1 Corinthians · King James Version (with Apocrypha)
1 Corinthians 12 King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Now concerning spiritual [gifts], brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
1 Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant.
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
2 You know that when you were heathen, you were led away to those mute idols, however you might be led.
3 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.
3 Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is accursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but by the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
4 Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
5 There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
6 There are various kinds of workings, but the same God who works all things in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10 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:
10 and to another workings of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of languages, and to another the interpretation of languages.
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
11 But the one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.
12 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.
12 For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.
13 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.
13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
15 If the foot would say, “Because I’m not the hand, I’m not part of the body,” it is not therefore not part of the body.
16 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?
16 If the ear would say, “Because I’m not the eye, I’m not part of the body,” it’s not therefore not part of the body.
17 If the whole body [were] an eye, where [were] the hearing? If the whole [were] hearing, where [were] the smelling?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired.
19 And if they were all one member, where [were] the body?
19 If they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now [are they] many members, yet but one body.
20 But now they are many members, but one body.
21 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.
21 The eye can’t tell the hand, “I have no need for you,” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need for you.”
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
23 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.
23 Those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant modesty,
24 For our comely [parts] have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that [part] which lacked:
24 while our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part,
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but [that] the members should have the same care one for another.
25 that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
26 When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. When one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
28 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.
28 God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.
29 [Are] all apostles? [are] all prophets? [are] all teachers? [are] all workers of miracles?
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.
Cross references (30)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 14:1–18; 1 Corinthians 14:37
- 2 1 Peter 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; Psalm 115:5; Galatians 4:8; Ephesians 2:11–12
- 3 1 John 4:2–3; Matthew 16:16–17; Romans 10:9; 2 Corinthians 3:5; John 13:13
- 4 1 Peter 4:10; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Romans 12:4–6; Hebrews 2:4; 1 Corinthians 12:8–11
- 5 Ephesians 4:11–12; Romans 14:8–9; Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Matthew 23:10
- 6 1 Corinthians 3:7; John 5:17; 1 Corinthians 12:11; Hebrews 13:21; Ephesians 4:6
- 7 1 Peter 4:10–11; Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 14:19; 1 Corinthians 14:12; 1 Corinthians 14:17
- 8 Proverbs 2:6; 1 Corinthians 2:6–10; Ephesians 1:17–18; 2 Corinthians 8:7; Psalm 143:10
- 9 James 5:14–15; Ephesians 2:8; 2 Corinthians 4:13; Hebrews 11:33; Matthew 17:19–20
- 10 1 Corinthians 14:39; 1 John 4:1; Mark 16:17; 1 Corinthians 12:28–30; Joel 2:28
- 11 Hebrews 2:4; 1 Corinthians 12:4; 2 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Corinthians 12:6; Ephesians 4:7
- 12 Romans 12:4–5; Colossians 3:15; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:15–16; Colossians 2:19
- 13 Ephesians 4:5; Colossians 3:11; Galatians 3:28; John 7:37–39; Romans 6:3–6
- 14 1 Corinthians 12:27–28; 1 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 4:25; 1 Corinthians 12:19
- 15 Judges 9:8–15; 2 Kings 14:9
- 16 Romans 12:3; Philippians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 12:22; Romans 12:10
- 17 Psalm 139:13–16; Psalm 94:9; Proverbs 20:12; 1 Corinthians 12:21; 1 Corinthians 12:29
- 18 1 Corinthians 12:28; Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 12:11; 1 Corinthians 3:5; Luke 12:32
- 20 1 Corinthians 12:14; 1 Corinthians 12:12
- 21 Nehemiah 4:16–21; Ezra 10:1–5; Job 29:11
- 22 Proverbs 14:28; Ecclesiastes 9:14–15; Ecclesiastes 4:9–12; Ecclesiastes 5:9; 2 Corinthians 1:11
- 23 Genesis 3:21
- 24 Genesis 3:11; Genesis 2:25
- 25 2 Corinthians 13:11; 1 Corinthians 1:10–12; John 17:21–26; 2 Corinthians 8:16; 2 Corinthians 7:12
- 26 Romans 12:15; Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 13:3; 1 Peter 3:8
- 27 Ephesians 4:12; Ephesians 5:30; Romans 12:5; Colossians 1:24; 1 Corinthians 12:12
- 28 Ephesians 4:11–13; Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 12:18; 1 Corinthians 12:7–11; 1 Timothy 5:17
- 29 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; 1 Corinthians 12:14–20
- 30 1 Corinthians 12:10
- 31 1 Corinthians 13:1–14:1; 1 Corinthians 14:39; Philippians 3:8; Matthew 5:6; 1 Corinthians 8:1
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
This whole place is very obscure: but the obscurity is produced by our ignorance of the facts referred to and by their cessation, being such as then used to occur but now no longer take place. And why do they not happen now?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
Let us take our body for an example. The head is nothing without the feet, and the feet are nothing without the head; yea, the very smallest members of our body are necessary and useful to the whole body.
For although the Spirit of the Saviour that is in Him "searcheth all things, even the deep things of God," yet as to us "there are diversities of gifts, differences of administrations, and diversities of operations;" and we, while upon the earth, as Paul also declares, "know in part, and prophesy in part." Since, therefore, we know but in part, …
But I am not such a one, "for I am a sinful man." Yet do I also magnify Thy name; and He who hath "overcome the world" maketh intercession to Thee for my sins, accounting me among the "feeble members" of His body, because Thine eyes saw that of him which was imperfect; and in Thy book all shall be …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
"But covet earnestly," saith he, "the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way." And when he was to declare this "way," he spoke not of raising the dead, not of cleansing of lepers, not of any other such thing; but in place of all these he set charity.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)