1 Corinthians 12:31 Commentary, explanation, study verse by verse

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

• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible

  But covet earnestly - Greek “Be zealous for” Ζηλοῦτε Zēloute. This word, however, may be either in the indicative mood (ye do covet earnestly), or in the imperative, as in our translation....

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Arno Geneva Study Bible

  (14) But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. (14) He teaches those who are ambitious and envious, a certain holy ambition and envy. That is, if they give th...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

  Paul now elaborates an illustration from the body and its members. Here we have organic unity with diversity of function and interdependence of the whole and its parts, interdependence also of the pa...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

  covet earnestly . Greek. zeloo. See Acts 7:9 . best . The texts read "greater". more excellent . Literally according to (Greek. kata . App-104.) excellence. See Romans 7:13 .

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

  31. Seek after the more excellent gifts. It might also be rendered — Value highly; and it would not suit in with the passage, though it makes little difference as to the meaning; for Paul...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

  DISCOURSE: 1984 GIFTS AND GRACES COMPARED 1 Corinthians 12:31 . Covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way . SUCH is the weakness of human nature, that we can...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. But covet earnestly - To covet signifies to desire earnestly. This disposition towards heavenly things is highly laud...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

  But covet earnestly the best gifts.— But ye contend earnestly about the best gifts. "Ye contend one with another whose particular gift is best, and most preferable; but I will shew you a more exc...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Covet earnestly, х zeeloute ( G2206 )] - 'emulously desire;' not with discontented 'coveting.' The Spirit...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

  (e) Spiritual Gifts In the early Church various powers, faculties, and graces were bestowed on individual Christians by the Holy Spirit. Some of these were distinctly miraculous, such as prophec...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

  But covet oarnestly, — Better, But earnestly seek the better gifts. All this argument is not meant to check ardour and to damp enthusiasm. The Spirit divideth to every man as He wills, but He wil...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

  Chapter 18 CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS This Epistle is well fitted to disabuse our minds of the idea that the primitive Church was in all respects superior to the Church of our own day. We turn pa...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

  Each Contributing His Part 1 Corinthians 12:20-31 The hand and the foot obviously stand in need of each other; but the same interdependence marks the feebler and humbler parts of our frame. Ind...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

  Now the apostle turned from the corrective section of his letter to the constructive as he proceeded to deal with the spiritualities which negative the carnalities. These are those of the unifying Sp...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary

  (27) Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (28) And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of hea...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

  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 di...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - John Trapp Complete Commentary

  Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Ver. 31. Covet earnestly, &c...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

  And God hath set in the church first apostles Who planted the gospel in the heathen nations, being honoured with an office of the highest distinction, and furnished with endowments peculiar to them...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

  The Lord's supper has been first considered, being the most important of all gatherings, because it is for the united expression of the affections of the saints toward Him. Now ministry toward the sa...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

  On Spiritual Gifts. A. D.  57.       27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.  ...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

  But covet earnestly the best gifts: the word may be translated indicatively: Ye do covet the best gifts; or as we translate it, imperatively: Covet ye; I would have you be covetous to excel in the...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

  Spiritual Gifts For The Well-being of Christ and His Body (12:1-14:33). Paul now begins his reply to their question about spiritual gifts ('concerning spiritual things') and immediately gives an i...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

  CRITICAL NOTES 1 Corinthians 12:1 .— Gifts is a translators’ supplement; right in fact, as 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 show; slightly too precise in word. Almost certainly neuter , and so very gene...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Scofield Reference Notes

  more excellent Chapter 13 continues the pneumatika begun in Chapter 12. Gifts are good, but only if ministered in love. ( 1 Corinthians 13:1 ); ( 1 Corinthians 13:2 ). Benevolence is goo...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Sermon Bible Commentary

  1 Corinthians 12:31 ; 1 Corinthians 13:1 St. Paul has been treating of spiritual gifts as they then existed in the Church of tongues, of prophecy, and the like. They were things to be courted...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible

  1 Corinthians 12:1-2 . Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Although th...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

  1 Corinthians 12:1 . Now concerning spiritual gifts, and gifts promised to old men, to young men, and to handmaids, according to Joel 2:28 , I would now speak, in the third part of this epistle,...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - The Biblical Illustrator

  Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Spiritual gifts The particular gifts to which St. Paul was referring were not exactly as a whole like anything that is t...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - The Complete Pulpit Commentary

  EXPOSITION 1 Corinthians 12:1-46 .— 1 Corinthians 14:1-46 .— ON SPIRITUAL GIFTS , AND THE DANGER WHICH AROSE FROM THE ABUSE OF THE " GIFT OF TONGUES ." 1 Corinthi...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann

  The spiritual meaning of the comparison:

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

  1 Corinthians 13:1 ; 1 Corinthians 14:1 ; 1 Corinthians 14:39 ; 1 Corinthians 8:1 ; Hebrews 11:4 ; Luke 10:42 ; Matthew 5:6 ; Philippians 3:8

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Wells of Living Water Commentary

  Concerning Spiritual Gifts 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. A contrast between the spiritual and the carnal in Abram and Lot ( Genesis 18:1-33 and Genesis 19:1-38 ). 2. A con...

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• 1 Corinthians 12:31 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

  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 a...

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