1 Corinthians 12:31 BSB

1 Corinthians 12:31

But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

But desire earnestly the greater gifts. And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you.

KJV

But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

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Commentary

2 voices

Tertullian

Against Marcion Book V (220)

This Spirit, (according to the apostle's showing, ) meant not that the service of these gifts should be in the body, nor did He place them in the human body); and on the subject of the superiority of love above all these gifts, He even taught the apostle that it was the chief commandment, just as Christ has shown it to be: "Thou shalt love the Lord with all thine heart and soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thine own self.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

But covet earnestly the best gifts,.... Which may be rendered either indicatively as an assertion, "ye do covet earnestly the best gifts": of prophesying and teaching, of doing miracles, healing diseases, speaking with, and interpreting, different tongues and languages; but I can, and do show you something that is better, and more excellent than these: or, by way of interrogation, "do ye covet earnestly the best gifts?" do you zealously affect them, fervently desire them, and emulate one another in your endeavours after them?

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Ye covet earnestly the best gifts - And they are worth your pursuit, though but few of you can attain them. But there is a far more excellent gift than all these; and one which all may, yea, must attain or perish.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

But where grace is given it is for the salvation of those who have it. Gifts are bestowed for the advantage and salvation of others. And there may be great gifts where there is not a dram of grace, but persons possessed of them are utterly out of the divine favour.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

13 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ζηλοῦτε	zēloute	do be desirous of	G2206 →
δὲ	de	however	G1161 →
τὰ	ta	the	G3588 →
χαρίσματα	charismata	gifts	G5486 →
τὰ	ta	<the>	G3588 →
μείζονα.¶	meizona	greater.	G3173 →
Καὶ	Kai	And	G2532 →
ἔτι	eti	now	G2089 →
καθ᾽	kath᾽	according to	G2596 →
ὑπερβολὴν	huperbolēn	a more surpassing	G5236 →
ὁδὸν	hodon	way	G3598 →
ὑμῖν	humin	to you	G4771 →
δείκνυμι.¶	deiknumi	I show.	G1166 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
leads to
- John 4:14
  But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Psalms 107:9
  For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
- John 6:27
  Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of…
- John 6:48–58
  I am the bread of life.
- Psalms 145:19
  He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
Through
1 Corinthians 13:1
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.
leads to
- 1 Peter 4:8
  Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
- 1 Timothy 1:5
  The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
Through
Philippians 3:8
More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may…
leads to
- Jeremiah 9:23–24
  This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.