1 Corinthians 12-14

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:16

Text: (NA27):

ἐπεὶ ἐὰν εὐλογῇς [ἐν] πνεύματι, ὁ ἀναπληρῶν τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου πῶς ἐρεῖ τὸ ἀμὴν ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ; ἐπειδὴ τί λέγεις οὐκ οἶδεν

Transliteration (Accordance):

epei ean eulogȩ̄s [en] pneumati, ho anaplērōn ton topon tou idiōtou pōs erei to amēn epi tȩ̄ sȩ̄ eucharistia̧? epeidē ti legeis ouk oiden

Translation (Thiselton 2006):

Otherwise, if you bless God from the depths of your being only, [or "in the Spirit"], how can the uninitiated person person speak his or her "Amen" to your thanksgiving since he or she does not know what you are saying?

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

ἐπεί : since (sc. if that were so), otherwise.
εὐλογῇς : subjunctive of εὐλογέω "speak well of", praise.
ἀναπληρῶν : participle of ἀναπληρόω fill up ; so occupy a place.
ἰδιώτης : unlearned ; uninitiated.
ἐρεῖ : future of λέγω say.
σός : your (singular).
εὐχαριστία : thanksgiving.
ἐπειδή : since (causal).
τί : indirect interrogative.
οἶδεν : know in sense of "understand".

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance):

16idiōtēsidiōtēsidiōtēs reappears in verse 23 in close connection with unbelievers.

Those who presuppose that the word refers to the same person both here and in verse 23 most often consider the idiōtēsidiōtēsidiōtēsidiōtai

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:17

Text: (NA27):

σὺ μὲν γὰρ καλῶς εὐχαριστεῖς ἀλλ᾿ ὁ ἕτερος οὐκ οἰκοδομεῖται.

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (Thiselton 2006):

For you, on your side, may be giving thanks well enough; but the other, on his or her side, is not being built up.

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

μὲν γάρ...ἀλλά : for...no doubt, but.
καλῶς : well, properly.
εὐχαριστέω : give thanks.
οἰκοδομεῖται : passive of οἰκοδομέω build up, edify.

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance):

17

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:18

Text: (NA27):

Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ, πάντων ὑμῶν μᾶλλον γλώσσαις λαλῶ

Transliteration (Accordance):

Eucharistō tō̧ theō̧, pantōn hymōn mallon glōssais lalō

Translation (NRSV):

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

ὑμῶν : genitive of comparison.
μᾶλλον : more.

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance; footnotes omitted):

18 Paul concludes the argument on yet another personal note, which in itself is not surprising since both the larger section (beginning with verse 6) and the more immediate subparagraph (beginning with verse 14 and verse 17verse 19 will be his own personal response to verse 18, which in turn corresponds to the second clause of verse 17 the edification of others in the assembly.

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:19

Text: (NA27):

ἀλλὰ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ θέλω πέντε λόγους τῷ νοΐ μου λαλῆσαι, ἵνα καὶ ἄλλους κατηχήσω, ἢ μυρίους λόγους ἐν γλώσσῃ.

Transliteration (Accordance):

alla en ekklēsia̧ thelō pente logous tō̧ noi mou lalēsai, hina kai allous katēchēsō, ē myrious logous en glōssȩ̄.

Translation (NRSV):

nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

ἐκκλησία : Christian congregation, assembly of the faithful.
θέλω...ἢ : supply μᾶλλον I would rather...than.
πέντε = 5.
νοΐ : verse 15, with aid of ordinary graces.
λαλῆσαι : aorist infinitive of λαλέω speak.
κατηχήσω : aorist subjunctive of κατηχέω instruct orally.
μύριοι = 10,000.

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance; footnotes omitted):

19 Having set them up with the surprising words of verse 18, he now drops the other shoe. When it comes to tongues as such, he has just asserted, I surpass all of you. But so what? The crucial question is not whether one speaks in tongues or not, but what is appropriate in the assembly. Heretofore one may only have suspected that Paul was making distinctions between private devotion and public worship; this sentence makes it explicit.

The contrasts, which return in part to the language of verse 15, including the interpretation of such praise, back toward the other intelligible gifts mentioned in verse 6

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:20

Text: (NA27):

Ἀδελφοί, μὴ παιδία γίνεσθε ταῖς φρεσὶν ἀλλὰ τῇ κακίᾳ νηπιάζετε, ταῖς δὲ φρεσὶν τέλειοι γίνεσθε.

