1 Corinthians · 31 verses
1 Corinthians 12
Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.
The chapter
What happens here
Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.
A foot objects to being a foot, an ear objects to being an ear, and an all-eye body is left wondering where hearing went.
Many gifts, one Spiritvv. 1–11
The opening concern is spiritual gifts, but it begins with a sharp before-and-after: once pagans, they were led astray by mute idols. The test is remarkably small and verbal: one utterance curses Jesus, another calls Him Lord, and the Holy Spirit makes the difference. Then comes a splendidly crowded inventory—wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, and interpretation—all apportioned by the same Spirit.
The body argues with itselfvv. 12–27
The unity of the body soon acquires voices. A foot objects that it is not a hand; an ear objects that it is not an eye; and the imagined whole body becomes either one enormous eye or one enormous ear, with hearing or smell consequently missing. The anatomy then turns coy: weaker parts are indispensable, less honorable parts receive greater honor, and “our unpresentable parts” are given “special modesty.” The conclusion is bodily rather than tidy: one part suffers, and all suffer; one is honored, and all rejoice.
An order, then an openingvv. 28–31
The church receives an order of appointments: apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, gifts of healing, helping, administration, and tongues. A brisk run of questions follows, each asking whether everyone can be the same sort of member; the answer is left hanging in the questions themselves. Then, after all that cataloguing, the ending points beyond the chapter: “the most excellent way” is promised, but not yet shown.
The text
Read it
Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.
1 Cor 12:1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
1 Cor 12:2You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.
1 Cor 12:3Therefore I inform you that 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.
1 Cor 12:4There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.
1 Cor 12:5There are different ministries, but the same Lord.
1 Cor 12:6There are different ways of working, but the same God works all things in all people.
1 Cor 12:7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
1 Cor 12:8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit,
1 Cor 12:9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
1 Cor 12:10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
1 Cor 12:11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who apportions them to each one as He determines.
1 Cor 12:12The body is a unit, though it is composed of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ.
1 Cor 12:13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.
1 Cor 12:14For the body does not consist of one part, but of many.
1 Cor 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.
1 Cor 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.
1 Cor 12:17If 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?
1 Cor 12:18But in fact, God has arranged the members of the body, every one of them, according to His design.
1 Cor 12:19If they were all one part, where would the body be?
1 Cor 12:20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
1 Cor 12:21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you.” Nor can the head say to the feet, “I do not need you.”
1 Cor 12:22On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
1 Cor 12:23and the parts we consider less honorable, we treat with greater honor. And our unpresentable parts are treated with special modesty,
1 Cor 12:24whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God has composed the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
1 Cor 12:25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have mutual concern for one another.
1 Cor 12:26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
1 Cor 12:27Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it.
1 Cor 12:28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.
1 Cor 12:29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
1 Cor 12:30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
1 Cor 12:31But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
01 — Also here
Who else the chapter reaches
Names written in the English are linked in the text above. These are the ones that are not: an entity the Hebrew or Greek names under a spelling the translation does not use, or one reached only by an assertion about a verse of this chapter.
Named in the Hebrew or Greek somewhere in this chapter, under a form the English renders differently — the registry's Ludim against the translation's Ludites — so there is no word in the sentence to hang the link on.
02 — Read alongside
Where this is echoed
Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 294 passages were voted onto 30 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.
- 12Romans 12:4–5Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function,
- 31 John 4:2–3By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
- 28Ephesians 4:11–13And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
- 71 Peter 4:10–11As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.
- 12Colossians 3:15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.
- 121 Corinthians 12:27Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it.
- 13Ephesians 4:5one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
- 28Romans 12:6–8We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;
- 12Ephesians 4:15–16Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.
- 27Ephesians 4:12to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,
- 13Colossians 3:11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
- 13Galatians 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
- 101 Corinthians 14:39So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
- 27Ephesians 5:30For we are members of His body.
- 311 Corinthians 13:1–1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.
- 41 Corinthians 12:28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.
Onward