12 1 To draw away the Corinthians from contention and pride, he showeth that spiritual gifts are therefore diversely bestowed, 7 that the same being jointly to each other employed, 12 we may grow up together into one body of Christ in such equal proportion and measure, 20 as the members of man’s body do.

Now [a]concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you [b]ignorant.

[c]Ye know that ye were [d]Gentiles, and were carried away unto the dumb idols, as ye were led.

[e]Wherefore I declare unto you, that no man (A)speaking by the spirit of God, calleth Jesus (B)[f]execrable: also no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 12:1 Now he entereth into the third part of this treatise, touching the right use of spiritual gifts, wherein he giveth the Corinthians plainly to understand that they abused them: for they that excelled, bragged ambitiously of them, and so robbed God of the praise of his gifts: and having no consideration of their brethren abused to a vain ostentation, and so robbed the Church of the use of those gifts. On the other side, the inferior sort envied the better, and went about to make a departure, so that all that body was as it were scattered and rent in pieces. So then he going about to remedy these abuses, willeth them first to consider diligently, that they have not these gifts of themselves, but from the free grace and liberality of God, to whose glory they ought to bestow them all.
  2. 1 Corinthians 12:1 Ignorant to what purpose those gifts are given you.
  3. 1 Corinthians 12:2 He proveth the same by comparing their former state with that wherein they were at this time endued with those excellent gifts.
  4. 1 Corinthians 12:2 As touching God’s service and the Covenant, mere strangers.
  5. 1 Corinthians 12:3 The conclusion: Know you therefore, that you cannot so much as move your lips to honor Christ withall, but by the grace of the holy Ghost.
  6. 1 Corinthians 12:3 Doth curse him, only any means whatsoever diminish his glory.

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