The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 12:11 Explained

1 Corinthians 12:11

KJV: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

YLT: and all these doth work the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each severally as he intendeth.

Darby: But all these things operates the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each in particular according as he pleases.

ASV: but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  all  these  worketh  that one  and  the selfsame  Spirit,  dividing  to every man  severally  as  he will. 

What does 1 Corinthians 12:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This section concludes with another reminder that though these manifestations of the Spirit vary they all indicate the presence and working of the Spirit of God. Paul also stressed again the Spirit"s sovereignty in distributing the gifts (cf. John 3:8). The Corinthians should not try to manipulate the Spirit but accept and submit to His distribution of the gifts as He saw fit.
There is a general progression in this list from the more common to the more uncommon and esoteric gifts (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:28). The more unusual gifts that appear toward the end of this list attracted the Corinthians. Some gifts were probably more common at one place and in one church than were others depending on the Spirit"s sovereign distribution (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:4-5). Some were probably more common at some times than at others, too, as the Spirit bestowed them.

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 12:11

Worketh [ενεργει]
The same word that was used in 1 Corinthians 12:6 of God. [source]
Severally [ιδιαι]
Separately. Even as he will (κατως βουλεται — kathōs bouletai). Hence there is no occasion for conceit, pride, or faction (1 Corinthians 4:7). [source]
Even as he will [κατως βουλεται]
Hence there is no occasion for conceit, pride, or faction (1 Corinthians 4:7). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 12:11

Luke 15:12 And he divided [ο δε διειλεν]
The second aorist active indicative of διαιρεω — diaireō an old and common verb to part in two, cut asunder, divide, but in the N.T. only here and 1 Corinthians 12:11. The elder son got his share also of the “substance” or property or estate (της ουσιας — tēs ousias), “the living” (τον βιον — ton bion) as in Mark 12:44, not “life” as in Luke 8:14. [source]
John 3:8 Where it listeth [ὅπου θέλει]
On the verb θέλω , to will or determine, see on Matthew 1:19. Listeth is old English for pleasure or willeth, from the Anglo-Saxon lust, meaning pleasure. Chaucer has the forms leste, lust, and list.“Strong was the wyn, and wel to drynke us leste (pleased ).”“Canterbury Tales,” 752.“Love if thee lust.”“Canterbury Tales,” 1185.“She walketh up and down wher as hire list (wherever she pleases ).”“Canterbury Tales,” 1054.“A wretch by fear, not force, like Hannibal, Drives back our troops, and conquers as she lists.”-DIVIDER-
Shakespeare, “Henry VI.,” Pt. I., i., v., 22. Hence listless is devoid of desire. The statement of Jesus is not meant to be scientifically precise, but is rather thrown into a poetic mold, akin to the familiar expression “free as the wind.” Compare 1 Corinthians 12:11; and for the more prosaic description of the course of the wind, see Ecclesiastes 1:6. [source]

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]
1 Corinthians 12:4 Diversities [διαιρέσεις]
Only here in the New Testament. It may also be rendered distributions. There is no objection to combining both meanings, a distribution of gifts implying a diversity. 1 Corinthians 12:11, however, seems to favor distributions. [source]
1 Corinthians 12:4 Diversities [διαιρεσεις]
Old word for distinctions, differences, distributions, from διαιρεω — diaireō to distribute, as διαιρουν — diairoun (dividing, distributing) in 1 Corinthians 12:11. Only here in the N.T. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 12:11 mean?

All now these things works the one and same Spirit apportioning individually to each as He wills
πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἐνεργεῖ τὸ ἓν καὶ αὐτὸ Πνεῦμα διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ καθὼς βούλεται

δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ταῦτα  these  things 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
ἐνεργεῖ  works 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐνεργέω  
Sense: to be operative, be at work, put forth power.
ἓν  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
αὐτὸ  same 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative Neuter 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Πνεῦμα  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
διαιροῦν  apportioning 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: διαιρέω  
Sense: to divide into parts, to part, to tear, cleave or cut asunder.
ἰδίᾳ  individually 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἴδιος  
Sense: pertaining to one’s self, one’s own, belonging to one’s self.
ἑκάστῳ  to  each 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἕκαστος  
Sense: each, every.
βούλεται  He  wills 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: βούλομαι  
Sense: to will deliberately, have a purpose, be minded.