The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 12:8 Explained

1 Corinthians 12:8

KJV: For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

YLT: for to one through the Spirit hath been given a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit;

Darby: For to one, by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit;

ASV: For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  to one  is given  by  the Spirit  the word  of wisdom;  to another  the word  of knowledge  by  the same  Spirit; 

What does 1 Corinthians 12:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Paul mentioned nine ways in which the Spirit manifests Himself through believers. The list is representative rather than exhaustive as is clear when we compare this list with other similar ones (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:28-30; 1 Corinthians 7:7; 1 Corinthians 13:1-3; 1 Corinthians 13:8; 1 Corinthians 14:6; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:11).
In this verse there is no definite article before the word "word" in either of its uses. This probably points to Paul"s referring to an utterance of wisdom or knowledge, namely, a wise or knowledgeable utterance (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:17 to 1 Corinthians 2:16). [1] The difference in the utterances probably lies in wisdom representing a mature perception of what is true to reality (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:24; 1 Corinthians 2:6-13; 1 Corinthians 14:6) and knowledge standing for understanding of God"s mysteries (revelations) in particular (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:2; 1 Corinthians 14:6).
"It is the discourse, not the wisdom or knowledge behind it, that is the spiritual gift, for it is this that is of direct service to the church ..." [2]

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 - Differing Spiritual Gifts
Each believer, being an heir of God, has the same amount of grace placed to his credit in the heavenly bank, on which he can draw in time of need. This is the parable of the pounds. Each servant received the same amount. But there are great diversities in the gifts with which we are endowed. Some have five talents, others two, and large numbers only one. A full enumeration of these gifts is made in 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, and it is a comfort to learn that to everyone something is allotted, 1 Corinthians 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:11.
Notice that the allotment is made by the Holy Spirit acting sovereignly as He will, 1 Corinthians 12:11. We are not informed when it is made-perhaps it is at the moment of our regeneration or adoption-but it is important to bear in mind that our gifts will probably correspond with our natural endowment. Hence our Lord tells us that to every man was given according to his several ability, Matthew 25:15.
Mark the allusion to the Divine Trinity: the same Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:4; the same Lord, 1 Corinthians 12:5; the same God, 1 Corinthians 12:6. The Spirit directs, the Savior is the channel of supply, and the Father is the fountain of all. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 12

1  Spiritual gifts,
4  are diverse,
7  yet to profit all
8  And to that end are diversely bestowed;
12  as the members of a natural body tend all to the mutual decency,
22  service,
26  and helpfulness of the same body;
27  so we should do for one another, to make up the body of Christ

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 12:8

To one [ωι μεν]
Demonstrative ος — hos with μεν — men in dative case, to this one. The distribution or correlation is carried on by αλλωι δε — allōi de (1 Corinthians 12:8, 1 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Corinthians 12:10), ετερωι δε — heterōi de (1 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Corinthians 12:10) for variety, nine manifestations of the Spirit‘s work in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10. [source]
The Word of wisdom [λογος σοπιας]
Old words. Λογος — Logos is reason, then speech. Wisdom is intelligence, then practical action in accord with it. Here it is speech full of God‘s wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:7) under the impulse of the Spirit of God. This gift is placed first (revelation by the Spirit). The word of knowledge (λογος γνωσεως — logos gnōseōs). This gift is insight (illumination) according to (κατα — kata) the same Spirit. [source]
The word of knowledge [λογος γνωσεως]
This gift is insight (illumination) according to (κατα — kata) the same Spirit. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 12:8

