Texts about Spiritual Gifts

Gifts from God (Rom 12:1-8)

A Living Sacrifice (1-2)

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Greek Words

Present - to offer v. — to make available or accessible.

Living Sacrifice - offering n. — something presented (to a deity) for acceptance or rejection; often referring to sacrifices.

Spiritual Worship - divine service n. — the act of public worship following prescribed rules; especially understood as the performance of religious duties.

Conformed - to assimilate ⇔ be conformed v. — to be or become behaviorally or socially similar to; conceived of as being or becoming shaped or molded to a certain pattern.

Transformed - to be transformed v. — to be or become changed in outward appearance or expression as manifesting a change in nature or essence.

A Member of the Body (3-8)

Romans 12:3–8 ESV

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Body gifted (3-6a)

Sober Judgment - to be soberly wise v. — to think and live wisely in self-control over one’s passions and desires.

Assigned - to apportion v. — to give out as one’s portion or share.

Function - activity n. — any specific behavior; often with the idea of purposeful activity.

Gifts -

present ⇔ grace n. — a present given as a sign of beneficent favor.

χάρισμα charisma gift (17x); Rom 1:11; 5:15–16; 6:23; 11:29; 12:6; 1 Cor 1:7; 7:7; 12:4, 9, 28, 30–31; 2 Cor 1:11; 1 Tim 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6; 1 Pet 4:10

Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts charisma [χάρισμα, 5486]

charisma [χάρισμα, 5486]

charisma is a noun denoting a “spiritual gift” throughout its seventeen occurrences.

The meaning “spiritual gift” as given by God in a general sense is indicated in Rom. 1:11; 11:29; 12:6; 1 Cor. 1:7; 7:7; 2 Tim. 1:6; 1 Pet. 4:10. Specific “gifts” granted by the Spirit of God are noted in 1 Cor. 12:4, 9, 28ff.; 1 Tim. 4:14.

charisma denotes the “free gift” of salvation in Rom. 5:15, 16; 6:23.

Grace -

grace (outworking) n. — the resulting activity that is a necessary consequence of genuine, beneficent goodwill; especially used of the outworking of God’s goodwill.

χάρις charis grace (58x); Acts 4:33; 11:23; 13:43; 14:26; 15:40; 18:27; Rom 5:17, 20–21; 12:3, 6; 15:15; 16:20, 24; 1 Cor 3:10; 15:10; 16:23; 2 Cor 1:12, 15; 6:1; 8:1, 4, 6–7, 19; 9:8; 12:9; Gal 1:6; 2:9; Eph 3:7–8; 4:7, 29; Col 1:2; 4:6; 2 Thess 1:12; 2:16; 1 Tim 1:14; 2 Tim 2:1; Heb 2:9; 4:16; 12:15; 13:9; James 4:6; 1 Pet 1:10, 13; 2:20; 3:7; 4:10; 5:5, 12; 2 Pet 3:18; 2 John 3; Jude 4

Gifts defined (6b-8)

Prophecy (προφητεία (prophēteia))

prophecy (ability) n. — the ability to deliver representative declarations of the mind, will, or knowledge of God.

Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts prophēteia [προφητεία, 4394]

prophēteia [προφητεία, 4394]

prophēteia is the primary noun meaning “prophecy” in the New Testament. It occurs nineteen times.

The prophecy of Isaiah is indicated in Matt. 13:14. There are a number of references to the gift of prophecy in the new covenant community (cf. Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10; 13:2, 8; 14:6, 22; 1 Thess. 5:20; 1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14). The “prophecy of Scripture” in a general sense is indicated in 2 Pet. 1:20ff; Rev. 19:10 speaks of the “spirit of prophecy” in relation to Jesus.

The book of Revelation is itself described as a “prophecy” (Rev. 1:3; 22:7ff.); and the prophesying activity of the visionary prophets in Revelation is noted in Rev. 11:6.

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. προφητεία

② the gift of interpreting divine will or purpose, gift of prophesying (Iren. 1, 13, 4 [Harv. I 120, 4]), of Rahab 1 Cl 12:8. Of Christians Ro 12:6; 1 Cor 12:10; 13:2, 8 v.l.; 14:22. The pl. of various kinds and grades of prophetic gifts 13:8; 1 Th 5:20 (here mng. 3b is also prob.). τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πρ. the spirit of prophecy Rv 19:10.

③ the utterance of one who interprets divine will or purpose, prophecy (Jos., Ant. 9, 119; Just., D. 30, 2; 54, 2 al. Of the Sibyl: Theoph. Ant. 2, 36 [p. 190, 10]).ⓑ of inspired statements by Christian prophets ἐν προφητείᾳ in the form of a prophetic saying 1 Cor 14:6; 1 Th 5:20 (s. 2 above); 1 Ti 1:18; 4:14. οἱ λόγοι τῆς πρ. the words of the prophecy Rv 1:3. οἱ λόγοι τῆς πρ. τοῦ βιβλίου τούτου the words of prophecy in this book 22:7, 10, 18. οἱ λόγ. τοῦ βιβλίου τῆς πρ. ταύτης the words of this book of prophecy vs. 19.—DELG s.v. φημί II A. M-M. TW. (Arndt, William et al. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature 2000 : 889–890. Print.)

Service (διακονία (diakonia))

service (work) n. — work done by one person or group that benefits another.

διακονία diakonia service; ministry (7x); Acts 12:25; Rom 12:7; 2 Cor 11:8; Eph 4:12; 2 Tim 4:11; Heb 1:14; Rev 2:19

Teaching (Teach; διδάσκω (didaskō)); (teaching; διδασκαλία (didaskalia))

to teach v. — to impart skills or knowledge to.

teaching (activity) n. — the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill.

Exhortation (Exhort; παρακαλέω (parakaleō)); (Exhortation; παράκλησις (paraklēsis))

to exhort v. — to earnestly support or encourage a response or action.

παρακαλέω parakaleō urge; implore; exhort (31x); Acts 2:40; 11:23; 14:22; 15:32; 16:40; 20:1–2; Rom 12:8; 15:30; 1 Cor 4:13; Eph 4:1; 1 Thess 2:12; 3:2; 2 Thess 3:12; 1 Tim 1:3; 5:1; 6:2; 2 Tim 4:2; Titus 1:9; 2:6, 15, Philem 9–10; Heb 3:13; 10:25; 13:19, 22; 1 Pet 2:11; 5:1, 12; Jude 3

exhortation n. — the act of earnestly supporting or encouraging (a response or action).

παράκλησις paraklēsis encouragement; comfort (8x); Acts 9:31; 13:15; Rom 12:8; 1 Cor 14:3; 1 Tim 4:13; Heb 6:18; 12:5; 13:22

Contributes (μεταδίδωμι (metadidōmi))

to apportion v. — to give out as one’s portion or share.

μεταδίδωμι metadidōmi share; give (5x); Luke 3:11; Rom 1:11; 12:8; Eph 4:28; 1 Thess 2:8

Leads (προΐσταμαι (proistamai))

to lead (authority) v. — to be in charge of.

προΐσταμαι proistamai lead; rule over; manage (6x) Rom 12:8; 1 Thess 5:12; 1 Tim 3:4–5, 12; 5:17

Acts of Mercy (ἐλεάω (eleaō))

to show mercy v. — to show leniency and compassion toward something or someone.

ἐλεάω eleaō show mercy; have mercy on (6x); Rom 9:16; 12:8; Jude 22–23

Spiritual Gifts and the Body (1 Cor 12-13)

Unity: The Gift of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:1–13)

Diversity: The Gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:14–31)

Maturity: The Graces of the Spirit (1 Cor. 13:1–13)

Gifts in Order (1 Cor 14)