1 COR 12:13 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Yes, in one spirit we were all immersed into one body, whether we were Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we all were given one spirit to drink. MEANING?

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT For indeed by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bound or free, and all were made to drink one Spirit.

UST Now, God has united us together as closely as if we made up one body. This happened when people baptized us, with the result that we have the one Spirit. We make up this one body even though some of us are Jewish people and others are non-Jewish people, and even though some of us are slaves and others are free people. Further, we all shared in this one Spirit just like we all shared a drink from one cup.

BLB For also in one Spirit we all were baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink one Spirit.

AICNT For indeed in one spirit we all were baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we all were made to drink [[into]][fn] one spirit.

12:13, into: Later manuscripts add. BYZ TR

OEB for it was by one Spirit that we were all baptised to form one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and were all imbued with one Spirit.

WEBBE For in one Spirit we were all baptised into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.

WMBB For in one Spirit we were all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.

NET For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.

LSV for also in one Spirit we were all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether servants or freemen, and all were made to drink one Spirit,

FBV For it was through one Spirit that we were all baptized into one body. It doesn't matter whether we are Jews or Greeks, slave or free—we all were given the one Spirit to drink.

TCNT For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we have all been given [fn]to drink into one Spirit.

12:13 to drink into one Spirit ¦ one Spirit to drink CT

T4T When we were baptized {When people baptized us}, the one Holy Spirit caused us to become one group of believers. It does not matter whether we are Jews or non-Jews. It does not matter whether we are slaves or not slaves. When we believed in Christ, the one Spirit came to live [MET] within all of us.

LEB For by[fn] one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free persons, and all were made to drink one Spirit.

12:13 Or “in”

BBE For through the baptism of the one Spirit we were all formed into one body, Jews or Greeks, servants or free men, and were all made full of the same Spirit.

Moff For by one Spirit we have all been baptized into one Body, Jews or Greeks, slaves or freemen; we have all been imbued with one Spirit.

Wymth For, in fact, in one Spirit all of us—whether we are Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free men—were baptized to form but one body; and we were all nourished by that one Spirit.

ASV For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit.

DRA For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether bond or free; and in one Spirit we have all been made to drink.

YLT for also in one Spirit we all to one body were baptized, whether Jews or Greeks, whether servants or freemen, and all into one Spirit were made to drink,

Drby For also in [the power of] one Spirit we have all been baptised into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bondmen or free, and have all been given to drink of one Spirit.

RV For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit.
(For in one Spirit were we all baptised into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit. )

SLT For also in one Spirit were we all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether servants or free; and we have all been given to drink into one Spirit.

Wbstr For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

KJB-1769 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
(For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. )

KJB-1611 For by one spirit are we all baptized into one bodie, whether wee bee Iewes or [fn]Gentiles, whether wee bee bond or free: and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from marking of added words (and possibly capitalisation and punctuation and footnotes))

12:13 Gr. Greeks.

Bshps For by one spirite, are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Iewes or gentiles, whether we be bonde or free: and haue all drunke of one spirite.
(For by one spirit, are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Yews or gentiles, whether we be bond or free: and have all drunk of one spirit.)

Gnva For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we bee Iewes, or Grecians, whether we be bonde, or free, and haue bene all made to drinke into one Spirit.
(For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Yews, or Grecians/Greeks, whether we be bonde, or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. )

Cvdl For we are all baptysed in one sprete to be one body, whether we be Iewes or Gentyles, whether we be bonde or fre, and haue all dronke of one sprete.
(For we are all baptised in one spirit to be one body, whether we be Yews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or fre, and have all dronke of one spirit.)

TNT For in one sprete are we all baptysed to make one body whether we be Iewes or getyls whether we be bonde or fre: and have all dronke of one sprete.
(For in one spirit are we all baptised to make one body whether we be Yews or getyls whether we be bond or fre: and have all dronke of one spirit. )

Wycl For in o spirit alle we ben baptisid `in to o bodi, ether Jewis, ether hethene, ether seruauntis, ether free; and alle we ben fillid with drink in o spirit.
(For in o spirit all we been baptised in to o body, either Yews, either heathen, either servants, either free; and all we been filled with drink in o spirit.)

Luth Denn wir sind durch einen Geist alle zu einem Leibe getauft, wir seien Juden oder Griechen, Knechte oder Freie, und sind alle zu einem Geist getränket.
(Because we/us are through a spirit all to/for on body baptised, we/us be Yews or Griechen, servant(s) or Freie, and are all to/for on spirit soaked.)