Transliteration (Accordance):

Adelphoi, mē paidia ginesthe tais phresin alla tȩ̄ kakia̧ nēpiazete, tais de phresin teleioi ginesthe.

Translation (RSV):

Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; be babes in evil, but in thinking be mature.

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

ἀδελφοί : brothers.
παιδίον : (diminutive of παῖς) child.
γίνεσθε be!, show yourselves! imperative of γίνομαι (supplying for imperative 2nd plural of εἰμί).
φρήν, φρενός, ἡ : mind, plural mentality, outlook.
κακία : evil, dative of respect.
νηπιάζετε : imperative of νηπιάζω be like a child.
τέλειος : mature, adult.

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance; footnotes and introductory paragraphs omitted):

20 Another turn in the argument is marked by the vocative (cf. verse 6) and the rather abrupt appearance of this exhortation to stop being children in their thinking. Although some have seen this as related to and have thus argued that Paul considered speaking in tongues itself as childish behavior to be outgrown, both the preceding argument especially verses 15 and 18

Do not be children in your thinking; A
but be infants in evil B
rather (de) in your thinking be adults. A

As in the usage of this same imagery in

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:21

Text: (NA27):

ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γέγραπται ὅτι ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ ἐν χείλεσιν ἑτέρων λαλήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ καὶ οὐδ᾿ οὕτως εἰσακούσονταί μου, λέγει κύριος.

Transliteration (Accordance):
Translation (RSV):
Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

γέγραπται : it stands written, perfect passive of γράφω write.
ὅτι = "...
ἑτερόγλωσσος : one speaking another tongue.
χεῖλος : lip ; plural Hebraism ἐν χείλεσιν ἑτέρων by the lips of foreigners.
λαλήσω : future of λαλέω speak.
εἰσακούσονταί : future middle of εἰσακούω (τινός) listen to, obey (one).

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance; footnotes and introductory paragraphs omitted):

21 Paul begins redirecting their thinking by adapting a passage from akouōeisakouō

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:22

Text: (NA27):

ὥστε αἱ γλῶσσαι εἰς σημεῖόν εἰσιν οὐ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις, ἡ δὲ προφητεία οὐ τοῖς ἀπίστοις ἀλλὰ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν.

Transliteration (Accordance):

hōste hai glōssai eis sēmeion eisin ou tois pisteuousin alla tois apistois, hē de prophēteia ou tois apistois alla tois pisteuousin.

Translation (RSV):

Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

ὥστε : for this reason, therefore, so.
εἰς : for predicate nominative as.
πιστεύουσιν : dative plural participle of πιστεύω: οἱ πιστεύοντες the believers.
ἄπιστος : unbelieving.
προφητεία : gift of prophesying.

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance; footnotes and introductory paragraphs omitted):

22 and especially in the way verse 23verse 22verse 20pneumatikosverse 21verse 23 (although it is alluded to in verse 19 in anticipation of this argument). This is also the clause in which all the difficulties have arisen, since in the illustration that corresponds to this assertion (

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:23

Text: (NA27):

Εὰν οὖν συνέλθῃ ἡ ἐκκλησία ὅλη ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ πάντες λαλῶσιν γλώσσαις, εἰσέλθωσιν δὲ ἰδιῶται ἢ ἄπιστοι, οὐκ ἐροῦσιν ὅτι μαίνεσθε;

Transliteration (Accordance):

Ean oun synelthȩ̄ hē ekklēsia holē epi to auto kai pantes lalōsin glōssais, eiselthōsin de idiōtai ē apistoi, ouk erousin hoti mainesthe?

Translation (RSV):

If, therefore, the whole church assembles and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

εὰν οὖν : if therefore.
συνέλθῃ : aorist subjunctive of συνέρχομαι come together, gather, meet.
ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό : in one place, together.
λαλῶσιν : subjunctive of λαλέω speak.
εἰσέλθωσιν : aorist subjunctive of εἰσέρχομαι enter.
ἰδιώτης : unlearned, uninitiated, untutored, outsider.
ἐροῦσιν : future of λέγω say.

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance; footnotes and introductory paragraphs omitted):

23 With this sentence and the next Paul proceeds to illustrate the two assertions of verse 22 in terms of the effect of each on unbelievers. Both sentences take the same form: a present general condition in which the protasis expresses the hypothetical situation of the gathered church into which unbelievers enter and the apodosis expresses their response first to tongues, then to prophecy. Although hypothetical, and probably overstated, the protases must nonetheless be taken seriously as real possibilities; otherwise the argument is to no avail. Thus these illustrations give us several insights into an early Christian gathering for worship.

(1) The language for their assembling together is nearly identical to that found in 11:20Rom. 16:23, this implies that all the believers from all the house churches met together in some way. Given the limitations of size in even the most commodious of well-to-do homes, does this imply that the church was somewhat smaller than we might tend to think? Or is it possible that one of the houses was considerably larger than archeology has uncovered in Corinth to this point? We simply do not know.

(2) Both this text and verse 26, as well as verse 5). The same is true of prophecy. (b) Again, even though it is overstatement, this is probably a generally realistic description of the current scene in Corinth. Not that all were necessarily speaking in tongues at the same time; nonetheless the guidelines in verse 22idiōtēs from verse 16

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:23

Post repeated to add inadvertently omitted vocabulary word.

Text: (NA27):

Εὰν οὖν συνέλθῃ ἡ ἐκκλησία ὅλη ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ πάντες λαλῶσιν γλώσσαις, εἰσέλθωσιν δὲ ἰδιῶται ἢ ἄπιστοι, οὐκ ἐροῦσιν ὅτι μαίνεσθε;

Transliteration (Accordance):

Ean oun synelthȩ̄ hē ekklēsia holē epi to auto kai pantes lalōsin glōssais, eiselthōsin de idiōtai ē apistoi, ouk erousin hoti mainesthe?

Translation (RSV):

If, therefore, the whole church assembles and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

εὰν οὖν : if therefore.
συνέλθῃ : aorist subjunctive of συνέρχομαι come together, gather, meet.
ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό : in one place, together.
λαλῶσιν : subjunctive of λαλέω speak.
εἰσέλθωσιν : aorist subjunctive of εἰσέρχομαι enter.
ἰδιώτης : unlearned, uninitiated, untutored, outsider.
ἐροῦσιν : future of λέγω say.
μαίνομαι : be mad or raving.

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance; footnotes and introductory paragraphs omitted):

23 With this sentence and the next Paul proceeds to illustrate the two assertions of verse 22 in terms of the effect of each on unbelievers. Both sentences take the same form: a present general condition in which the protasis expresses the hypothetical situation of the gathered church into which unbelievers enter and the apodosis expresses their response first to tongues, then to prophecy. Although hypothetical, and probably overstated, the protases must nonetheless be taken seriously as real possibilities; otherwise the argument is to no avail. Thus these illustrations give us several insights into an early Christian gathering for worship.

(1) The language for their assembling together is nearly identical to that found in 11:20Rom. 16:23, this implies that all the believers from all the house churches met together in some way. Given the limitations of size in even the most commodious of well-to-do homes, does this imply that the church was somewhat smaller than we might tend to think? Or is it possible that one of the houses was considerably larger than archeology has uncovered in Corinth to this point? We simply do not know.

(2) Both this text and verse 26, as well as verse 5). The same is true of prophecy. (b) Again, even though it is overstatement, this is probably a generally realistic description of the current scene in Corinth. Not that all were necessarily speaking in tongues at the same time; nonetheless the guidelines in verse 22idiōtēs from verse 16

[/QUOTE]

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:24-25

Text: (NA27):

ἐὰν δὲ πάντες προφητεύωσιν, εἰσέλθῃ δέ τις ἄπιστος ἢ ἰδιώτης, ἐλέγχεται ὑπὸ πάντων, ἀνακρίνεται ὑπὸ πάντων, τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ φανερὰ γίνεται, καὶ οὕτως πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον προσκυνήσει τῷ θεῷ ἀπαγγέλλων ὅτι ὄντως ὁ θεὸς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστιν.

Transliteration (Accordance):

ean de pantes prophēteuōsin, eiselthȩ̄ de tis apistos ē idiōtēs, elegchetai hypo pantōn, anakrinetai hypo pantōn, ta krypta tēs kardias autou phanera ginetai, kai houtōs pesōn epi prosōpon proskynēsei tō̧ theō̧ apaggellōn hoti ontōs ho theos en hymin estin.

Translation (RSV):

But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

προφητεύωσιν : subjunctive of προφητεύω prophesy.
ἐλέγχεται : passive of ἐλέγχω point out ; convince, convict.
ἀνακρίνεται : passive of ἀνακρίνω inquire into ; challenge.
κρυπτός : hidden, secret.
φανερός : clear, evident.
πεσὼν : aorist participle of πίπτω fall.
προσκυνήσει : future of προσκυνέω (τινί) worship (one).
ἀπαγγέλλων : participle of ἀπαγγέλλω declare.
ὅτι = "...
ὄντως : in reality, really, truly.

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance; footnotes and introductory paragraphs omitted):

24-25verse 23verse 3; 9:3); it is also used in Isa. 45:14 (cf. Zech. 8:23pneumatikosverse 1

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:26

Text: (NA27):
Transliteration (Accordance):

Ti oun estin, adelphoi? hotan synerchēsthe, hekastos psalmon echei, didachēn echei, apokalypsin echei, glōssan echei, hermēneian echei; panta pros oikodomēn ginesthō.

Translation (RSV):

What then, brethren? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

τί οὖν ἐστιν; : how do matters stand then?
συνέρχησθε : subjunctive of συνέρχομαι come together as a group, gather, assemble.
διδαχή : instruction.
ἀποκάλυψις : revelation.
ἑρμηνεία : see on 12:10.
πρός : for.
γινέσθω : let...be done! ...is to be done, imperative 3rd singular of γίνομαι.

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance; footnotes and introductory paragraphs omitted):

2611:18, 20, ), picks up the argument from et ceteraverse 15verse 6verse 3012:10verse 23. What is striking in this entire discussion is the absence of any mention of leadership or of anyone who would be responsible for seeing that these guidelines were generally adhered to. The community appears to be left to itself and the Holy Spirit. What is mandatory is that everything aim at edification..

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:27

Text: (NA27):
Transliteration (Accordance):

eite glōssȩ̄ tis lalei, kata dyo ē to pleiston treis kai ana meros, kai heis diermēneuetō;

Translation (Thiselton):

Thiselton prefaces a comment on his translation (in bold emphasis as follows) with "As we have argued, we should be cautious about assuming that each in speaking in tongues denotes a different speaker from the one who puts the tongue speaking into words. Hence I have translated verse 27: If it is in a tongue that someone speaks, let only two or at the most three speak in turn, and let the one who is speaking put it [their utterance] into words."

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

εἴτε : without a second εἴτε if.
κατὰ δύο ἢ ... τρεῖς : two or ... three at one time, i.e. during one meeting.
πλεῖστος : superlative of πολύς, neuter used adverbially, at most.
μέρος : part, ἀνὰ μέρος in turn.
διερμηνευέτω : imperative of διερμηνεύω interpret; or, as Thiselton argues, articulate, put into intelligible words.

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance; footnotes and introductory paragraphs omitted):

27, which on the basis of verses 24 and 31verse 23verse 32verses 6 and 13, except that in those two passages it is assumed that the tongues-speaker will also receive the interpretation; whereas here and in 12:10 and

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:28

Text: (NA27):

ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ διερμηνευτής, σιγάτω ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαλείτω καὶ τῷ θεῷ.

Transliteration (Accordance):

ean de mē ȩ̄ diermēneutēs, sigatō en ekklēsia̧, heautō̧ de laleitō kai tō̧ theō̧.

Translation (Thiselton):

Thiselton prefaces a comment on his translation (in bold emphasis as follows) with "The NRSV renders verse 28, "But if there is no one to interpret, let them be silent in church and speak to themselves and to God," while NIV similarly has, "If there is no interpreter, the speakers should keep quiet." [note the "politically correct" use of plurals in both versions, to avoid translating masculine singular words that are in the Greek -JR]. Since the Greek uses a noun here (NIV, "an interpreter"; Greek diermēneutēs, this might seem to favor, after all, the notion of a separate person who interprets, alongside the tongues speaker. But the Greek word occurs only here in the New Testament, and not again until the Byzantine period centuries later (F. W. Danker Greek English Lexicon 3rd edit., p. 244). Some later Western variants (D*, F, G) read hermēneutēs, also only here in the New Testament. It would be hazardous to assume that either of these words necessarily denotes one who receives the gift of "interpreting" tongues spoken by another. It may simply denote one who has learned by reflection to put his deepest experience into words. In this case, the meaning of verse 28 is: If he or she cannot express this deep experience in words let [that person] remain silent in the assembled congregation, and address God privately. This is perhaps the only verse that might possibly support the more usual view, but it is hazardous to place such weight on a single verse, the meaning of which leaves room for doubt.

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

ᾖ : subjunctive of εἰμί be.
διερμηνευτής : interpreter; or, as Thiselton argues, "one who has learned by reflection to put his deepest experience into words."
σιγάτω : imperative 3rd singular of σιγάω keep silent.
λαλείτω : imperative 3rd singular of λαλέω speak.

[John Reece]

Post repeated to correct an error on my part.

Text: (NA27):

ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ διερμηνευτής, σιγάτω ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαλείτω καὶ τῷ θεῷ.

Transliteration (Accordance):

ean de mē ȩ̄ diermēneutēs, sigatō en ekklēsia̧, heautō̧ de laleitō kai tō̧ theō̧.

Translation (Thiselton):

Thiselton prefaces a comment on his translation (in bold emphasis as follows) with "The NRSV renders verse 28, "But if there is no one to interpret, let them be silent in church and speak to themselves and to God," while NIV similarly has, "If there is no interpreter, the speakers should keep quiet." [note the "politically correct" use of plurals in both versions, whereas the words thus translated are singular in the Greek -JR]. Since the Greek uses a noun here (NIV, "an interpreter"; Greek diermēneutēs, this might seem to favor, after all, the notion of a separate person who interprets, alongside the tongues speaker. But the Greek word occurs only here in the New Testament, and not again until the Byzantine period centuries later (F. W. Danker Greek English Lexicon 3rd edit., p. 244). Some later Western variants (D*, F, G) read hermēneutēs, also only here in the New Testament. It would be hazardous to assume that either of these words necessarily denotes one who receives the gift of "interpreting" tongues spoken by another. It may simply denote one who has learned by reflection to put his deepest experience into words. In this case, the meaning of verse 28 is: If he or she cannot express this deep experience in words let [that person] remain silent in the assembled congregation, and address God privately. This is perhaps the only verse that might possibly support the more usual view, but it is hazardous to place such weight on a single verse, the meaning of which leaves room for doubt.

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

ᾖ : subjunctive of εἰμί be.
διερμηνευτής : interpreter; or, as Thiselton argues, "one who has learned by reflection to put his deepest experience into words."
σιγάτω : imperative 3rd singular of σιγάω keep silent.
λαλείτω : imperative 3rd singular of λαλέω speak.

[John Reece]

1 Corinthians 14:29

Text: (NA27):

προφῆται δὲ δύο ἢ τρεῖς λαλείτωσαν καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι διακρινέτωσαν

Transliteration (Accordance):

prophētai de dyo ē treis laleitōsan kai hoi alloi diakrinetōsan

Translation (RSV):

Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.

Grammatical Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG, meanings in this context):

λαλείτωσαν : imperative 3rd plural of λαλέω speak.
διακρινέτωσαν : imperative of διακρίνω distinguish ; use one's discernment/judgment.

Commentary from the first edition of The First Epistle to the Corinthians (NICNT: Eerdmans, 1987), by Gordon D. Fee (via Accordance; footnotes and introductory paragraphs omitted):

29 Paul now turns to give similar guidelines for the exercise of the gift of prophecy. Because of the similarities with what was said about tongues, some have suggested that there were difficulties with this gift in Corinth as well. More likely, however, he advances these guidelines because this is the gift he has been arguing for throughout verse 27verse 24verse 3112:1012:3Rom. 12:612:28per se. But nearly everything else in the argument stands over against such a view. (a) The argument from verse 1verse 12verse 24, even though hypothetical, is especially telling. As in verse 23verse 31verse 28, and means, as in verse 327 and 29) calls for a similar understanding in both cases and does not imply that he is now speaking about a special group of persons.