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. Romans 3:19 ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει, τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ, and the very common ἐλάλησεν... λέγων, Matthew 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, Revelation 10:4; with τάς ἑαυτῶν φωνάς added, each thunder uttered its particular voice (the force and meaning of which the prophet understood, cf. John 12:28f); John 12:3; σάλπιγγος λαλούσης μετ' ἐμοῦ, λέγων (Rec. λέγουσα) followed by direct discourse Revelation 4:1; of the expiatory blood of Christ, metaphorically, to crave the pardon of sins, Hebrews 12:24; of the murdered Abel, long since dead, equivalent to to call for vengeance (see Genesis 4:10, and cf. κράζω, 1 at the end), Hebrews 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 Corinthians 14:11; of the dumb, receiving the power of speech, Matthew 9:33; Matthew 12:22; Matthew 15:31; Luke 11:14; Revelation 13:15; (τούς (T Tr WH omit)) ἀλάλους λαλεῖν, Mark 7:37; ἐλάλει ὀρθῶς, Mark 7:35; of a deaf-mute man, μή δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι, Luke 1:20 (of idols, στόμα ἔχουσι καί οὐ λαλήσουσι, Psalm 113:13 (Ps. 115:5); 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, James 1:19; opposed to the soul's inner experiences, 2 Corinthians 4:13 from Psalm 115:1 (Ps. 116:10); opposed to ποιεῖν (as λόγος to ἔργον which see 3), James 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; Mark 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 Corinthians 12:4.
5. to use words in order to declare one's mind and disclose one's thoughts; to speak: absolutely, ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος, Matthew 12:46; Matthew 17:5; Matthew 26:47; Mark 5:35; Mark 14:43; Luke 8:49; Luke 22:47, 60; with the adverbs κακῶς, καλῶς, John 18:23; ὡς νήπιος ἐλάλουν, 1 Corinthians 13:11; ὡς δράκων, Revelation 13:11; στόμα πρός στόμα, face to face (German mündlich), 2 John 1:12 (after the Hebrew of Numbers 12:8); εἰς ἀέρα λαλεῖν, 1 Corinthians 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, Matthew 12:34; Luke 6:45; ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖν, to utter words in accordance with one's inner character, John 8:44. with the accusative of the thing: τί λαλήσω, λαλήσητε, etc., what I shall utter in speech, etc., John 12:50; Matthew 10:19; Mark 9:6 (here T Tr WH ἀποκριθῇ); Mark 13:11; τί, anything, Mark 11:23 L T Tr text WH; Romans 15:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; οὐκ οἴδαμεν τί λαλεῖ, what he says, i. e. what the words uttered by him mean (WH brackets τί λαλεῖ), John 16:18; ταῦτα, these words, Luke 24:36; John 8:30; John 17:1, 13; 1 Corinthians 9:8; τό λαλούμενον, 1 Corinthians 14:9; plural Acts 16:14 (of the words of a teacher); τόν λόγον λαλούμενον, Mark 5:36 (see Buttmann, 302 (259) note); λόγους, 1 Corinthians 14:19; ῤήματα, John 8:20; Acts 10:44; παραβολήν, Matthew 13:33; βλασφημίας, Mark 2:7 (L T Tr WH βλασφημεῖ); Luke 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.) Daniel 11:36); τά μή δέοντα, 1 Timothy 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, John 8:44; δόλον, 1 Peter 3:10 from Psalm 33:14 (Ps. 34:14); ἀγαθά, Matthew 12:31; σοφίαν, 1 Corinthians 2:6f; μυστήρια; 1 Corinthians 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)), Mark 1:34; Luke 4:41; contrary to classic usage, followed by direct discourse, Mark 14:31 L text T Tr WH; Hebrews 5:5; Hebrews 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: Matthew 14:27; Matthew 23:1; Matthew 28:18; John 8:12; Acts 8:26; Acts 26:31; Acts 28:25; Revelation 17:1; Revelation 21:9; λαλοῦσα καί λέγουσα, Revelation 10:8. λαλῶ with the dative of person to speak to one, address him (especially of teachers): Matthew 12:46; Matthew 23:1; Luke 24:6; John 9:29; John 15:22; Acts 7:38, 44; Acts 9:27; Acts 16:13; Acts 22:9; Acts 23:9; Romans 7:1; 1 Corinthians 3:1; 1 Corinthians 14:21, 28; 1 Thessalonians 2:16; Hebrews 1:2 (1); of one commanding, Matthew 28:18; Mark 16:19; to speak to, i. e. converse with, one (cf. Buttmann, § 133, 1): Matthew 12:46 (47 but WH marginal reading only); Luke 1:22; Luke 24:32; John 4:26; John 12:29; ἑαυτοῖς (the dative of person) ψαλμοῖς καί ὕμνοις (dative of instrument), Ephesians 5:19; οὐ λαλεῖν τίνι is used of one who does not answer, John 19:10; to accost one, Matthew 14:27; λαλῶ τί τίνι, to speak