1 Corinthians · Unlocked Literal Bible
1 Corinthians 12 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 About spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
1 Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant.
2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to idols who could not speak, in whatever ways you were led by them.
2 You know that when you were heathen, you were led away to those mute idols, however you might be led.
3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who speaks by the Spirit of God can say, “Jesus is accursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
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 different gifts, but the same Spirit.
4 Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are different ministries, but the same Lord;
5 There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord.
6 and there are different kinds of work, but it is the same God who makes them possible in everyone.
6 There are various kinds of workings, but the same God who works all things in all.
7 Now to each one is given the outward display of the Spirit for the benefit of all.
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, and 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 is given faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit.
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10 To another is given deeds of power, and to another prophecy. To another is given the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and 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 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, giving the gifts to each one individually, as he chooses.
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 has many members and all are members of the same body, so it is with 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 we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bound or free, and all were made to drink of 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 a single member, but many.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot says, “Since I am not the hand, I am not part of the body,” it is not any less a part 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 says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body,” it is not any less a part 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 would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
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 God arranged each part of the body as he designed it.
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired.
19 If they were all the same member, where would the body be?
19 If they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 So now they are many members, but only one body.
20 But now they are many members, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you.” Nor does the head say 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 But the members of the body that appear to be weaker are essential,
22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
23 and the parts of the body that we think are less honorable, we give them greater honor, and our unpresentable members have more dignity.
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 Now our presentable members have no need to be treated with dignity, for they already have dignity. But God has joined all the members together, and he gave more honor to those that lacked it.
24 while our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part,
25 He did this so there may be no division within the body, but that the members should care for one another with the same affection.
25 that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
26 So when one member suffers, all the members suffer together; or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice together.
26 When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. When one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then those who do powerful deeds, then gifts of healing, those who provide helps, those who do the work of administration, and those who have various kinds 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 of them apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do powerful deeds?
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers?
30 Do all of them have gifts of healing? Do all of them speak with tongues? Do all of them interpret tongues?
30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret?
31 Zealously seek the greater gifts. But I will show 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)