1 Corinthians 14:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

NIV: So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.

NASB: So you too, since you are eager to possess spiritual gifts, strive to excel for the edification of the church.

CSB: So also you--since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in building up the church.

NLT: And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church.

KJV: Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

NKJV: Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

This passage makes the point that the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues is not helpful in church services or in public unless someone is present to interpret what is being said. This would require, in most cases, that either the speaker or someone else have the God-given, Spirit-empowered gift of interpretation of tongues.

Paul is not discouraging the Corinthians from wanting to experience and display spiritual gifts, however. He states that he knows they are eager for this, and he encouraged them to desire spiritual gifts in the first verse of this chapter. Instead, he is encouraging them to desire gifts that will meaningfully help them to build up the church. He wants them to want to build up the church—by building up each other—with the same eagerness that they desire "manifestations of the Spirit."

The word manifestation refers to obvious evidence that an idea or thing is really happening. Sickness manifests itself in undeniable symptoms. Abstract theories are proved true by the manifestation of concrete evidence. The Holy Spirit is proved genuine by the manifestation of His undeniable power through spiritual gifts given to Christians.

Paul writes that the Corinthians should want to see that in themselves and in each other. They should work to use those gifts, though, for the purpose of building each other up.

First Corinthians 14:1–25 describes why the gift of prophecy is superior to the gift of tongues in church services, especially when nobody with the gift of interpreting tongues is available. Prophecy benefits everyone in the room with a revelation from God. Praying in a tongue, when nobody can interpret, only benefits the one praying. In fact, displaying the gift of tongues without interpretation may do more harm than good—it generates confusion and division. In contrast, the use of prophecy provides the opportunity for unbelievers to hear from God, be convicted about sin, and come to faith in Christ and genuine worship.

Paul encourages the Corinthians to desire the gift of prophecy, especially, among the other gifts. He shows why its use in the church service is superior to the use of the gift of tongues if nobody is available to interpret. Prophecy benefits everyone; praying in tongues with nobody to interpret benefits only the speaker. Only two or three tongues-speakers should contribute to any service, and only then one at a time and followed by interpreters. The same applies to prophecy and the gift of discerning spirits. Orderliness and building up the church are guiding principles for any worship meeting. Modern churches are divided on the extent to who which these gifts are given, or should be practiced.

1 Corinthians 14 concludes Paul's teaching on the spiritual gifts begun in chapter 12. Between them, chapter 13 declared that Christlike love matters most of all. The gift of prophecy is better than the display of the gift of tongues in worship services unless someone with the gift of interpreting tongues is available. Even then, only those things which build up the church should be included in any service, and everything should be done in an orderly way, reflecting the character of God. The final two chapters of this letter discuss the resurrection of Christ and Paul's concluding remarks.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.