anything to anyone, to speak to one about a thing (of teaching): Matthew 9:18; John 8:25 (on which see ἀρχή, 1 b.); John 10:6; 14:25; 15:11; 18:20f; 2 Corinthians 7:14; ῤήματα, John 6:63; John 14:10; Acts 13:42; οἰκοδομήν καί παράκλησιν, things which tend to edify and comfort the soul, 1 Corinthians 14:3; of one promulgating a thing to one, τόν νόμον, passive Hebrews 9:19; λαλῶ πρός τινα, to speak unto one: Luke 1:19; (Luke 2:15 L marginal reading T WH); Acts 4:1; Acts 8:26; Acts 9:29; Acts 21:39; Acts 26:14 (R G), 26, 31; Hebrews 5:5 (אֶל דִּבֵּר, Genesis 27:6; Exodus 30:11, 17, 22); λόγους πρός τινα, Luke 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 Corinthians 2:6; λαλεῖν μετά τίνος, to speak, converse, with one (cf. Buttmann, § 133, 3): Mark 6:50; John 4:27; John 9:37; John 14:30; Revelation 1:12; Revelation 10:8; Revelation 17:1; Revelation 21:9, 15; λαλεῖν ἀλήθειαν μετά etc. to show oneself a lover of truth in conversation with others, Ephesians 4:25 (cf. Ellicott); λαλεῖν περί τίνος, concerning a person or thing: Luke 2:33; Luke 9:11; John 7:13; John 8:26; John 12:41; Acts 2:31; Hebrews 2:5; Hebrews 4:8; with τίνι, dative of person, added, Luke 2:38; Acts 22:10; τί περί τίνος, Acts 28:21; Luke 2:17; εἰς τινα περί τίνος (the genitive of the thing), to speak something as respects a person concerning a thing, Hebrews 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, Luke 5:4; John 1:37; John 7:46; John 8:30, 38; John 12:50; Acts 6:10; Acts 11:15; Acts 14:1, 9; Acts 16:14; 1 Corinthians 14:34; 2 Corinthians 2:17; Colossians 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 Peter 4:11; with παρρησία added, John 7:26; John 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, James 5:10 (see ὄνομα, 2 f.); τίνι (to one) ἐν παραβολαῖς, Matthew 13:3, 10, 13, 34; ἐν παροιμίαις, John 16:25; ἐξ ἐμαυτοῦ, to speak from myself (i. e. utter what I myself have thought out), John 12:49; ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ (see ἀπό, II. 2 d. aa., p. 59{a}), John 7:17; John 14:10; John 16:13; ἐκ τῆς γῆς (see ἐκ, II. 2 under the end), John 3:31; ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, 1 John 4:5 (see κόσμος, 6); ἐκ Θεοῦ, prompted by divine influence, 2 Corinthians 2:17; λαλεῖν, τόν λόγον, to announce or preach the word of God or the doctrine of salvation: Mark 8:32; Acts 14:25 (here in T WH marginal reading followed by εἰς τήν Πέργην; see εἰς, A. I. 5 b.); Acts 16:6; Philippians 1:14, etc.; τόν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, Acts 4:29, 31; τίνι τόν λόγον, Mark 2:2; Acts 11:19; with παραβολαῖς added, Mark 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; Hebrews 13:7; τά ῤήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, John 3:34; τά ῤήματα τῆς ζωῆς, Acts 5:20; πρός τινα τό εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, 1 Thessalonians 2:2; λαλεῖν καί διδάσκειν τά περί τοῦ Ἰησοῦ (R G κυρίου), Acts 18:25; τό μυστήριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Colossians 4:3. λαλεῖν is used of the O. T. prophets uttering their predictions: Luke 24:25; Acts 3:24; Acts 26:22 (cf. Buttmann, § 144, 20, and p. 301 (258)); 2 Peter 1:21; James 5:10; of the declarations and prophetic announcements of God: Luke 1:45, 55; John 9:29; Acts 7:6; especially in the Epistle to the Hebrews: Hebrews 1:1, 2 (1); Hebrews 3:5; 4:8; 11:18; 12:25; God, the Holy Spirit, Christ, are said λαλεῖν ἐν τίνι: Hebrews 1:1, 2 (1); Matthew 10:20; 2 Corinthians 13:3; διά στόματος τίνος, Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21; διά Ἠσαΐου, Acts 28:25; of the sayings of angels: Luke 2:17, 26; John 12:29; Acts 10:7; Acts 23:9; Acts 27:25; the Holy Spirit is said λαλήσειν what it will teach the apostles, John 16:13; ὁ νόμος as a manifestation of God is said λαλεῖν τίνι what it commands, Romans 3:19; finally, even voices are said λαλεῖν, Acts 26:14 (R G); Revelation 1:12; Revelation 10:8. equivalent to to make known by speaking, to speak of, relate, with the implied idea of extolling: Matthew 26:13; Mark 14:9; Luke 24:36; Acts 4:20; (cf. Hebrews 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, Romans 7:1; 1 Corinthians 9:8; 2 Corinthians 11:17, 23; 2 Corinthians 12:19; Hebrews 2:5; Hebrews 6:9; 2 Peter 3:16, or λαλεῖν is used in the sense of commanding, Hebrews 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.)

BLB Scripture Index of Thayer's