1 Corinthians 12:31 Meaning and Explanation
“But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Paul urges them to desire the greater gifts, yet promises to show them something better still: the way of love.
What Does 1 Corinthians 12:31 Mean?
Paul closes the chapter with both an exhortation and a turn. He tells the Corinthians to 'covet earnestly the best gifts' -- to long for what most builds up the church. Then he hints at something higher: 'a more excellent way.'
That way is love, the theme of the chapter that follows. The gifts are good and worth desiring, but without love they are empty. Paul lifts the readers' eyes past even the greatest gifts to the love that must animate them all. The most excellent way is not a power to wield but a love to live.
1 Corinthians 12:31 in the Original Language
zeloo (ζηλόω), 'covet earnestly' -- to desire intensely, to be zealous for.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Corinthians 12:31
What does 1 Corinthians 12:31 mean?
Paul urges them to desire the greater gifts, yet promises to show them something better still: the way of love.