VERSES: The Nine Miraculous Spiritual Gifts of the Early Church

In the first century church (for example, the church at Corinth), some Christians had the ability to receive miraculous knowledge (I believe because they had no Bibles yet, explained later), to prophesy (reveal future events that are now written down in the Bible), to speak in human foreign languages they hadn’t studied (for the purpose of spreading the truth of God’s Word to foreign nations), to heal the sick, to perform other miracles, etc—all of which is listed in 1 Corinthians 12.4-11. But, again, God made it clear that the purpose of these gifts was to BENEFIT people, not to show off or entertain (see 1 Cor 12.7; 14.5,13,27,28). Then Paul said this to close chapter 12:

1 Cor 12.29-31 NKJV—…Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? [Foreign languages for the spreading of the Word to other nations, see Mt 28.18-20.] Do all interpret [foreign tongues]?
[The answer to these rhetorical questions is, of course, “no.”]
But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

And what was that “more excellent way”? What could be greater than miraculously speaking in foreign languages, miraculously receiving prophecies and all (spiritual) knowledge directly from God’s Holy Spirit—or greater than miraculous faith permitting performance of miracles?

The answer is: LOVE, the largely missing ingredient in the childish and bickering Corinthian church.

Here not is a list of the nine miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit that were active in the first century church:

1 CORINTHIANS 12.1-11

v. 1—Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

v. 2—You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.

v. 3—Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

v. 4—There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

v. 5—There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

v. 6—And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

v. 7—But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

v. 8—for to one is given the [1] word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the [2] word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

v. 9—to another [3] faith by the same Spirit, to another [4] gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

v. 10—to another the [5] working of miracles, to another [6] prophecy, to another [7] discerning of spirits, to another [8] different kinds of tongues, to another the [9] interpretation of tongues.

v. 11—But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

NOTE: All verses quoted from the NKJV unless otherwise indicated.

1 CORINTHIANS 12.1-11

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