What Does the Bible Say About Spiritual Gifts?
What Does the Bible Say About Spiritual Gifts? Spiritual gifts are abilities given by the Holy Spirit to every believer for building up the church, including teaching, prophecy, service, mercy, and many others.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 12:7 (KJV)
Spiritual gifts are abilities given by the Holy Spirit to every believer for building up the church, including teaching, prophecy, service, mercy, and many others.
Spiritual gifts are abilities given by the Holy Spirit to every believer for building up the church, including teaching, prophecy, service, mercy, and many others.
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." — 1 Corinthians 12:7 (KJV)
Meaning
Plain-language explanation
In Context
Surrounding KJV scripture
Related Verses
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The Biblical Answer
The New Testament identifies spiritual gifts in several passages: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 1 Corinthians 12:28, and Ephesians 4:11. These gifts include prophecy, teaching, serving, exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy, wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, discernment, tongues, and interpretation. Paul emphasizes that 'there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit' (1 Corinthians 12:4) and that every believer receives at least one gift for 'the profit of all' (1 Corinthians 12:7). No gift is inferior — Paul compares the church to a body where every member is essential (1 Corinthians 12:14-27). Gifts are to be exercised in love (1 Corinthians 13) and for edification, not personal glory. Peter instructs, 'As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God' (1 Peter 4:10). Spiritual gifts are not natural talents but supernatural enablements for kingdom service.
Topic Overview
What Does the Bible Say About The Holy Spirit?
What the Bible teaches about the Holy Spirit, His work, and His role in the believer's life.
Key Scripture References
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal."
"As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."
"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us."
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Related Questions
What Is the Fruit of the Spirit?
The fruit of the Spirit is the character produced in believers by the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
Who Is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity — fully God, who indwells, guides, and empowers believers.
What Does the Bible Say About the Church?
The church is the body of Christ — not a building but the community of all believers, called to worship, fellowship, serve, and spread the gospel together.
Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?
The Bible presents the resurrection as historical fact, supported by eyewitness testimony, an empty tomb, and transformed lives.
Is Jesus God?
Yes — the Bible teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully man, the second person of the Trinity.
Deep Dive Commentary
For a more in-depth study, read our verse-by-verse commentary:
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Read it in context
The answer above sits inside 1 Corinthians. The 365-day chronological plan reads it in the order the events happened.
Read 1 Corinthians on day 324 of the chronological Bible reading planKeep the verses to hand
Every verse quoted in “What Does the Bible Say About Spiritual Gifts?” comes from the King James Version, free to download and print.
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