There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord.
Parallel Translations
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There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord.
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And ther are differences of administracions and yet but one lorde.
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And there are diuersities of administrations, but the same Lord,
Cross-references (8)
Passages linked to 1 Corinthians 12:5 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Ephesians 4:11-12 He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,
- Romans 12:6-8 having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us: if prophecy, let’s prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or service, let’s give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; or he who exhorts, to his exhorting; he who gives, let him do it with generosity; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
- Romans 14:8-9 For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
- Matthew 23:10 Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 8:6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.
- 1 Corinthians 12:28-29 God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers?
- Acts 10:36 The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all—
- Philippians 2:11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the…
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
Ver. 5. Differences of administrations] i.e. Ecclesiastical functions, all of them the dona honoraria of the Lord Christ, Eph 4:8-11.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain There are divers offices or ministries in the church…
There are divers offices or ministries in the church of God; one ministereth in the office of an elder, another in the office of a deacon; one in one service of the church, another in another service; but there is but one Lord to whom they minister; they all serve the great Lord of the church, Jesus Christ, though in divers orders and places of ministration.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And there are differences of administrations,.... Or ministries; offices…
And there are differences of administrations,.... Or ministries; offices in the church, ministered in by different persons, as apostles, prophets, pastors, or teachers and deacons; who were employed in planting and forming of churches, ordaining elders, preaching the word, administering ordinances, and taking care of the poor; for which different gifts were bestowed on them, they not all having the same office.
But the same Lord; meaning either Jesus Christ, whom the believer, by the Holy Ghost, says is Lord; who, as the ascended King of saints, and Lord and head of the church, appoints different offices and officers in it; and having received, gives gifts unto them, qualifying them for the same; all which comes through the same hand, and not another's; or rather the Lord, the Spirit, who calls men to these several ministrations, separates and fits them for them, and constitutes and installs them into them, and assists them in the discharge of them; since he only, and all along, is spoken of in the context as the efficient of these several things.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Administrations - Offices. But the same Lord appoints them…
Administrations - Offices. But the same Lord appoints them all.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 5. Differences of administrations] διακονιων. Various offices in…
Verse 5. Differences of administrations] διακονιων. Various offices in the Church, such as apostle, prophet, and teacher; under which were probably included bishop or presbyter, pastor, deacon, c. the qualifications for such offices, as well as the appointments themselves, coming immediately from the one Lord Jesus Christ.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Of administrations - Margin, “Ministries.” The word properly denotes…
Of administrations - Margin, “Ministries.” The word properly denotes “ministries;” so that there are different ranks and grades in the ministries which Christ has appointed, to wit, those specified in 1Co 12:9-10, 1Co 12:28.
But the same Lord - This refers evidently to the Lord Jesus, by whom these various orders of ministers were appointed, and under whose control they are; see the note at Act 1:24; compare Eph 4:5. The term “Lord,” when it stands by itself in the New Testament, usually refers to the Lord Jesus, the name by which he was commonly known by the disciples; see Joh 20:25. The fact also that this stands between the mention of the work of the Spirit 1Co 12:4 and the work of God 1Co 12:6, and the fact that to the Lord Jesus appertained the appointment of these various grades of officers in the church (compare Mat 10:1 ff, and Luk 10:1 ff), is further proof that this refers to him. The design of the verse is, to show that all these offices had their appointment from him; and that since all were his appointment, and all were necessary, no one should be proud of an elevated station; no one should be depressed, or feel himself degraded, because he had been designated to a more humble office.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain "Gifts" (Co1 12:4), "administrations" (the various functions and services…
"Gifts" (Co1 12:4), "administrations" (the various functions and services performed by those having the gifts, compare Co1 12:28), and "operations" (the actual effects resulting from both the former, through the universally operative power of the one Father who is "above all, through all, and in us all"), form an ascending climax [HENDERSON, Inspiration].
same Lord--whom the Spirit glorifies by these ministrations [BENGEL].
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 5. Differences of administrations—Different Church offices, duties, or exercises,…
5. Differences of administrations—Different Church offices, duties, or exercises, in which the gifts were employed.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 5. differences] The Greek word is the same in…
5. differences] The Greek word is the same in 1Co_12:4-6. It is used in the Septuagint (1Ch_26:1; 1Ch_8:14; Ezr_6:18) of the divisions or courses of the Priests and Levites.
administrations] Rather, as margin, ministeries, i.e. services rendered to Christ and His members by His disciples. Wiclif’s rendering is, and dyuerse seruyces ther ben, but it is al oo Lord.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Administrations. Different individuals render different services, and even apply…
Administrations. Different individuals render different services, and even apply the same gifts in different ways, as we see in Rom_12:6-8. The same Lord. Who, as Head of the Church, directs all ministries and assigns all functions.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain There are differences of administration, but the same Lord.