Romans 8:4 The Spirit [πνεῦμα]
From πνέω tobreathe or blow. The primary conception is wind or breath. Breath being the sign and condition of life in man, it comes to signify life. In this sense, physiologically considered, it is frequent in the classics. In the psychological sense, never. In the Old Testament it is ordinarily the translation of ruach It is also used to translate chai life, Isaiah 38:12; nbreath, 1 Kings 17:17. In the New Testament it occurs in the sense of wind or breath, John 3:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Hebrews 1:7. Closely related to the physiological sense are such passages as Luke 8:55; James 2:26; Revelation 13:15. Pauline Usage: 1. Breath, 2 Thessalonians 2:8. 2. The spirit or mind of man; the inward, self-conscious principle which feels and thinks and wills (1 Corinthians 2:11; 1 Corinthians 5:3; 1 Corinthians 7:34; Colossians 2:5). In this sense it is distinguished from σῶμα bodyor accompanied with a personal pronoun in the genitive, as my, our, his spirit (Romans 1:9; Romans 8:16; 1 Corinthians 5:4; 1 Corinthians 16:18, etc.). It is used as parallel with ψυχή souland καρδία heartSee 1 Corinthians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:17; and compare John 13:21and John 12:27; Matthew 26:38and Luke 1:46, Luke 1:47. But while ψυχή soulis represented as the subject of life, πνεύμα spiritrepresents the principle of life, having independent activity in all circumstances of the perceptive and emotional life, and never as the subject. Generally, πνεύμα spiritmay be described as the principle, ψυχή soulas the subject, and καρδία heartas the organ of life. 3. The spiritual nature of Christ. Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Timothy 3:16. 4. The divine power or influence belonging to God, and communicated in Christ to men, in virtue of which they become πνευματικοί spiritual - recipientsand organs of the Spirit. This is Paul's most common use of the word. Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:13; Galatians 4:6; Galatians 6:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:8. In this sense it appears as: a. Spirit of God. Romans 8:9, Romans 8:11, Romans 8:14; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 1 Corinthians 2:11, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Corinthians 7:40; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Ephesians 3:16. b. Spirit of Christ. Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 3:17, 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 4:6; Philemon 1:19. c. Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Ephesians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:8, etc. d. Spirit. With or without the article, but with its reference to the Spirit of God or Holy Spirit indicated by the context. Romans 8:16, Romans 8:23, Romans 8:26, Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 12:4, 1 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:8, 1 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 4:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, etc. 5. A power or influence, the character, manifestations, or results of which are more peculiarly defined by qualifying genitives. Thus spirit of meekness, faith, power, wisdom. Romans 8:2, Romans 8:15; 1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Corinthians 4:13; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 1:17; 2 Timothy 1:7, etc. These combinations with the genitives are not mere periphrases for a faculty or disposition of man. By the spirit of meekness or wisdom, for instance, is not meant merely a meek or wise spirit; but that meekness, wisdom, power, etc., are gifts of the Spirit of God. This usage is according to Old Testament analogy. Compare Exodus 28:3; Exodus 31:3; Exodus 35:31; Isaiah 11:2. 6. In the plural, used of spiritual gifts or of those who profess to be under spiritual influence, 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 14:12. 7. Powers or influences alien or averse from the divine Spirit, but with some qualifying word. Thus, the spirit of the world; another spirit; spirit of slumber. Romans 11:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Timothy 1:7. Where these expressions are in negative form they are framed after the analogy of the positive counterpart with which they are placed in contrast. Thus Romans 8:15: “Ye have not received the spirit of bondage, but of adoption. In other cases, as Ephesians 2:2, where the expression is positive, the conception is shaped according to Old-Testament usage, where spirits of evil are conceived as issuing from, and dependent upon, God, so far as He permits their operation and makes them subservient to His own ends. See Judges 9:23; 1 Samuel 16:14-16, 1 Samuel 16:23; 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Kings 22:21sqq.; Isaiah 19:4. Spirit is found contrasted with letter, Romans 2:29; Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6. With flesh, Romans 8:1-13; Galatians 5:16, Galatians 5:24. It is frequently associated with the idea of power (Romans 1:4; Romans 15:13, Romans 15:19; 1 Corinthians 2:4; Galatians 3:5; Ephesians 3:16; 2 Timothy 1:7); and the verb ἐνεργεῖν , denoting to work efficaciously, is used to mark its special operation (1 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 3:20; Philemon 2:13; Colossians 1:29). It is also closely associated with life, Romans 8:2, Romans 8:6, Romans 8:11, Romans 8:13; 1 Corinthians 15:4, 1 Corinthians 