God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- BSB And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.
- 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.
- NASB And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various kinds of tongues.
- NLT Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God has appointed roles and gifts in the church: apostles, prophets, teachers, then miracles, healings, helps, governing, and tongues. There is an order and structure to the body's life.
Overview
Paul lists offices and gifts God has set in the church, placing foundational ministries of the word (apostles, prophets, teachers) first. The ordering implies that gifts edifying the whole body rank above the more spectacular ones the Corinthians prized. All are God-appointed, underscoring that the church's structure is His gift, with Christ as her head.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Eph 4:11–13He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;
- Rom 12:6–8Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith;
- 1 Cor 12:18But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired.
- 1 Cor 12:7–11But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.
- 1 Tim 5:17Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.
- Eph 2:20being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;
- Eph 3:5which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
- Heb 13:24Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. The Italians greet you.
- Heb 13:17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.
- Num 11:17I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit which is on you, and will put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you not bear it yourself alone.
- Acts 20:28Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.
- 1 Pet 5:1–4Therefore I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed.
- 1 Cor 10:32Give no occasion for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;
- Acts 2:8–11How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?
- Acts 13:1–3Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
- Luke 6:14Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew;
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Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 12:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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