1 Corinthians12:10

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Translation

but to another the energized working which produces miracles,

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but to another prophecy,

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but to another judging of spirits, and to a different one families

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of tongues, but to another interpretation of tongues.  (See comment below.)

Paraphrase

but to another one energized activity empowered by God to produce miracles, but to another one clearly articulating spiritual truth as it relates to daily life, but to another one distinguishing between spirits, and to a different one various kinds of languages belonging to other people, but to another one the interpreting of unknown languages.   (See Comment below.)

Footnotes

1

This is the word from which we get our English words “energy and energize.” In the New Testament it points to an energetic activity empowered by God and it has an ending which focuses the reader’s attention on the final result of that activity – in this case, miracles.

2

The act of prophesying in Scripture is usually associated with calling people to the correct course of action based on a current spiritual reality. It often sounded like this: “You people are far from God and living in sin. You need to repent and change your ways, or you will suffer God’s judgment. So turn to God while you still have a chance.” Notice in this example that no details are given about God’s judgment, only that it is warranted and therefore they should repent. Only rarely did prophecy include foretelling what would happen in the future. Usually it was connected to the present and projected spiritual truths in general terms into the near future. Thus, the act of prophesying was to speak truth in a practical, livable way.

3

In English, Latin and Greek this word expresses “offspring, kinds, families, races, nations.” Our word “genus” used in Biological classifications, comes from the same root, as does our word “generation”. The root word in view here means “to give birth to.”

Interpretation?

Interpretation is mentioned without any explanation because Paul had talked to them about this issue when he was with them in person, and because he will come back to it again. In the book of Acts, the issue of interpretation is not mentioned or explained, however it is illustrated, for, on the day of Pentecost, Peter provided the interpretation for the sake of the local Jews who were already refusing to believe in Jesus despite the miracles that Jesus had done and despite the resurrection of Jesus.

If interpretation of tongues is mentioned as a spiritual gift, does this legitimize the form of tongues and interpretation that is popular today? No, I don’t think it does. I believe Paul was referring to what Peter did at Pentecost for the sake of the unbelieving Jews. The fact that the interpretation of public tongues on the day of Pentecost was valid, does not mean that the interpretation of tongues practiced in Corinth was also valid. They must each be evaluated independently of the other.  (See my comments related to I Cor 14:5 and 14:13 for more explanations about interpretation.)