15:5; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Galatians 5:25; Galatians 6:8. It is the common possession of the Church and its members; not an occasional gift, but an essential element and mark of the christian life; not appearing merely or mainly in exceptional, marvelous, ecstatic demonstrations, but as the motive and mainspring of all christian action and feeling. It reveals itself in confession (1 Corinthians 12:3); in the consciousness of sonship (Romans 8:16); in the knowledge of the love of God (Romans 5:5); in the peace and joy of faith (Romans 14:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6); in hope (Romans 5:5; Romans 15:13). It leads believers (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18): they serve in newness of the Spirit (Romans 7:6) They walk after the Spirit (Romans 8:4, Romans 8:5; Galatians 5:16-25). Through the Spirit they are sanctified (2 Thessalonians 2:13). It manifests itself in the diversity of forms and operations, appearing under two main aspects: a difference of gifts, and a difference of functions. See Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 5:1, 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:3, Ephesians 4:4, Ephesians 4:30; Philemon 2:1; [source]
Romans 11:33 Wisdom - knowledge [σοφίας - γνώσεως]
Used together only here, 1 Corinthians 12:8; Colossians 2:3. There is much difference of opinion as to the precise distinction. It is agreed on all hands that wisdom is the nobler attribute, being bound up with moral character as knowledge is not. Hence wisdom is ascribed in scripture only to God or to good men, unless it is used ironically. See 1 Corinthians 1:20; 1 Corinthians 2:6; Luke 10:21. Cicero calls wisdom “the chief of all virtues.” The earlier distinction, as Augustine, is unsatisfactory: that wisdom is concerned with eternal things, and knowledge with things of sense; for γνῶσις knowledgeis described as having for its object God (2 Corinthians 10:5); the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6); Christ Jesus (Philemon 3:8). As applied to human acquaintance with divine things, γνῶσις knowledgeis the lower, σοφία wisdomthe higher stage. Knowledge may issue in self-conceit. It is wisdom that builds up the man (1 Corinthians 8:1). As attributes of God, the distinction appears to be between general and special: the wisdom of God ruling everything in the best way for the best end; the knowledge of God, His wisdom as it contemplates the relations of things, and adopts means and methods. The wisdom forms the plan; the knowledge knows the ways of carrying it out. [source]
1 Corinthians 1:5 Utterance - knowledge [λόγῳ - γνώσει]
The two words are found together, 1 Corinthians 12:8; 2 Corinthians 11:6; 2 Corinthians 8:7. For knowledge, see on Romans 11:33. Utterance, aptitude in speech. Paul gives thanks for speech as a means of testifying for Christ. “The saints have never been silent” (Pascal). [source]
1 Corinthians 12:8 To one [ωι μεν]
Demonstrative ος — hos with μεν — men in dative case, to this one. The distribution or correlation is carried on by αλλωι δε — allōi de (1 Corinthians 12:8, 1 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Corinthians 12:10), ετερωι δε — heterōi de (1 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Corinthians 12:10) for variety, nine manifestations of the Spirit‘s work in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10. [source]
1 Corinthians 12:9 Faith [πιστις]
Not faith of surrender, saving faith, but wonder-working faith like that in 1 Corinthians 13:2 (Matthew 17:20; Matthew 21:21). Note here εν τωι αυτωι πνευματι — en tōi autōi pneumati (in the same Spirit) in contrast with δια — dia and κατα — kata in 1 Corinthians 12:8. [source]
Galatians 1:6 Another gospel [ἕτερον]
Rather a different, another sort of gospel. See Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:7; Luke 18:10. In illustration of the differences between ἄλλος anotherand ἕτερος differentsee 1 Corinthians 12:8-10; 1 Corinthians 15:40; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Romans 8:23. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 12:8 mean?

To one truly for through the Spirit is given a word of wisdom to another now of knowledge according to the same Spirit
μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος δίδοται λόγος σοφίας ἄλλῳ δὲ γνώσεως κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα

  To  one 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
μὲν  truly 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: μέν  
Sense: truly, certainly, surely, indeed.
διὰ  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
Πνεύματος  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
δίδοται  is  given 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
λόγος  a  word 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
σοφίας  of  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: σοφία  
Sense: wisdom, broad and full of intelligence; used of the knowledge of very diverse matters.
ἄλλῳ  to  another 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄλλος  
Sense: another, other.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
γνώσεως  of  knowledge 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: γνῶσις  
Sense: knowledge signifies in general intelligence, understanding.
κατὰ  according  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
αὐτὸ  same 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Πνεῦμα  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.