What Does 1 Corinthians 12:29 Mean in the King James?
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse makes difference part of the design: no single person is meant to carry every calling.
THE MEANING
The question points to distinct capacities within a shared life. You do not need to carry every role for your place in that life to be real.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that belonging requires you to be an apostle, prophet, teacher, and worker of miracles all at once.
THE ROOT
ἀπόστολοι
apostoloi
GROWS FROM
στέλλω
stellō
Send, dispatch.
“apostles” in this verse is apostoloi. An apostle is a sent one: the word holds a relationship and a function, not just a title. The question asks whether everyone carries this particular sending, placing it among distinct callings.
ALSO GROWS
apostellō: Send out, dispatch.
ἀποστέλλω
This verb makes the movement within an apostle’s calling visible: the role involves being sent.
apostolē: Sending, commission.
ἀποστολή
This branch names the act or commission of sending, showing that the calling is a particular function rather than a universal role.
δυνάμεις
dynameis
GROWS FROM
δύναμαι
dynamai
Be able; have capacity.
“miracles” in this verse is dynameis. The Greek word names powers or capacities. Mighty acts appear here as one particular capacity among several, rather than a measure everyone must carry.
ALSO GROWS
dynamis: Power, capacity, ability.
δύναμις
This singular form shows the capacity contained in the verse’s plural powers.
dynatos: Able, powerful.
δυνατός
This branch describes what has capacity, echoing the verse’s question about who carries this kind of ability.
THE PATTERN
A shared life is carried by distinct callings, so no one person occupies every function.
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,THE THREAD
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.The Greek word behind apostle appears here as he that is sent, connecting the role to its sending. That shared root makes the role relational: it is one calling within the larger life, not a status everyone must hold.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us