ClVg Etenim in uno Spiritu omnes nos in unum corpus baptizati sumus, sive Judæi, sive gentiles, sive servi, sive liberi: et omnes in uno Spiritu potati sumus.[fn]
(Indeed in/into/on one By_Spirit everyone us in/into/on one body baptised/immersed we_are, if/or Jews, if/or Gentiles, if/or slaves, if/or children: and everyone in/into/on one By_Spirit potati we_are. )

12.13 Etenim. Ostendit quomodo corpus Christi sit unum quia omnes baptizati, id est abluti et in uno spiritu ducti sumus in hoc, ut simus unum corpus, id est unanimes per illum unum spiritum, ut totum corpus hominis una anima vegetatur. Et quia omnes potati sumus in acceptione diversorum donorum Spiritus sancti, in uno spiritu: quia omnia dona ad unum efficiendum dirigit. Non illius persona contemnenda vel præferenda, nec hominibus gloria Dei danda: quia unus et idem in omnibus operatur.

12.13 Indeed. Ostendit how body of_Christ be one because everyone baptised/immersed, that it_is abluti and in/into/on one in_spirit led we_are in/into/on hoc, as we_are one body, that it_is unanimes through him one spirit, as whole body of_man together the_soul vegetatur. And because everyone potati we_are in/into/on acceptancene diversorum gifts Spirit holy, in/into/on one in_spirit: because everything gifts to one efficiendum directs. Not/No of_that person contemnenda or beforeferenda, but_not to_humans glory of_God danda: because one and the_same in/into/on to_all works.

UGNT καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ Πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι, εἴτε Ἕλληνες, εἴτε δοῦλοι, εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι, καὶ πάντες ἓν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν.
(kai gar en heni Pneumati haʸmeis pantes eis hen sōma ebaptisthaʸmen, eite Youdaioi, eite Hellaʸnes, eite douloi, eite eleutheroi, kai pantes hen Pneuma epotisthaʸmen.)

SBL-GNT καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες, εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι, καὶ ⸀πάντες ἓν πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν.
(kai gar en heni pneumati haʸmeis pantes eis hen sōma ebaptisthaʸmen, eite Youdaioi eite Hellaʸnes, eite douloi eite eleutheroi, kai ⸀pantes hen pneuma epotisthaʸmen.)

RP-GNT Καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες, εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι· καὶ πάντες εἰς ἓν πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν.
(Kai gar en heni pneumati haʸmeis pantes eis hen sōma ebaptisthaʸmen, eite Youdaioi eite Hellaʸnes, eite douloi eite eleutheroi; kai pantes eis hen pneuma epotisthaʸmen.)

TC-GNT Καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες, εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι· καὶ πάντες [fn]εἰς ἓν πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν.
(Kai gar en heni pneumati haʸmeis pantes eis hen sōma ebaptisthaʸmen, eite Youdaioi eite Hellaʸnes, eite douloi eite eleutheroi; kai pantes eis hen pneuma epotisthaʸmen. )

12:13 εις ¦ — CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 12:1–31: Use spiritual gifts to help the church

In this section Paul wrote about different spiritual gifts, or abilities, that the Holy Spirit gives to believers. He listed some of these spiritual gifts and taught that God gave them to us to help the church. He compared the body of Christ with the human body in order to explain that all of the spiritual gifts are important to the church.

Here are some other possible section headings:

Using spiritual gifts

God gives spiritual gifts to each member of the body

About spiritual gifts

12:13a

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,

For by/through the one Spirit we^(incl) all received baptism into one body.
For the one Spirit baptized us^(incl) all into one whole/unit.

For: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as For introduces the grounds of the comparison in 12:12. Paul explained in what way the body of Christ, the church, is like a human body.

in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body: Paul explained that many different believers could be one body. The reason is that the same Spirit baptized them and made them one.

There are two ways to interpret the word baptized:

It refers to a spiritual baptism that took place when the Corinthians became Christians, and they received the Holy Spirit.
It refers to water baptism.

For the Corinthian believers, baptism in water was associated with Spirit baptism. It is good if you can use a phrase that covers both ideas. If you must choose between them, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This best fits the context of 12:13c.

in one Spirit: There are two ways to interpret the Greek phrase that the BSB translates as in one Spirit:

It refers to the Holy Spirit as the agent. It is the Spirit who baptizes. For example:
by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body (RSV)
God baptized us all with the same Holy Spirit (RSV, NIV, GNT, CEV, GW, NLT, NASB, KJV)
It refers to the Holy Spirit as the sphere or location in which believers are baptized. For example:
in a single Spirit (NJB) (BSB, NJB, NRSV, NET, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This has the strongest support among the English versions.

12:13b

whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free,

It does not matter whether we^(incl) are Jews or Greeks, slaves or free people.
This is for all of us including Jews and Greeks, including slaves and free people.

whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free: These phrases give parenthetical information that is added to the main point. Paul said that it did not matter whether believers are Jewish people or not, or slaves or not. They are all part of one body.

Jews: The word Jews refers to people who are Jewish by race, rather than Jewish by religion. The Christians in Corinth who were descended from the twelve sons of Jacob considered themselves to be Jewish.

