1 Corinthians 12:28

1 Corinthians 12:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

Context of 1 Corinthians 12:28

26Then if one part of the body hurts, every other part also hurts. If people praise one part, every part of the body is also happy. 27All of you together are Christ's body. And each of you is a part of that body. Like the parts of a body, God has put people in different places in his church. First, there are apostles. Second, there are people who speak messages from God. Third, there are teachers. After that, there are people who do miracles. There are people who have gifts to make sick people well. There are people who help others in special ways. There are people who can lead others. And there are people who can speak different kinds of languages. 29Not everyone in the church is an apostle. Not everyone speaks messages from God. Not everyone is a teacher. Not everyone can do miracles. 30Not everyone has the gifts to make sick people well. Not everyone can speak in different kinds of languages. Nor can everyone explain what messages in those languages mean. You know that.

1 Corinthians 12:28 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• hath setτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
• someὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• firstπρῶτονprōton · firstG4412
• apostlesἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652
• secondarilyδεύτεροςdeuteros · secondlyG1208
• prophetsπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
• thirdlyτρίτοςtritos · thirdG5154
• teachersδιδάσκαλοςdidaskalos · teacherG1320
• after thatἔπειταepeita · thenG1899
• miraclesδύναμιςdunamis · powerG1411
• thenεἶταeita · thenG1534
• giftsχάρισμαcharisma · giftG5486
• of healingsἴαμαiama · healingG2386
• helpsἀντίληψιςantilēpsis · helpG484
• governmentsκυβέρνησιςkubernēsis · administrationG2941
• diversitiesγένοςgenos · family: kindG1085
• of tonguesγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 12:28

• 1 Corinthians 12:7God helps each of us with a gift from his Spirit. He does that so that we can help others.
• Luke 6:14Simon (Jesus gave him the name ‘Peter’), Andrew (he was Simon's brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
• Acts 13:1There were some prophets among the group of believers in Antioch. They taught the other believers more about Jesus. Barnabas and Simeon were two of these men. (People also called Simeon ‘Niger’.) There was Lucius who had lived in Cyrene. There was also Manaen who had lived together with the ruler Herod when they were children. And there was Saul.
• Acts 20:28You who are leaders should be careful about how you live. Also take care of the group of people that the Holy Spirit has chosen you to lead. Keep them safe like shepherds who take care of their sheep. All the believers belong to God because his Son, Jesus, died for them. He bought them with his blood which poured out on the cross.
• Romans 12:6God has been kind to us. He has given to each of us different gifts so that we can serve him. God helps some people to speak his messages clearly. Those people should trust God to tell them what to say.
• Ephesians 2:20You are like a house that God is building for himself. God's apostles and his prophets are like the foundation under the house. Jesus Christ is like the most important stone in the house.
• Ephesians 3:5God did not tell this secret message to the people who lived before us. But now the Holy Spirit has shown it to God's apostles and prophets.
• Ephesians 4:11It was Christ who chose to give different gifts to his people. He chose some to be apostles. He chose some to speak messages from God. He chose some to tell God's good news to many people. He chose some to take care of his people, and to teach them.
• Hebrews 13:17Respect your leaders and obey them. They watch over your lives on God's behalf. God will check to see if they have done their work well. So respect them, and then they will be happy as they serve God. Do not say bad things against them, because that will never help you.
• 1 Peter 5:1Now I want to say something to you who are leaders of the groups of believers. Like you, I am also a leader. I myself saw how people caused Christ to have great pain so that he died. One day people will see how great he really is. Then I will be among those people who join with him in heaven. So I say this to you who are leaders:
• Numbers 11:17Then I will come down and I will speak with you there. I will take some of the authority of my Spirit that I gave to you. I will share it with them. Then they will help you to lead the people. So you will not be the only man who is doing that job.
• Romans 12:8If God has helped you to make others strong, then you should do that. If God has helped you to share your things with others, do that seriously. If God has helped you to be a leader, do that carefully. If God has helped you to be kind to others, do that happily.
• 1 Timothy 5:17Everyone should respect leaders of the believers who lead the church well. The church should also pay them properly for their work. That is certainly true for leaders who teach God's people and speak God's message to them.
• 1 Corinthians 12:10The same Spirit gives other people power to do miracles. Other people can speak messages from God. Some people can recognize whether spirits are good or bad. Some people can speak in different kinds of languages. And other people can explain what those languages mean.
• Acts 2:8But each of us can hear them speak in the language of our own home country. How can this happen?

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 12:28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28God hath set some in the Church - As God has made evident distinctions among the members of the human body, so that some occupy a more eminent place than others, so has he in the Church. And to prove this, the apostle numerates the principal offices, and in the order in which they should stand. First, apostles - , from from, and , I send; to send from one person to another, and from one place to another. Persons immediately designated by Christ, and sent…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28And God hath set - That is, has appointed, constituted, ordained. He has established these various orders or ranks in the church. The apostle, having illustrated the main idea that God had conferred various endowments on the members of the church, proceeds here to specify particularly what he meant, and to refer more directly to the various ranks which existed in the church. Some in the church - The word “some,” in this place ̔́ housseems to mean rather…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 27-31Verses 27-31 Contempt, hatred, envy, and strife, are very unnatural in Christians. It is like the members of the same body being without concern for one another, or quarrelling with each other. The proud, contentious spirit that prevailed, as to spiritual gifts, was thus condemned. The offices and gifts, or favours, dispensed by the Holy Spirit, are noticed. Chief ministers; persons enabled to interpret Scripture; those who laboured in word and doctrine…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28Apostles are special messengers of Christ in the world (see also Ephesians 4:11). Prophets deliver messages from God (see 1 Corinthians 12:10 and related study note; Ephesians 4:11; compare Acts 13:1–2). Teachers educate others about the faith (Romans 12:7; Ephesians 4:11; compare Acts 13:1). various tongues: See study note on 1 Corinthians 12:10.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. set ... in the church--as He has "set the members ... in the body" (1Co 12:18). first apostles--above even the prophets. Not merely the Twelve, but others are so called, for example, Barnabas, &c. (Ro 16:7). teachers--who taught, for the most part, truths already revealed; whereas the prophets made new revelations and spoke all their prophesyings under the Spirit's influence. As the teachers had the "word of knowledge," so the prophets "the word of…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 12:28

• Church
• Instruction
• Miracles
• Tongue
• Tongues (the Gift)

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Administration
• Bond
• Covet
• Governments
• Helps
• Prophet
• Temper
• Tongues, Gift of

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings