1 Corinthians 12
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
1 Corinthians chapter 12 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
4 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint John Chrysostom.
1 Corinthians 12
1Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.Περὶ δὲ τῶν πνευματικῶν, ἀδελφοί, οὐ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν.
2You know that when you were pagans, how you were led astray, being carried away to these speechless idols.Οἴδατε ὅτι ὅτε ἔθνη ἦτε πρὸς τὰ εἴδωλα τὰ ἄφωνα, ὡς ἂν ἤγεσθε, ἀπαγόμενοι.
3Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.Διὸ γνωρίζω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἐν Πνεύματι Θεοῦ λαλῶν λέγει Ἀνάθεμα Ἰησοῦν· καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν, Κύριον Ἰησοῦν, εἰ μὴ ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ.
4Now there are varieties of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit.Διαιρέσεις δὲ χαρισμάτων εἰσί, τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα.
5And there are varieties of ministries, but the same Lord.Καὶ διαιρέσεις διακονιῶν εἰσι, καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς Κύριος.
6And there are varieties of activities, but the same God works all in all.Καὶ διαιρέσεις ἐνεργημάτων εἰσίν, ὁ δὲ αὐτός ἐστι Θεός, ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν.
7But to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the profit of all.Ἑκάστῳ δὲ δίδοται ἡ φανέρωσις τοῦ Πνεύματος πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον.
8For to one is given a word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit,ᾯ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος δίδοται λόγος σοφίας, ἄλλῳ δὲ λόγος γνώσεως, κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα·
9and to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,ἑτέρῳ δὲ πίστις, ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ Πνεύματι· ἄλλῳ δὲ χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ Πνεύματι·
10to another the working of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, and to another different kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues.ἄλλῳ δὲ ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων, ἄλλῳ δὲ προφητεία, ἄλλῳ δὲ διακρίσεις πνευμάτων, ἑτέρῳ δὲ γένη γλωσσῶν, ἄλλῳ δὲ ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν·
11But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἐνεργεῖ τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα, διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ καθὼς βούλεται.
12For just as the body is one and has many parts, but all the parts of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.Καθάπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα ἕν ἐστι, καὶ μέλη ἔχει πολλά, πάντα δὲ τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος τοῦ ἑνός, πολλὰ ὄντα, ἕν ἐστι σῶμα· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Χριστός.
13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given to drink into one Spirit.Καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ Πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες, εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι· καὶ πάντες εἰς ἓν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν.
14For in fact the body is not one part but many.Καὶ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα οὐκ ἔστιν ἓν μέλος ἀλλὰ πολλά.
15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?Ἐὰν εἴπῃ ὁ πούς, Ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ χείρ, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ σώματος· οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος;
16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?Καὶ ἐὰν εἴπῃ τὸ οὖς, Ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὀφθαλμός, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ σώματος· οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος;
17If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?Εἰ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα ὀφθαλμός, ποῦ ἡ ἀκοή; Εἰ ὅλον ἀκοή, ποῦ ἡ ὄσφρησις;
18But now God has set the parts, each one of them, in the body just as He desired.Νυνὶ δὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἔθετο τὰ μέλη ἓν ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ σώματι, καθὼς ἠθέλησεν.
19And if they were all one part, where would be the body?Εἰ δὲ ἦν τὰ πάντα ἓν μέλος, ποῦ τὸ σῶμα;
20But now indeed there are many parts, but one body.Νῦν δὲ πολλὰ μὲν μέλη, ἓν δὲ σῶμα.
21And the 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.”Οὐ δύναται δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς εἰπεῖν τῇ χειρί, Χρείαν σου οὐκ ἔχω· ἢ πάλιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῖς ποσί, Χρείαν ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔχω.
22But to a greater degree the parts of the body which seem weaker are necessary.Ἀλλὰ πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὰ δοκοῦντα μέλη τοῦ σώματος ἀσθενέστερα ὑπάρχειν, ἀναγκαῖά ἐστι·
23And the parts of the body which we consider to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater propriety.καὶ ἃ δοκοῦμεν ἀτιμότερα εἶναι τοῦ σώματος, τούτοις τιμὴν περισσοτέραν περιτίθεμεν· καὶ τὰ ἀσχήμονα ἡμῶν εὐσχημοσύνην περισσοτέραν ἔχει·
24But our presentable parts have no need. But God has united the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacks it,τὰ δὲ εὐσχήμονα ἡμῶν οὐ χρείαν ἔχει· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Θεὸς συνεκέρασε τὸ σῶμα, τῷ ὑστεροῦντι περισσοτέραν δοὺς τιμήν,
25lest there be divisions in the body, but the parts care the same for one another.ἵνα μὴ ᾖ σχίσματα ἐν τῷ σώματι, ἀλλὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ὑπὲρ ἀλλήλων μεριμνῶσι τὰ μέλη.
26And if one part suffers, all the parts suffer together; or if one part is honored, all the parts rejoice together.Καὶ εἴτε πάσχει ἓν μέλος, συμπάσχει πάντα τὰ μέλη· εἴτε δοξάζεται ἓν μέλος, συγχαίρει πάντα τὰ μέλη.
27Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.Ὑμεῖς δέ ἐστε σῶμα Χριστοῦ, καὶ μέλη ἐκ μέρους.
28And those whom God has appointed in the church are: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, kinds of tongues.Καὶ οὓς μὲν ἔθετο ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ πρῶτον ἀποστόλους, δεύτερον προφήτας, τρίτον διδασκάλους, ἔπειτα δυνάμεις, εἶτα χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων, ἀντιλήψεις, κυβερνήσεις, γένη γλωσσῶν.
29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?Μὴ πάντες ἀπόστολοι; Μὴ πάντες προφῆται; Μὴ πάντες διδάσκαλοι; Μὴ πάντες δυνάμεις;
30Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?Μὴ πάντες χαρίσματα ἔχουσιν ἰαμάτων; Μὴ πάντες γλώσσαις λαλοῦσι; Μὴ πάντες διερμηνεύουσι;
31But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.Ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ χαρίσματα τὰ κρείττονα. Καὶ ἔτι καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῖν δείκνυμι.
The Fathers on 1 Corinthians 12
Saint John Chrysostom comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On 1 Corinthians 12:1–2Saint John ChrysostomNow concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that when ye were Gentiles, ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led.
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians →
On 1 Corinthians 12:12Saint John ChrysostomFor as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians →
On 1 Corinthians 12:21Saint John ChrysostomAnd the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians →
On 1 Corinthians 12:27Open 1 Corinthians 12 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint John ChrysostomNow ye are the body of Christ and severally members thereof.
Read Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians →