Pronunciation Guide: ah-LAH-los

Basic Definition

Strong’s G216: ἄλαλος (alalos) denotes someone who is speechless, mute, or unable to speak. This compound word literally means “not speaking” or “without speech.” In biblical contexts, it often describes a condition requiring divine intervention for healing, highlighting the Messiah’s power to restore speech to those who cannot speak.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Adjective
• Root Components: ἀ- (negative prefix) + λαλέω (to speak, talk)
• Primary Usage: Narrative sections, particularly in healing accounts
• Language Origin: Koine Greek
• Literary Context: Most frequently appears in miracle narratives

ἄλαλος Morphology:

• ἄλαλος (nominative singular masculine/feminine) – speechless, mute
• ἄλαλον (accusative singular masculine/feminine) – speechless one (as object)
• ἀλάλου (genitive singular) – of the speechless one
• ἀλάλῳ (dative singular) – to/for the speechless one

Origin & History

The term ἄλαλος appears in classical Greek medical literature, where it was used to describe patients suffering from various conditions that prevented speech. Hippocrates, in his “On Diseases,” uses the term when discussing conditions affecting speech capabilities, though less frequently than other medical terminology for speech impediments.

In the broader Greek world, the concept of speechlessness often carried cultural significance beyond mere physical inability to speak. Plutarch’s “Moralia” occasionally references the state of being ἄλαλος as a condition that could be either physical or emotional in nature, suggesting the term’s semantic range included both literal and metaphorical speechlessness.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• Complete inability to produce speech or verbal sounds
• Temporary speechlessness due to emotional or spiritual causes
• Muteness associated with demonic influence
• Inability to articulate coherent speech

ἄλαλος Translation Options:

• “Mute” – Emphasizes the physical inability to produce speech
• “Speechless” – Broader term encompassing both physical and emotional inability to speak
• “Unable to speak” – More descriptive translation that clarifies the nature of the condition
• “Dumb” (archaic) – Historical translation found in older versions, now generally avoided due to modern connotations

Biblical Usage

The term ἄλαλος appears most prominently in the Gospels, particularly in contexts of miraculous healing by Jesus. Its usage emphasizes both the severity of the condition and the supernatural power required for restoration. The word carries particular weight in Mark’s Gospel, where it appears in conjunction with descriptions of demonic influence, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the Messiah’s healing ministry.

The term’s appearances in healing narratives often occur alongside other physical or spiritual ailments, suggesting that in biblical usage, being ἄλαλος was frequently understood as part of a larger complex of suffering that required divine intervention.

• “And they brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty [ἄλαλον], and they implored Him to lay His hand on him.” Mark 7:32
• “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute [ἄλαλον].” Mark 9:17
• “And whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” Mark 9:18

Cultural Insights

In ancient Near Eastern culture, the ability to speak was closely connected to one’s participation in community life and worship. Being ἄλαλος often meant social isolation and religious marginalization, as participation in synagogue life and community prayers required vocal participation. This cultural context helps explain why the healing of speech impediments was seen as particularly significant—it represented not just physical healing but restoration to full community participation.

The Jewish understanding of speech as a divine gift, connected to humanity being created in God’s image (as God spoke creation into existence), adds deeper significance to the condition of being ἄλαλος. The rabbinical tradition emphasized the power of speech in prayer, study, and blessing, making the inability to speak particularly challenging in Jewish religious life.

Theological Significance

The use of ἄλαλος in the New Testament reveals profound theological truths about the Messiah’s mission and power. These healings demonstrate Jesus’s authority over both physical and spiritual realms, showing His power to overcome conditions that human medicine could not address. The healing of those who were ἄλαλος particularly highlights the Messianic fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy that “the tongue of the mute will shout for joy” (Isaiah 35:6).

These healings also serve as powerful metaphors for spiritual transformation—just as Jesus gave speech to the physically mute, He enables His followers to speak forth His praise and proclaim His truth. The dramatic contrast between being ἄλαλος and receiving the ability to speak points to the transformative power of divine intervention in human lives.

Personal Application

When we encounter the term ἄλαλος in Scripture, we’re reminded that our ability to speak, praise, and proclaim truth is a gift from God. This understanding should foster gratitude for the gift of speech and sensitivity toward those who struggle with communication challenges. Moreover, we can see in these accounts an encouragement that no condition—physical, emotional, or spiritual—is beyond the Messiah’s power to heal.

These passages also challenge us to consider times when we remain silent when we should speak up for truth and justice, reminding us that the ability to speak carries with it a responsibility to use our voices for God’s glory and the benefit of others.

Related Words

• κωφός (kōphos) – deaf, mute – Often used alongside ἄλαλος to describe complete inability to hear or speak See G2974
• μογιλάλος (mogilalos) – speaking with difficulty – A related term describing partial speech impediment See G3424
• σιωπάω (siōpaō) – to be silent – Describes voluntary silence rather than inability to speak See G4623
• φιμόω (phimoō) – to muzzle, silence – Used for enforced silence See G5392

Did you Know?

• The condition of being ἄλαλος was often associated with demonic possession in ancient times, though the New Testament shows cases where it was purely physical in nature.
• Modern speech therapy has identified numerous conditions that might have been described as ἄλαλος in ancient times, including apraxia, dysarthria, and selective mutism, highlighting the broad range of conditions this term might have encompassed.
• The healing of the ἄλαλος in Mark’s Gospel is one of the few miracles where Jesus uses specific physical actions (putting His fingers in the man’s ears and touching his tongue) in the healing process, suggesting a particular intimacy in this type of healing.

Remember This

ἄλαλος reminds us that when human speech fails, divine power can restore voices to praise and proclaim the glory of God.