1 Corinthians 12 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

Spiritual Gifts

1Co 12:1Now concerning[fn] spiritual gifts,[fn] brothers,[fn] I do not want you to be uninformed.

1Co 12:2You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.

1Co 12:3Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

1Co 12:4

1Co 12:4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;

1Co 12:5

1Co 12:5and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;

1Co 12:6

1Co 12:6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

1Co 12:7

1Co 12:7To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1Co 12:8

1Co 12:8For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

1Co 12:9

1Co 12:9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

1Co 12:10

1Co 12:10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

1Co 12:11

1Co 12:11All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

One Body with Many Members

(cf. Eph 4:1–16 )

1Co 12:12

1Co 12:12For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

1Co 12:13

1Co 12:13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[fn] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

1Co 12:14

1Co 12:14For the body does not consist of one member but of many.

1Co 12:15

1Co 12:15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.

1Co 12:16

1Co 12:16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.

1Co 12:17

1Co 12:17If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?

1Co 12:18

1Co 12:18But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

1Co 12:19

1Co 12:19If all were a single member, where would the body be?

1Co 12:20

1Co 12:20As it is, there are many parts,[fn] yet one body.

1Co 12:21

1Co 12:21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

1Co 12:22

1Co 12:22On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,

1Co 12:23

1Co 12:23and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,

1Co 12:24

1Co 12:24which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,

1Co 12:25

1Co 12:25that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

1Co 12:26

1Co 12:26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

1Co 12:27

1Co 12:27Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

1Co 12:28

1Co 12:28And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

1Co 12:29

1Co 12:29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

1Co 12:30

1Co 12:30Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

1Co 12:31

1Co 12:31But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

See the ESV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

ESV Footnotes

(12:1)

The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians’ letter; see 7:1

(12:1)

Or spiritual persons

(12:1)

Or brothers and sisters

(12:13)

For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface

(12:20)

Or members; also verse 22

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For more information on this translation, see the ESV Preface.