1Co_12:5-6
There are differences of administration, but the same Lord.
Read full note →
The agencies of the Church
I. Are widely diversified.
1. Every branch has its own sphere.
2. Every member his own office.
(1) Differing in character, importance, scope.
(2) Yet all necessary.
II. Are under the control of the same Lord--Christ, who--
1. Appoints every man his duty.
2. Supplies him with grace.
3. Observes and rewards his conduct.
III. Are directed to one end. Hence the meanest office--
1. Is honourable.
2. Is useful.
3. Should be faithfully fulfilled. (J. Lyth, D.D.)
Differences of administrations
Glycera, the flower-girl, knew so well how to diversify the combination and arrangement of her flowers, as with the same flowers to make a great variety of nosegays. So that when the painter Pausias tried to emulate her skill he failed, for he could not vary his painting so many ways as Glycera did her nosegays. Thus the Holy Ghost disposes and arranges with so much variety the instructions of devotion which He gives us by the tongues and pens of His servants that, although the doctrines are always the same, the treatises which are made out of them are very different, according to the different ways in which they are put together. (St. Francis de Sales.)
There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God.
The diversity of the Divine operations
These words suggest practical reflections as to--
I. The vast variety of classes for whom Christian work is carried on. Such work is work--
1. For all varieties of need.
(1) Bodily. The hospital; the sanitary enterprise of any form is included.
(2) Mental. All true educational work, not least of all when it aims at fixing a ladder that shall rise from the gutter to the university, is included.
(3) Moral. Every crusade for temperance and chastity is included.
(4) Spiritual. The proclamation, in its manifold fulness, of the gospel that converts, comforts, and edifies is included.
(5) National. Right endeavour in the cause of peace, of land reform, etc., is included.
2. For the needs of people of all ages--the child, the youth, the adult, the aged.
3. For the needs of people of all places. The prediction as to the usefulness of the men of the early Church (Act_1:8) seems to hint at what we call
(1) City missions--witnesses for Me in Jerusalem.
(2) Home missions--and in all Judaea.
(3) Colonial missions--and in Samaria.
(4) Foreign missions--and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
II. The vast variety of means by which Christian work is carried on. There are methods in which the individual is a potent force, and others in which the elaborate machinery fulfils a useful function. There are spheres for highest culture, and others for simplest speech, domains for the pen and for the tongue. True Christian enterprise is hydra-handed. It touches the unnumbered strings on the great harp of humanity, sometimes gently, as with the delicacy of womans fingers, and sometimes mightily, as with the smiting of a seraphs hand.
III. The one motive spirit under whose influence Christian work is carried on. In all and through all who are true to Christ there is one impelling motive, i.e., love to Him. This is the great unifying force at the central heart of all Christly men. (U.R. Thomas.)
The Divine operations
I. Are richly exemplified--
1. In nature.
2. In the Church.
II. Are wonderfully varied.
III. Are singularly harmonious.
IV. Exhibit the glory of the one God--His
1. Wisdom.
2. Power.
3. Love. (J. Lyth, D.D.)
The diversity of the Spirits operations
The witnessing of the Spirit admits of degrees. Just as a rich mans window may be wider than a poor mans, and so the sun may make his house the more light, that the things within it may be better discerned, yet the poor man may really enjoy the beams of the sun, and see what is in his house; so the poorest, the weakest believer may know the Spirit hath shined into his heart, as well as others that enjoy brighter beams than he hath been acquainted with. (T. H. Leary, D.C.L.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 5. Differences of ministrations; of ministries or offices, but…
5. Differences of ministrations; of ministries or offices, but all are in the service of the same Lord.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain 5. “There are diversities of ministries, but the same…
5. “There are diversities of ministries, but the same Lord.” The Holy Ghost bestows on appreciative sinners the gifts of illumination, conviction, justification, regeneration, adoption, and the witness of the Spirit. Without this beautiful group of gifts, no sinner would ever be saved. In sanctification the glorified Savior gives you the Holy Ghost Himself to sanctify, comfort, fill and keep you forever. After the Holy Spirit has moved into your heart, He has another cohort of inestimable gifts which He wishes to bestow on you, not only to fortify you against the adversary, but especially to panoply you for the Lord’s war and empower you to become instrumental in the salvation of others. There are nine of these gifts, all entirely different either from other. Hence there is quite a “diversity,”
developing infinite dissimilitude among their possessors. When Jesus is crowned Lord of all on the throne of the heart, He dispenses an infinite diversity of ministries to His saints, sending them in all directions on missions of love and mercy, doing His will on earth as the angels do it in Heaven.
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same…
And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord .
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.