1 Corinthians 12:4

Contextual Overview

¹ Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand about spiritual gifts. ¹ Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be uninformed. ¹ In spirituall thinges brethren I wolde not have you ignoraunt. ¹ Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I don't want you to be ignorant. ¹ Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I don't want you to be ignorant.1 Corinthians 14:1,37;">[xr] ¹ Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware. ¹ Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand about spiritual gifts. ¹ Now concerning spiritual [gifts], brothers, I would not have you ignorant. ¹ Now concerning spiritual [gifts], brethren, I would not have you ignorant. ¹ Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

there: 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, 1 Corinthians 12:28, Romans 12:4-6, Ephesians 4:4, Hebrews 2:4, 1 Peter 4:10

Reciprocal: Exodus 26:3 - coupled together Exodus 31:3 - filled Exodus 35:30 - See Exodus 35:31 - And he Exodus 35:35 - the cunning Numbers 4:47 - every one Numbers 11:17 - I will take Numbers 26:56 - General Numbers 27:18 - a man Judges 3:10 - the Spirit 1 Chronicles 26:8 - able men Isaiah 40:14 - understanding Haggai 1:14 - stirred Matthew 25:14 - and delivered Matthew 28:19 - the name Mark 13:34 - and to Romans 12:6 - then Romans 15:19 - by the 1 Corinthians 3:5 - even 1 Corinthians 4:7 - who 1 Corinthians 12:1 - spiritual 1 Corinthians 12:11 - all 1 Corinthians 12:29 - all apostles 2 Corinthians 3:8 - the ministration 2 Corinthians 11:4 - receive James 1:17 - good 1 Peter 4:11 - the ability 1 John 5:7 - The Father Revelation 1:4 - from the Revelation 2:7 - let him Revelation 4:5 - the seven

Cross-References

Genesis 11:27
Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot.

Genesis 11:27
Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran begot Lot.

Genesis 11:27
This is the family history of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot.

Genesis 11:27
This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.

Genesis 11:27
Now these [are] the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran: and Haran begat Lot.

Genesis 11:27
Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot.

Genesis 11:27
Now these are the records of the descendants of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram (Abraham), Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot.

Genesis 11:27
Sotheli these ben the generaciouns of Thare. Thare gendride Abram, Nachor, and Aran. Forsothe Aran gendride Loth;

Genesis 11:27
And these [are] births of Terah: Terah hath begotten Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran hath begotten Lot;

Genesis 11:27
This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now there are diversities of gifts,.... Of spiritual ones, as in 1 Corinthians 12:1 which spring from the free grace, and good will and pleasure of God, and are not owing to the merits of men; and therefore such who have the largest share of them should not boast of them as acquired by themselves, or be puffed up on account of them; and those who have the smallest measure should be content and thankful; for though the gifts are different, some have greater, and others lesser, none have all, but all have some, yet not alike:

but the same Spirit; is the author and giver of all as he pleases; the lesser gifts, and the smallest degree of them, come from the Spirit of God, as well as the greater. Gifts here seem to be the general name for all that follow; and

administrations and

operations are the two species of them; and of these a particular account is afterwards given.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now there are diversities of gifts - There are different endowments conferred on Christians. For the meaning of the word “gifts,” see the note at Romans 1:11; compare Romans 5:15-16; Romans 6:23; Romans 11:29; Rom 12:6; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 7:7.

But the same Spirit - Produced by the same Spirit - the Holy Spirit. What those diversities of gifts are, the apostle enumerates in 1 Corinthians 12:8-11. The design for which he refers to these various endowments is evidently to show those whom he addressed, that since they are all produced by the same Holy Spirit, have all the same divine origin, and are all intended to answer some important purpose and end in the Christian church, that, therefore, none are to be despised; nor is one man to regard himself as authorized to treat another with contempt. The Spirit has divided and conferred those gifts according to his sovereign will; and his arrangements should be regarded with submission, and the favors which he confers should be received with thankfulness. That the Holy Spirit - the third person of the adorable Trinity - is here intended by the word “Spirit,” seems to be manifest on the face of the passage, and has been the received interpretation of the church until it was called in question by some recent German commentators, at the head of whom was Eichhorn. It is not the design of these notes to go into an examination of questions of criticism, such as an inquiry like this would involve. Nor is it necessary. Some of the arguments by which the common interpretation is defended are the following:

(1) It is the obvious interpretation. It is that which occurs to the great mass of readers, as the true and correct exposition.

(2) It accords with the usual meaning of the word Spirit. No other intelligible sense can be given to the word here. To say, with Eichhorn, that it means “nature,” that there are the same natural endowments, though cultivated in various measures by art and education, makes manifest nonsense, and is contrary to the whole structure and scope of the passage.

(3) It accords with all the other statements in the New Testament, where the endowments here referred to “wisdom,” “knowledge,” “faith,” “working of miracles,” etc., are traced to the Holy Spirit, and are regarded as his gift.

(4) The harmony, the concinnity of the passage is destroyed by supposing that it refers to anything else than the Holy Spirit. In this verse the agency of the Spirit is recognized, and his operations on the mind referred to; in the next verse the agency of the Son of God (see the note on the verse) is referred to; and in the following verse, the agency of God - evidently the Father - is brought into view; and thus the entire passage 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 presents a connected view of the operations performed by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the work of redemption. To deny that this verse refers to the Holy Spirit is to break up the harmony of the whole passage, and to render it in no small degree unmeaning. But if this refers to the Holy Spirit, then it is an unanswerable argument for his personality, and for his being on an equality with the Father and the Son.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 12:4. There are diversities of gifts — χαρισματωνυ Gracious endowments, leading to miraculous results; such as the gift of prophecy, speaking different tongues, &c. And these all came by the extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit.