1 Corinthians 12

Concerning the spiritual things — no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit. Distributions of gifts, services, workings — but the same Spirit, Lord, God. A word of wisdom, of knowledge, faith, healings, powers, prophecy, distinctions of spirits, languages, translation — one Spirit divides as he wills. The body is one and the members many — we were all baptized into one body in one Spirit. The foot and the ear cannot say they are not of the body; the eye cannot tell the hand it has no need. The weaker are necessary; the unseemly are wrapped in more honour. If one member suffers, all suffer together. First apostles, second prophets, third teachers … be zealous for the greater gifts — I show you a way beyond measure.

Περὶ δὲ τῶν πνευματικῶν, ἀδελφοί, οὐ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν.

Now concerning the spiritual things, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

οἴδατε ὅτι ὅτε ἔθνη ἦτε πρὸς τὰ εἴδωλα τὰ ἄφωνα ὡς ἂν ἤγεσθε ἀπαγόμενοι.

You know that when you were nations, you were led away to the voiceless idols, however you were led.

διὸ γνωρίζω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἐν πνεύματι θεοῦ λαλῶν λέγει· Ἀνάθεμα ⸀Ἰησοῦς, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν· ⸂Κύριος Ἰησοῦς⸃ εἰ μὴ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ.

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking in the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except in the Holy Spirit.

first here Jesus Ἰησοῦς Iēsous

Διαιρέσεις δὲ χαρισμάτων εἰσίν, τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα·

Now there are distributions of gifts of grace, but the same Spirit;

Why this rendering

1Cor.12.4 Observation

Syntactic observation

Διαιρέσεις δὲ χαρισμάτων εἰσίν, τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα· καὶ διαιρέσεις διακονιῶν εἰσιν, καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς κύριος· καὶ διαιρέσεις ἐνεργημάτων εἰσίν, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς θεός, ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν — there are distributions of gifts of grace, but the same Spirit; distributions of services, and the same Lord; distributions of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. Three lines share one frame — διαιρέσεις (distributions) · a genitive noun · ὁ αὐτός (the same) · Spirit / Lord / God. διαίρεσις occurs in the New Testament only in these three verses and is the noun of διαιροῦν in v.11 (dividing) — the verb by which the father ‘divided’ the property in Luke 15:12. English distributions / dividing does not keep the root. ἐνέργημα (working) likewise occurs only in vv.6 and 10 and is the noun of ἐνεργέω (work; Rom 7:5) — ‘workings … who works’. φανέρωσις in v.7 (manifestation) is the noun of φανερόω (manifest), a New Testament word of two sites. Verses 8-10 set out nine gifts on ᾧ μέν … ἄλλῳ δέ … ἑτέρῳ … ἄλλῳ, mixing ἄλλος and ἕτερος — English has ‘another’ for both, so the alternation is lost (a recorded loss). In γένη γλωσσῶν (kinds of languages) and ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν (translation of languages) in v.10, γλῶσσα follows the rule of Acts 2:4 (‘in other languages’) and is ‘language’, apart from the ‘tongue’ of the body (Rom 3:13).

Rendering options · 2

Adopted

“language” — γλῶσσα as in Acts 2:4

Basis Acts 2:4, 10:46 and 19:6 have ‘language’; 13:1 ‘the languages of men and of angels’ continues the same word.

“tongues”

Basis The familiar church term.

Rejected ‘Tongues’ hides that the word is ‘language’; Acts 2:8 ‘our own language in which we were born’ fixes the sense, and the Acts thread would break.

Lost in translation

διαίρεσις (vv.4-6) ↔ διαιρέω (v.11) — ‘distributions / dividing’ do not share a root in English.

Survives in · this edition — 1 of the nine carry it (not this language)

ἄλλος ↔ ἕτερος (vv.8-10) — two words for ‘another’ are one in English.

this edition — none of the nine carries it (measured)

καὶ διαιρέσεις διακονιῶν εἰσιν, καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς κύριος·

and there are distributions of services, and the same Lord;

καὶ διαιρέσεις ἐνεργημάτων εἰσίν, ⸂ὁ δὲ⸃ ⸀αὐτὸς θεός, ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν.

and there are distributions of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all.

ἑκάστῳ δὲ δίδοται ἡ φανέρωσις τοῦ πνεύματος πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον.

But to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for what is profitable.

ᾧ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος δίδοται λόγος σοφίας, ἄλλῳ δὲ λόγος γνώσεως κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα,

For to one is given through the Spirit a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

⸀ἑτέρῳ πίστις ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι, ⸀ἄλλῳ χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων ἐν τῷ ⸀ἑνὶ πνεύματι,

to another faith in the same Spirit, to another gifts of grace of healings in the one Spirit,

⸀ἄλλῳ ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων, ⸁ἄλλῳ προφητεία, ⸀1ἄλλῳ διακρίσεις πνευμάτων, ⸀ἑτέρῳ γένη γλωσσῶν, ⸀2ἄλλῳ ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν·

to another workings of powers, to another prophecy, to another distinctions of spirits, to another kinds of languages, to another translation of languages.

πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἐνεργεῖ τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα, διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ καθὼς βούλεται.

But all these things the one and the same Spirit works, dividing to each individually as he wills.

Καθάπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα ἕν ἐστιν καὶ μέλη ⸂πολλὰ ἔχει⸃, πάντα δὲ τὰ μέλη τοῦ ⸀σώματος πολλὰ ὄντα ἕν ἐστιν σῶμα, οὕτως καὶ ὁ Χριστός·

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

first here Christ Χριστός Christos

καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες, εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι, καὶ ⸀πάντες ἓν πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν.

For indeed in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.

first here Jews Ἰουδαῖος Ioudaios

first here Greeks Ἕλλην Hellēn

Why this rendering

1Cor.12.13 Observation

Syntactic observation

καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες, εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι, καὶ πάντες ἓν πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν — for indeed in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink. εἷς (one) comes fourteen times in vv.12-27 — one body, one Spirit, one member. Verse 13 pairs two passives — ἐβαπτίσθημεν (were baptized) and ἐποτίσθημεν (were given to drink). ποτίζω is the verb of Matt 10:42 (‘give to drink’) and 1 Cor 3:6 (‘watered’) — ‘were given one Spirit to drink’. εἰς ἓν σῶμα is the idiom of Rom 6:3 (‘into Christ’) and 1 Cor 10:2 (‘into Moses’). In vv.15-16 the foot and the ear speak, in v.21 the eye and the head — this edition keeps the direct speech opened by ὅτι as quotation. ἀκοή in v.17 (hearing; Rom 10:17 ‘from hearing’) and ὄσφρησις (smelling — only here in the New Testament) set the senses up as nouns. ἔθετο ὁ θεός (God has set) in vv.18 and 28 joins body and assembly in one verb.

Rendering options · 2

Adopted

“were given one Spirit to drink” — ποτίζω as fixed

Basis As fixed in Matt 10:42 and 1 Cor 3:6; two passives, baptized and given to drink, are a pair.

“were all made to share one Spirit”

Basis A paraphrase by sense.

Rejected The picture of drinking vanishes and the link to ‘watered’ in 3:6-8 breaks.

Lost in translation

εἷς (fourteen times in vv.12-27) — ‘one’ stands as one word throughout.

Survives in · this edition — 2 of the nine carry it (this language among them)

ἐβαπτίσθημεν ↔ ἐποτίσθημεν (v.13) — the two passives pair as ‘were baptized … were given to drink’.

Survives in · this edition — 2 of the nine carry it (this language among them)

Καὶ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα οὐκ ἔστιν ἓν μέλος ἀλλὰ πολλά.

For indeed the body is not one member but many.

ἐὰν εἴπῃ ὁ πούς· Ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ χείρ, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ σώματος, οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος;

If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” it is not for this reason 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·

And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” it is not for this reason not of the body.

εἰ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα ὀφθαλμός, ποῦ ἡ ἀκοή; εἰ ὅλον ἀκοή, ποῦ ἡ ὄσφρησις;

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be?

⸀νυνὶ δὲ ὁ θεὸς ἔθετο τὰ μέλη, ἓν ἕκαστον αὐτῶν, ἐν τῷ σώματι καθὼς ἠθέλησεν.

But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body as he willed.

εἰ δὲ ἦν τὰ πάντα ἓν μέλος, ποῦ τὸ σῶμα;

And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

νῦν δὲ πολλὰ ⸀μὲν μέλη, ἓν δὲ σῶμα.

But now there are many members, but one body.

οὐ δύναται δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς εἰπεῖν τῇ χειρί· Χρείαν σου οὐκ ἔχω, ἢ πάλιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῖς ποσίν· Χρείαν ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔχω·

And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

ἀλλὰ πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὰ δοκοῦντα μέλη τοῦ σώματος ἀσθενέστερα ὑπάρχειν ἀναγκαῖά ἐστιν,

Rather, much more the members of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary,

καὶ ἃ δοκοῦμεν ἀτιμότερα εἶναι τοῦ σώματος, τούτοις τιμὴν περισσοτέραν περιτίθεμεν, καὶ τὰ ἀσχήμονα ἡμῶν εὐσχημοσύνην περισσοτέραν ἔχει,

and those we think to be less honoured in the body, on these we put around more abundant honour, and our unseemly parts have more abundant seemliness,

Why this rendering

1Cor.12.23 Observation

Syntactic observation

ἃ δοκοῦμεν ἀτιμότερα εἶναι τοῦ σώματος, τούτοις τιμὴν περισσοτέραν περιτίθεμεν, καὶ τὰ ἀσχήμονα ἡμῶν εὐσχημοσύνην περισσοτέραν ἔχει, τὰ δὲ εὐσχήμονα ἡμῶν οὐ χρείαν ἔχει — those we think to be less honoured in the body, on these we put around more abundant honour, and our unseemly parts have more abundant seemliness, but our seemly parts have no need. Verses 22-24 are built on three comparatives (ἀσθενέστερα · ἀτιμότερα · περισσοτέραν ×3) and two prefix pairs — ἄτιμος/τιμή (less honoured / honour — the word of Matt 13:57 and the word of Rom 2:7) and ἀσχήμων/εὐσχημοσύνη/εὐσχήμων (unseemly parts / seemliness / seemly parts). English ‘less honoured / honour’ keeps the first pair by root and ‘unseemly / seemly’ keeps the second by prefix. περιτίθημι (put around) is the verb of Matt 27:28 (‘put a cloak around him’) and 21:33 (‘put a fence around it’) — honour is ‘put around’ like a garment. συνεκέρασεν (blend together — two New Testament sites) is a verb for mixing wine. σχίσμα in v.25 (split) is the word of 1:10 and 11:18 come to the body, and μεριμνάω (worry) is the verb of 7:32-34 — ‘the same worry for one another’. In v.26 πάσχω/συμπάσχω and δοξάζεται/συγχαίρει pair on συν- — ‘suffers … suffer together; is glorified … rejoice with it’.

Rendering options · 2

Adopted

“put around … honour” — περιτίθημι as the verb of the cloak and the fence

Basis As fixed in Matt 27:28 and 21:33; honour is put around the body like a garment.

“bestow more honour”

Basis The familiar rendering.

Rejected The picture of putting around vanishes and the noun τιμή dissolves into a verb.

Lost in translation

ἀσχήμων ↔ εὐσχήμων (vv.23-24) — a contrast of one prefix; ‘unseemly / seemly’ keeps it by prefix.

Survives in · this edition — 1 of the nine carry it (this language among them)

ἄτιμος ↔ τιμή (v.23) — ‘less honoured / honour’ keeps the root.

Survives in · this edition — 1 of the nine carry it (this language among them)

τὰ δὲ εὐσχήμονα ἡμῶν οὐ χρείαν ⸀ἔχει. ἀλλὰ ὁ θεὸς συνεκέρασεν τὸ σῶμα, τῷ ⸀ὑστεροῦντι περισσοτέραν δοὺς τιμήν,

but our seemly parts have no need. But God blended the body together, giving more abundant honour to that which falls short,

ἵνα μὴ ᾖ ⸀σχίσμα ἐν τῷ σώματι, ἀλλὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ὑπὲρ ἀλλήλων μεριμνῶσι τὰ μέλη.

so that there may be no split in the body, but that the members may have the same worry for one another.

καὶ ⸀εἴτε πάσχει ἓν μέλος, συμπάσχει πάντα τὰ μέλη· εἴτε δοξάζεται ⸀μέλος, συγχαίρει πάντα τὰ μέλη.

And if one member suffers, all the members suffer together; if a member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it.

Ὑμεῖς δέ ἐστε σῶμα Χριστοῦ καὶ μέλη ἐκ μέρους.

Now you are the body of Christ, and members in part.

καὶ οὓς μὲν ἔθετο ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ πρῶτον ἀποστόλους, δεύτερον προφήτας, τρίτον διδασκάλους, ἔπειτα δυνάμεις, ⸀ἔπειτα χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων, ἀντιλήμψεις, κυβερνήσεις, γένη γλωσσῶν.

And God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then powers, then gifts of grace of healings, supports, steerings, kinds of languages.

Why this rendering

1Cor.12.28 Observation

Syntactic observation

οὓς μὲν ἔθετο ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ πρῶτον ἀποστόλους, δεύτερον προφήτας, τρίτον διδασκάλους, ἔπειτα δυνάμεις, ἔπειτα χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων, ἀντιλήμψεις, κυβερνήσεις, γένη γλωσσῶν — God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then powers, then gifts of grace of healings, supports, steerings, kinds of languages. The base text numbers only three (πρῶτον · δεύτερον · τρίτον), continues with two ἔπειτα, and then lists the last three without any conjunction — this edition keeps the count and the break. The shift from persons (apostles, prophets, teachers) to things (powers, gifts, supports, steerings, languages) is also the text’s. ἀντίλημψις (supports) and κυβέρνησις (steerings) are both New Testament hapaxes — the second is the noun of κυβερνήτης, the helmsman of Acts 27:11. Verses 29-30 are seven questions on μὴ πάντες — ‘are all …?’ expects the answer no. διερμηνεύω in v.30 (translate) is the verb of Acts 9:36 (‘Tabitha, which translated is Dorcas’) and the verb of ἑρμηνεία (translation) in v.10. ζηλοῦτε in v.31 is the verb of Acts 7:9 (‘be jealous’), here zeal for gifts, so the site takes ‘be zealous for’. καθ’ ὑπερβολήν (beyond measure) is the phrase of Rom 7:13.

Rendering options · 2

Adopted

“first · second · third · then · then · —” — count and break as written

Basis The text numbers three, then drops the numbering and finally the conjunctions.

numbering all eight

Basis A way to even out the list.

Rejected It manufactures a ranking the text does not give.

Lost in translation

κυβέρνησις (v.28) ↔ κυβερνήτης in Acts 27:11 — ‘steerings / helmsman’ do not share a piece in English.

Survives in · this edition — 1 of the nine carry it (not this language)

ἑρμηνεία (v.10) ↔ διερμηνεύω (v.30) — ‘translation / translate’ keeps the pair.

Survives in · this edition — 2 of the nine carry it (this language among them)

μὴ πάντες ἀπόστολοι; μὴ πάντες προφῆται; μὴ πάντες διδάσκαλοι; μὴ πάντες δυνάμεις;

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all powers?

μὴ πάντες χαρίσματα ἔχουσιν ἰαμάτων; μὴ πάντες γλώσσαις λαλοῦσιν; μὴ πάντες διερμηνεύουσιν;

Do all have gifts of grace of healings? Do all speak in languages? Do all translate?

ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ χαρίσματα τὰ ⸀μείζονα. καὶ ἔτι καθ’ ὑπερβολὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῖν δείκνυμι.

But be zealous for the greater gifts of grace. And yet I show you a way beyond measure.