---
title: "1 Corinthians 12 - Study King James Bible with commentary critical and explanatory on the whole bible"
description: "Read 1 Corinthians 12 with commentary critical and explanatory on the whole bible commentary. 1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye"
image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/1-corinthians/12"
---

[ Read](/kjv/1-corinthians/12)[ Commentary](/study/1-corinthians/12)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/1-corinthians/12) Audio

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 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.

 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.

 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?

 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?

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

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

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

 20 But now *are they* many members, yet 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.

 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, 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.

 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:

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

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

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

 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.

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

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

 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
 
[1 Corinthians 11](/study/1-corinthians/11) [1 Corinthians 13](/study/1-corinthians/13)

## Commentary

 To verse 1
 
**1. spiritual gifts**—the signs
of the Spirit's continued efficacious presence in the Church, which
is Christ's body, the complement of His incarnation, as the body is
the complement of the head. By the love which pervades the whole, the
gifts of the several members, forming reciprocal complements to each
other, tend to the one object of perfecting the body of Christ. The
ordinary and permanent gifts are comprehended together with the
extraordinary, without distinction specified, as both alike flow from
the divine indwelling Spirit of life. The extraordinary gifts, so far
from making professors more peculiarly *saints* than in our day,
did not always even *prove* that such persons were in a safe
state at all ([Matthew 7:22](/kjv/matthew/7/22)). They
were needed at first in the Church: (1) as a pledge to Christians
themselves who had just passed over from Judaism or heathendom, that
God was in the Church; (2) for the propagation of Christianity in the
world; (3) for the edification of the Church. Now that we have the
whole *written* New Testament (which they had not) and
Christianity established as the result of the miracles, we need no
further miracle to attest the truth. So the pillar of cloud which
guided the Israelites was withdrawn when they were sufficiently
assured of the Divine Presence, the manifestation of God's glory
being thenceforward enclosed in the Most Holy Place [ARCHBISHOP
WHATELY]. Paul sets forth
in order: (1). The unity of the body ([Matthew 7:22](/kjv/matthew/7/22)- :). (2). The variety of its members and functions ([Matthew 7:22](/kjv/matthew/7/22)- :). (3). The grand principle for the right exercise of the
gifts, namely, love ([1 Corinthians 12:31](/kjv/1-corinthians/12/31);
[1 Corinthians 13:1-13](/kjv/1-corinthians/13/1-13)). (4) The
comparison of the gifts with one another ([1 Corinthians 13:1-46](/kjv/1-corinthians/13/1-46).13.13- :). 

**I would not have you
ignorant**—with all your boasts of "knowledge" at
Corinth. If ignorant now, it will be your own fault, not mine ([1 Corinthians 13:1-46](/kjv/1-corinthians/13/1-46).13.13- :).

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