1st Corinthians Chapter 14 verse 12 Holy Bible

ASV 1stCorinthians 14:12

So also ye, since ye are zealous of spiritual `gifts', seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church.
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BBE 1stCorinthians 14:12

So if you are desiring the things which the Spirit gives, let your minds be turned first to the things which are for the good of the church.
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DARBY 1stCorinthians 14:12

Thus *ye* also, since ye are desirous of spirits, seek that ye may abound for the edification of the assembly.
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KJV 1stCorinthians 14:12

Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
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WBT 1stCorinthians 14:12


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WEB 1stCorinthians 14:12

So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the assembly.
read chapter 14 in WEB

YLT 1stCorinthians 14:12

so also ye, since ye are earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, for the building up of the assembly seek that ye may abound;
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Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 12. - Even so ye. A general form of conclusion from the previous remarks. Of spiritual gifts; literally, since ye are zealots of spirits. That ye may excel to the edifying of the Church; rather, seek them to the edifying of the Church, that ye may abound. The same word is used in Matthew 5:20 ("exceed"); 1 Corinthians 8:8 ("are we the better").

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) Even so ye.--Here follows the practical application of the previous teaching and illustration. The "ye" of 1Corinthians 14:9 was addressed to them as human beings generally; but here the Apostle returns to the immediate subject in hand, viz., the exaltation of particular spiritual gifts in the Corinthian Church. He passes now from the contrast between prophecy and tongues to give practical instruction (1Corinthians 14:12-19) as to how they should seek to use the gift of tongues. The word for "spiritual gifts" is, in the Greek, literally spirits, but is evidently meant to imply the gifts, and especially that one under consideration--the gift of tongues.Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.--Better, seek, then, to the edifying of the Church, that ye may abound. The point cannot be that they were to seek to excel in spiritual gifts, that so they might edify the Church, for the next verse explains how the gift is to be sought so that it may edify others; but the force of the passage here is as given above--they are to seek this gift for the benefit of others, and so they will themselves, by serving others, abound yet more and more (1Corinthians 8:7; 1Thessalonians 4:1).