1 Corinthians 12

Now about the gifts the Holy Spirit gives, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.

1Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

NoteThe King James "spiritual gifts" translates a single Greek word (pneumatikon) that means "spiritual things" or possibly "spiritual people"; the word "gifts" is not in the Greek at this point. Paul introduces the actual word for gifts (charismata) in verse 4. "Brethren" is the ordinary Greek way of addressing a whole congregation, women included.

2You know that back when you were pagans, you were pulled in and led away to idols that cannot speak.

2Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

Note"Gentiles" translates a word meaning the nations, that is, everyone who is not Jewish; here it points to the readers' former life as pagans, before they joined this assembly. "Dumb" in 1611 English meant unable to speak and carried no suggestion of stupidity: the contrast is with a Spirit who speaks, in the next verse. The middle of the sentence, "carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led," is awkward in Greek as well, and translators differ on exactly what it describes.

3So I want you to understand this: no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

3Wherefore 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.

Note"Accursed" renders anathema, a formal curse that hands a person or thing over to destruction; it was a public, legal-sounding word, not mere bad language. "Lord" renders kyrios, the word the Greek Old Testament uses in place of God's name, and also the everyday title given to a slave owner and to the Roman emperor. "Holy Ghost" is not a different being from the "Spirit of God" earlier in the verse: ghost in 1611 simply meant spirit, and both phrases translate the same Greek word.

4There are different kinds of gifts, but they come from the same Spirit.

4Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

Note"Diversities" means varieties, different kinds. "Gifts" here is charismata, built on the word for grace or favor: something handed over freely rather than earned or bought.

5There are different kinds of service, but they are for the same Lord.

5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

Note"Administrations" does not mean management or paperwork. The Greek word is diakoniai, acts of service or waiting on others; it is the root behind the English word deacon.

6There are different ways of working, but it is the same God who works all of them in all people.

6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

Note"Operations" translates a Greek word meaning activities, things being worked or brought about. "Worketh all in all" means works all of these things in all people.

7The Spirit shows himself in each person in some way, and that is given for the good of everyone.

7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Note"Manifestation" means a making visible: the Spirit becoming evident in a person where others can see it. "To profit withal" is 1611 English for "to profit with," that is, for the benefit of the group, not for the individual's own advantage.

8To one person the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To another the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge.

8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

Note"The word of wisdom" and "the word of knowledge" use logos, which here means a message or an utterance, something spoken aloud in the meeting, rather than a single word.

9To another he gives faith, by the same Spirit. To another he gives gifts of healing, by that one Spirit.

9To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10To another, the power to do miracles. To another, prophecy. To another, the ability to tell one spirit from another. To another, different kinds of tongues. To another, the ability to explain what is said in tongues.

10To 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:

Note"Discerning of spirits" means telling apart the sources behind inspired speech, judging which spirit is speaking. "Divers" is the older spelling of diverse, meaning various; it has nothing to do with diving. "Tongues" translates glossa, which means both the organ in the mouth and a language. Whether Paul has in mind actual human languages or unintelligible ecstatic speech is disputed, and the Greek word leaves both open; "interpretation" can likewise mean either translating or explaining.

11All of these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who hands them out to each person separately, as he chooses.

11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

Note"Severally" means separately, to each person individually. "As he will" means as he chooses, the decision resting with the Spirit rather than with the recipient.

12The body is one thing, and it has many parts. All those many parts still make up one body. It is the same with Christ.

12For 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.

Note"Members" throughout this chapter means limbs and organs, the parts of a physical body. It has nothing to do with membership in a club or an organization. The comparison of a community to a human body was a stock image in Greek and Roman political speech, usually used to tell the lower ranks to stay in their place; Paul turns it in the opposite direction in verses 22 to 25.

13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Greeks, slaves or free. And we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

13For 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.

NoteThe Greek verb behind "baptized" means to dip or immerse. "Gentiles" here translates a different word from the one in verse 2: it is Hellenes, Greeks, and "Jews or Greeks" was a standard shorthand for everybody. "Bond" means enslaved, the opposite of free. "Made to drink into one Spirit" is a strained rendering of a Greek phrase meaning we were all given one Spirit to drink, or possibly all watered with one Spirit, as a field is irrigated.

14The body is not made of one part, but of many.

14For the body is not one member, but many.

15Suppose the foot said, "Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body." That would not make it any less a part of the body.

15If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

16And suppose the ear said, "Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body." That would not make it any less a part of the body.

16And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

17If the whole body were an eye, how would it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how would it smell?

17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

Note"Where were the hearing" is old English for "where would the hearing be." "Hearing" and "smelling" stand in for the ear and the nose, the body parts that do those jobs.

18But in fact God has placed each one of the parts in the body, arranged just as he wanted.

18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

Note"As it hath pleased him" means as he decided, according to his own choice, not as it gave him pleasure.

19If they were all one part, where would the body be?

19And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

20But now are they many members, yet but one body.

21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you." And the head cannot say to the feet, "I do not need you."

21And 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.

NoteThe King James pronouns preserve a distinction the Greek has and modern English has lost. "I have no need of thee" to the hand is singular, addressed to one part; "I have no need of you" to the feet is plural, addressed to two.

22Just the opposite: the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we cannot do without.

22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

Note"Feeble" means weaker, less robust. "Necessary" here carries the stronger sense of indispensable, the parts you cannot do without.

23The parts we think are less worthy of respect are the ones we give the most respect to. The parts we do not show in public are the ones we cover with the most care.

23And 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.

Note"Uncomely" and "comeliness" are about presentability, not ugliness: the uncomely parts are the ones kept covered in public, the genitals in particular. The "more abundant honour" bestowed on them is the clothing that hides them. Honor and shame in this culture were public matters of standing and display, so dressing a part was literally treating it with honor.

24The parts we can show need none of that. But God put the body together and gave greater honor to the part that was lacking it,

24For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

Note"Tempered the body together" uses a Greek word for blending or mixing ingredients into a single compound. "That part which lacked" means the part that was short on honor.

25so that the body would not split into factions, but the parts would care for each other in the same way.

25That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

Note"Schism" translates schisma, which means a tear or a split, as in torn cloth. It is the same word Paul used at the start of this letter for the rival factions in the Corinthian assembly, so the body image is aimed at a specific quarrel, not offered as a general principle.

26If one part hurts, every part hurts with it. If one part is honored, every part is glad with it.

26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Note"Members in particular" means that each one of you is individually a part of it, rather than that you are parts in some partial or limited way.

28And in the church God has appointed, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then miracles; then gifts of healing; then those who help others, those who guide and organize, and different kinds of tongues.

28And 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.

Note"Apostles" means those sent out, envoys or delegates. "Prophets" in this setting means people who speak a message from God to the gathered assembly; predicting the future is only one possible form of that. "Helps" translates a word for acts of support or relief, the sort given to people in need. "Governments" translates a word taken from steering a ship, so it means piloting, guiding, keeping the group on course, not government in the political sense. Note also that the numbering stops after "thirdly": the remaining items are listed without rank.

29Are all of them apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

29Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

NoteIn Greek these questions are phrased in the form that expects the answer no. The King James word order keeps the questions but loses that signal.

30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all explain what is said in tongues?

30Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

31But keep on wanting the greater gifts. And now I will show you a way that is better than all of these.

31But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Note"Covet" in 1611 English simply meant to desire strongly, with no necessary suggestion of wrongdoing. Two ambiguities sit in this verse. The Greek verb form is identical for a command ("desire the greater gifts") and a statement ("you are desiring the greater gifts"), so readers have long disagreed about which Paul meant. And manuscripts differ between "greater" and "best." "Shew" is the old spelling of show; the "more excellent way" is what chapter 13 goes on to describe.