# 1 Corinthians 12.31

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [1 Corinthians](/codex/1-corinthians/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 29. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30. have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
>
> **31. But desire earnestly the greater gifts. And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you.** (1 Corinthians 12:29-31, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 29. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? 30. Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret?
>
> **31. But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.** (1 Corinthians 12:29-31, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 29. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? <sup>workers: or, powers?</sup> 30. Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
>
> **31. But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.** (1 Corinthians 12:29-31, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 29. [are] all apostles? [are] all prophets? [are] all teachers? [are] all powers? 30. have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
>
> **31. and desire earnestly the better gifts; and yet a far excelling way do I shew to you:** (1 Corinthians 12:29-31, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Lexicon:**

- [G2205 - zelos](/codex/g2205-zelos/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.