Greeks: The word Greeks refers to people from the country of Greece. However, in this context it is used in a general way for anyone who is not a Jew.

slave: The word slave refers to people who were not free to leave their place of employment. They had to remain with their owner and work for him.

free: The word free refers to people who were not slaves. They were free to leave their employment and work when and as they wished.

12:13c

and we were all given one Spirit to drink.

God caused us^(incl) all to drink the same Spirit.
And that one Spirit is like water that all of us can drink.

and we were all given one Spirit to drink: This is a metaphor. God gave his Holy Spirit to all believers. The Spirit is like water that a person drinks. It is like water in the sense that it gives us life when it enters us.

The verb we were all given is passive. It is God who causes his people to receive or drink the Holy Spirit. There are two ways to translate this passive verb:

Use a passive verb. For example:
we were all made to drink of one Spirit (NASB)
Use an active verb. For example:
God gave all of us^(incl) the same Spirit to drink
the one Spirit is like water that all of us can drink, and that water gives us life

Use the verb form that is the most natural in your language.

In some languages it may be clearer to remove the figure of speech and translate the meaning. For example:

we have all received the same Spirit

we all have one Spirit living in us

General Comment on 12:13a-c

In some languages it may be natural to reorder this verse and put 12:13b at the beginning. This what the CEV has done:

^13bSome of us are Jews, and others are Gentiles. Some of us are slaves, and others are free. ^13aBut God’s Spirit baptized each of us and made us part of the body of Christ. ^13cNow we each drink from that same Spirit. (CEV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

ἐν ἑνὶ Πνεύματι

in (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ ἐν ἑνί Πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἕν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλευθεροῖ καί πάντες ἕν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν)

Here, by one Spirit could refer to: (1) the person in whom we were all baptized. In other words, the baptism happens by the power of the one Spirit or leads to the reception of the one Spirit. Alternate translation: [in one Spirit] or [into one Spirit] (2) the one who performs the “baptism.” Alternate translation: [by the work of the one Spirit]

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐν ἑνὶ Πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες & ἐβαπτίσθημεν

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Here, the one who does the “baptizing” could be: (1) the believer who performs a water baptism by means of the Spirit’s power. Alternate translation: [fellow believers baptized all of us by the power of the Spirit] (2) God, who gives the one Spirit to believers during a water baptism or in a way that is like a “baptism.” Alternate translation: [God baptized all of us in one Spirit] or [it was as if God baptized us by giving us the one Spirit, which means that he united us] (3) the one Spirit, who empowers the water baptism or unites us in a way similar to a baptism. Alternate translation: [the one Spirit baptized all of us] or [it was as if the one Spirit baptized us, which means that he united us]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πάντες & ἐβαπτίσθημεν

all & ˓were˒_baptized

Here, baptized could refer to: (1) water baptism, which is connected to the Spirit. Alternate translation: [were all baptized in water] (2) becoming a believer and receiving the Spirit, which is like being baptized. Alternate translation: [were all incorporated by something like baptism]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν

all into all (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ ἐν ἑνί Πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἕν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλευθεροῖ καί πάντες ἕν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν)

Here, being baptized into something or someone identifies with whom one is being united in baptism. In this case, believers are united together as one body when they are baptized. Alternate translation: [were all baptized so that we became one body]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

εἰς ἓν σῶμα

into (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ ἐν ἑνί Πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἕν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλευθεροῖ καί πάντες ἕν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν)

Here Paul speaks as if believers together were one body. By speaking in this way, he emphasizes the unity that believers have because they together have the Spirit as the body of Christ. Paul uses this metaphor throughout the following verses, and it is an important metaphor for 1 Corinthians and for Christian teaching. Because of this, you should preserve this metaphor or, if you must express the idea differently, use an analogy. Alternate translation: [into close union, as if we were one body]

εἴτε δοῦλοι, εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι

whether or or slaves or (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ ἐν ἑνί Πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἕν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλευθεροῖ καί πάντες ἕν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν)

Alternate translation: [whether slaves or freedmen]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

πάντες ἓν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν

all all (Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί Γάρ ἐν ἑνί Πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἕν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλευθεροῖ καί πάντες ἕν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν)

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Paul uses this form to emphasize the people who are drinking rather than emphasizing the one who provides the drink. If you must state who did the action, Paul implies that “God” did it. Alternate translation: [God made us all drink one Spirit]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πάντες ἓν Πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν

Here Paul speaks as if receiving the Spirit or being empowered by the Spirit is “drinking” the Spirit. It is possible that he speaks in this way to make the Corinthians think about the Lord’s Supper (“drinking the cup”), especially since the beginning of the verse speaks of being baptized. The main point is that all those who drink the one Spirit are united together by that drinking. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this metaphor with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [all received one Spirit] or [all partook of the one Spirit]

Parallel 1 COR 12:13

Section 12:1–31: Use spiritual gifts to help the church

12:13a

12:13b

12:13c

General Comment on 12:13a-c

Parallel 1 COR 12:13