New English Translation
1 Corinthians 12:3
3So I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
- New International Version (NIV)Therefore I want you to know 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
Context of 1 Corinthians 12:3
1With regard to spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that when you were pagans you were often led astray by speechless idols, however you were led. So I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are different ministries, but the same Lord.
Read all of 1 Corinthians 121 Corinthians 12:3 word by word
διὸ γνωρίζω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἐν πνεύματι θεοῦ λαλῶν λέγει· ἀνάθεμα Ἰησοῦς, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν· κύριος Ἰησοῦς, εἰ μὴ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whereforeδιόdio · thereforeG1352
- I giveγνωρίζωgnōrizō · to make knownG1107
- youσύsu · youG4771
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- no manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
- speakingλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
- byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- callethλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- accursedἀνάθεμαanathema · devotedG331
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
- sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- is the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- butεἰei · if: notG1487
- ·μήmē · notG3361
- the Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 12:3
- Mark 9:39But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to say anything bad about me.
- John 16:14He will glorify me, because he will receive from me what is mine and will tell it to you.
- 1 John 4:2By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God,
- 1 Corinthians 16:22Let anyone who has no love for the Lord be accursed. Our Lord, come!
- Deuteronomy 21:23his body must not remain all night on the tree; instead you must make certain you bury him that same day, for the one who is left exposed on a tree is cursed by God. You must not defile your land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
- Galatians 3:13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)
- 1 Corinthians 8:6yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live.
- Matthew 16:16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
- John 13:13You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and do so correctly, for that is what I am.
- John 15:26When the Advocate comes, whom I will send you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he will testify about me,
- 2 Corinthians 3:5Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,
- 2 Corinthians 11:4For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough!
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 12:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3No man speaking by the Spirit of God - It was granted on all hands that there could be no religion without Divine inspiration, because God alone, could make his will known to men: hence heathenism pretended to this inspiration; Judaism had it in the law and the prophets; and it was the very essence of the Christian religion. The heathen priests and priestesses pretended to receive, by inspiration from their god, the answers which they gave to their…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Wherefore I give you to understand - I make known to you. The force of this expression is, “I give you this rule to distinguish,” or by which you may know what influences and operations are from God. The design of the passage is, to give them some simple general guide by which they could at once recognize the operations of the Spirit of God, and determine whether they who claimed to be under that operation were really so. That rule was, that all who were…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Paul provides two ways to recognize the Spirit's presence in worship: Those who curse Jesus show they reject him and his message, so they cannot speak by the Spirit of God. Believers show the Holy Spirit's presence in their lives by sincerely confessing that Jesus is Lord. This may be the earliest Christian creed (see Romans 10:9, 13; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Philippians 2:11; 1 John 4:2–3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. The negative and positive criteria of inspiration by the Spirit--the rejection or confession of Jesus as Lord [Alford] (1Jo 4:2; 5:1). Paul gives a test of truth against the Gentiles; John, against the false prophets. by the Spirit--rather, as Greek, "IN the Spirit"; that being the power pervading him, and the element in which he speaks [Alford], (Mt 16:17; Joh 15:26). of God ... Holy--The same Spirit is called at one time "the Spirit of God"; at…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 12:3
In the dictionaries
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries