BOOK 46 OF 66 · PAULINE EPISTLES · KING JAMES BIBLE

1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians book home•Chapter 12 of 16•31 verses

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1 Corinthians 12 Overview

Paul explains that spiritual gifts come from the same Spirit, ministries from the same Lord, and operations from the same God. The Spirit distributes diverse gifts for the common good, while all believers form one body in Christ whose members need one another.

1 CorinthiansBook

12Chapter

31Verses

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Before you read 1 Corinthians 12

Coming from

Paul addresses headship, men and women in prayer/prophesying, hair and covering customs, and then sharply rebukes abuses of the Lord’s supper. Their gatherings magnify social division and selfishness instead of proclaiming the Lord’s death, so some have experienced serious temporal chastening.

In this chapter

Leads into

Paul places charity above eloquence, prophecy, knowledge, faith, sacrificial giving, and dramatic self-denial. Without love, impressive gifts amount to nothing. Charity is then described by its actions and attitudes, and Paul contrasts temporary partial gifts with the enduring realities of faith, hope, and charity.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The chapter is Trinitarian in shape: Spirit, Lord, and God are distinguished yet united in divine work.

‘By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body’ describes Spirit baptism into Christ’s body, not water baptism as the condition for eternal life.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Diversity of gifts comes from one divine source

Different functions should not become grounds for pride or inferiority.

Every member matters to the body

The eye cannot dismiss the hand, nor can one member declare itself unnecessary.

The Spirit sovereignly distributes gifts

No believer can demand a particular gift as proof of salvation.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Romans 12:3–8

Paul also compares believers to one body with differing gifts.

Ephesians 4:4–16

Ephesians joins one-body unity with gifts given for ministry and maturity.

1 Corinthians 14

Paul will regulate the public use of prophecy and tongues within gathered worship.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not make one spiritual gift a universal evidence of salvation

Paul explicitly says gifts differ and asks rhetorically whether all speak with tongues.

Do not confuse Spirit baptism with water baptism

The agent here is the Spirit placing believers into one body.

Do not use giftedness as a measure of spiritual superiority

Chapter 13 immediately places charity above spectacular gifts.

Read 1 Corinthians 12 watching for…

The repeated words same Spirit, same Lord, same God.

Why gifts are given.

The body-member analogies.

Which parts receive special honor.

Paul’s rhetorical questions about whether all have the same gift.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-11The Spirit gives different gifts while confessing Jesus as Lord 12-27The church is one body with many members that need one another 28-31God appoints different functions in the church, and believers are directed toward a more excellent way

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

For the body is not one member, but many.

If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

And if they were all one member, where were the body?

But now are they many members, yet but one body.

And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

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1 Corinthians 12:15

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