Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Verse

1 Corinthians 12:13

ESV For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
NIV For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
NASB For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
CSB For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.
NLT Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
KJV 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.
NKJV For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

What does 1 Corinthians 12:13 mean?

Paul is building an illustration for the church, all the Christians on earth, from the idea of a human body. Every human body is one thing, one person, made up of lots of different parts—"members"—with a wide variety of functions, sizes, and visibility.

Likewise, the church, known as the body of Christ, is one thing with lots of parts. How is this possible? Paul uses the concept of baptism here to imply a union, or a joining-together for a common faith and purpose. Paul may have literal water baptism in mind here. This is something the early church practiced almost immediately after someone converted to Christianity. It's also possible that water baptism is being used as a picture of what happens when someone comes to Christ and receives God's Spirit for the first time. They are said to be baptized into the Spirit, immersed in God's protective, empowering Spirit. In addition, Paul describes every believer in Jesus as drinking of one Spirit. This pictures the Spirit's coming into Christians and occupying them. Every Christian has the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9).

Because every Christian is immersed in and filled up with God's Spirit—the same Spirit for all believers—we are also connected to each other. This allows the church to become one body made up of diverse parts. These differences include nationality and race, gender, physical and intellectual ability, as well as social status. The church in Corinth was especially diverse in these differences.
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app: