ἐλάλησε λέγων (in imitation of Hebrew לֵאמֹר יְדַבֵּר (cf. above (at the beginning))), followed by direct discourse: Mt 14:27; Mt 23:1; Mt 28:18; Jn 8:12; Acts 8:26; Acts 26:31; Acts 28:25; Rev 17:1; Rev 21:9; λαλοῦσα καί λέγουσα, Rev 10:8. λαλῶ with the dative of person to speak to one, address him (especially of teachers): Mt 12:46; Mt 23:1; Lk 24:6; Jn 9:29; Jn 15:22; Acts 7:38, Acts 7:44; Acts 9:27; Acts 16:13; Acts 22:9; Acts 23:9; Rom 7:1; 1 Cor 3:1; 1 Cor 14:21, 1 Cor 14:28; 1 Thess 2:16; Heb 1:2 (1); of one commanding, Mt 28:18; Mk 16:19; to speak to, i. e. converse with, one (cf. Buttmann, § 133, 1): Mt 12:46 (47 but WH marginal reading only); Lk 1:22; Lk 24:32; Jn 4:26; Jn 12:29; ἑαυτοῖς (the dative of person) ψαλμοῖς καί ὕμνοις (dative of instrument), Eph 5:19; οὐ λαλεῖν τίνι is used of one who does not answer, Jn 19:10; to accost one, Mt 14:27; λαλῶ τί τίνι, to speak anything to anyone, to speak to one about a thing (of teaching): Mt 9:18; Jn 8:25 (on which see ἀρχή, 1 b.); Jn 10:6; Jn 14:25; Jn 15:11; Jn 18:20f>; 2 Cor 7:14; ῤήματα, Jn 6:63; Jn 14:10; Acts 13:42; οἰκοδομήν καί παράκλησιν, things which tend to edify and comfort the soul, 1 Cor 14:3; of one promulgating a thing to one, τόν νόμον, passive Heb 9:19; λαλῶ πρός τινα, to speak unto one: Lk 1:19; ( L marginal reading T WH); Acts 4:1; Acts 8:26; Acts 9:29; Acts 21:39; Acts 26:14 (R G), 26, 31; Heb 5:5 (אֶל דִּבֵּר, Gen 27:6; Ex 30:11, Ex 30:17, Ex 30:22); λόγους πρός τινα, Lk 24:44; ἐλάλησαν πρός αὐτούς ἀυαγγελιζόμενοι... Ἰησοῦν, Acts 11:20; ὅσα ἄν λαλήσῃ πρός ὑμᾶς, Acts 3:22; σοφίαν ἐν τισίν, wisdom among etc. 1 Cor 2:6; λαλεῖν μετά τίνος, to speak, converse, with one (cf. Buttmann, § 133, 3): Mk 6:50; Jn 4:27; Jn 9:37; Jn 14:30; Rev 1:12; Rev 10:8; Rev 17:1; Rev 21:9, Rev 21:15; λαλεῖν ἀλήθειαν μετά etc. to show oneself a lover of truth in conversation with others, Eph 4:25 (cf. Ellicott); λαλεῖν περί τίνος, concerning a person or thing: Lk 2:33; Lk 9:11; Jn 7:13; Jn 8:26; Jn 12:41; Acts 2:31; Heb 2:5; Heb 4:8; with τίνι, dative of person, added, Lk 2:38; Acts 22:10; τί περί τίνος, Acts 28:21; Lk 2:17; εἰς τινα περί τίνος (the genitive of the thing), to speak something as respects a person concerning a thing, Heb 7:14 R G; εἰς τινα περί with the genitive of person, ibid. L T Tr WH. Many of the examples already cited show that λαλεῖν is frequently used in the N. T. of teachers, — of Jesus, the apostles, and others. To those passages may be added, Lk 5:4; Jn 1:37; Jn 7:46; Jn 8:30, Jn 8:38; Jn 12:50; Acts 6:10; Acts 11:15; Acts 14:1, Acts 14:9; Acts 16:14; 1 Cor 14:34; 2 Cor 2:17; Col 4:3; 1 Thess 2:4; 1 Pet 4:11; with παρρησία added, Jn 7:26; Jn 16:29; ἐπί ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ, Acts 5:40, cf. 4:17, see ἐπί, B. 2 a. β.; τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου (where L T Tr WH prefix ἐν), of the prophets, Jas 5:10 (see ὄνομα, 2 f.); τίνι (to one) ἐν παραβολαῖς, Mt 13:3, Mt 13:10, Mt 13:13, Mt 13:34; ἐν παροιμίαις, Jn 16:25; ἐξ ἐμαυτοῦ, to speak from myself (i. e. utter what I myself have thought out), Jn 12:49; ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ (see ἀπό, II. 2 d. aa., p. 59{a}), Jn 7:17; Jn 14:10; Jn 16:13; ἐκ τῆς γῆς (see ἐκ, II. 2 under the end), Jn 3:31; ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, 1 Jn 4:5 (see κόσμος, 6); ἐκ Θεοῦ, prompted by divine influence, 2 Cor 2:17; λαλεῖν, τόν λόγον, to announce or preach the word of God or the doctrine of salvation: Mk 8:32; Acts 14:25 (here in T WH marginal reading followed by εἰς τήν Πέργην; see εἰς, A. I. 5 b.); ; Phm 1:14, etc.; τόν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, Acts 4:29, Acts 4:31; τίνι τόν λόγον, Mk 2:2; Acts 11:19; with παραβολαῖς added, Mk 4:33; τίνι τόν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου (WH text Θεοῦ), Acts 16:32 (the Epistle of Barnabas 19, 9 [ET]); τίνι τόν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, Acts 13:46; Heb 13:7; τά ῤήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, Jn 3:34; τά ῤήματα τῆς ζωῆς, Acts 5:20; πρός τινα τό εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, 1 Thess 2:2; λαλεῖν καί διδάσκειν τά περί τοῦ Ἰησοῦ (R G κυρίου), Acts 18:25; τό μυστήριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Col 4:3. λαλεῖν is used of the O. T. prophets uttering their predictions: Lk 24:25; Acts 3:24; Acts 26:22 (cf. Buttmann, § 144, 20, and p. 301 (258)); 2 Pet 1:21; Jas 5:10; of the declarations and prophetic announcements of God: Lk 1:45, Lk 1:55; Jn 9:29; Acts 7:6; especially in the Epistle to the Hebrews: Heb 1:1, Heb 1:2 (1); Heb 3:5; Heb 4:8; Heb 11:18; ; God, the Holy Spirit, Christ, are said λαλεῖν ἐν τίνι: Heb 1:1, Heb 1:2 (1); Mt 10:20; 2 Cor 13:3; διά στόματος τίνος, Lk 1:70; Acts 3:21; διά Ἠσαΐου, Acts 28:25; of the sayings of angels: Lk 2:17, Lk 2:26; Jn 12:29; Acts 10:7; Acts 23:9; Acts 27:25; the Holy Spirit is said λαλήσειν what it will teach the apostles, Jn 16:13; ὁ νόμος as a manifestation of God is said λαλεῖν τίνι what it commands, Rom 3:19; finally, even voices are said λαλεῖν, Acts 26:14 (R G); Rev 1:12; Rev 10:8. equivalent to to make known by speaking, to speak of, relate, with the implied idea of extolling: Mt 26:13; Mk 14:9; Lk 24:36; Acts 4:20; (cf. Heb 11:4 Rec. (see 1 at the end above)).
6. Since λαλεῖν, strictly denotes the act of one who utters words with the living voice, when writers speak of themselves or are spoken of by others as λαλοῦντες, they are conceived of as present and addressing their readers with the living voice, Rom 7:1; 1 Cor 9:8; 2 Cor 11:17, 2 Cor 11:23; 2 Cor 12:19; Heb 2:5; Heb 6:9; 2 Pet 3:16, or λαλεῖν is used in the sense of commanding, Heb 7:14. The verb λαλεῖν is not found in the Epistles to Galatians and 2 Thessalonians. (Compare: διαλαλέω, ἐκλαλέω, καταλαλέω, προσλαλέω, συλλαλέω; cf. the catalog of comp. in Schmidt, Syn., chapter i § 60.)