Early Christian Beliefs About the Gifts of the Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:1 Direct teaching

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

1 Corinthians 12:9 Direct teaching

To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

1 Corinthians 14:1 Direct teaching

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

1 Corinthians 12:10 Direct teaching

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

1 Corinthians 12:28 Direct teaching

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:8 Direct teaching

For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

1 Corinthians 1:7 Direct teaching

so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

and having received their rest in Him, should again, as had been predicted, become gifts which, from the grace of His Spirit’s power, He imparts to those who believe in Him, according as He deems each man worthy thereof.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

After which he enumerates the special gifts of the same: The spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of religion.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

to another faith through the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing through the same Spirit;

Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confession of Faith Supporting witness

to another faith by the sane Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

For one receives the spirit of understanding, another of counsel, another of strength, another of healing, another of foreknowledge, another of teaching, and another of the fear of God.”

1 Corinthians 12:11 Direct teaching

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

1 Corinthians 12:4 Direct teaching

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:6 Supporting witness

And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

Origen, Commentary on John Direct teaching

... to those who, through Him and through participation in Him, are called saints, the material of the gifts that come from God. So this material of the gifts is made powerful by God, is ministered by Christ, and owes its actual existence in men to the Holy Spirit. I am led to this view of the charisms by the words of Paul, which he writes in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6: “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and diversities of ministrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of workings, but it is the same God who works all in all.” The statement that all things were made by Him, and its seeming result, that the Spirit must have been called into being by the Word, may certainly raise some difficulty. There are some passages in which the Spirit is placed above Christ. In Isaiah, for example, Christ declares that He is sent not by the Father only, but also by the Holy Spirit. “Now the Lord has sent Me,” He says in Isaiah 48:16, “and His Spirit.” And in the Gospel He declares that there is forgiveness for sin committed against Himself, but that for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit there is no forgiveness, either in this age or in the age to come. What is the reaso

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Direct teaching

...es, since from now on they were armed and strengthened by the same Spirit, having in themselves the gifts that this same Spirit distributes and assigns to the Church, the spouse of Christ, as her ornaments. This is He who places prophets in the Church, instructs teachers, directs tongues, gives powers and healings, does wonderful works, often gives discrimination of spirits, provides powers of government, suggests counsels, and orders and arranges whatever other gifts of charismata there are. And so He makes the Lord's Church everywhere, and in all things, perfected and completed. This is He who, in the manner of a dove, when our Lord was baptized, came and remained upon Him, dwelling in Christ full and entire, and not diminished in any measure or part. Rather, with His whole overflow He was copiously distributed and sent forth, so that from Him others might receive some enjoyment of His graces. Yet the source of the entire Holy Spirit remained in Christ, so that from Him streams of gifts and works might be drawn, while the Holy Spirit dwelt abundantly in Christ. For truly Isaiah, prophesying this, said, “And the Spirit of wisdom and understanding shall rest upon Him, the Spirit

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

...f the Spirit's different gifts, also shows that there is only one Lord of the human body and of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit, according to the apostle's argument, did not mean that the service of these gifts should be in the body, nor did He place them in the human body. And on the subject of love being above all these gifts, He even taught the apostle that it was the chief commandment, just as Christ showed it to be: "You shall love the Lord with all your heart and soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as your own self." Luke 10:27 When he mentions that it is written in the law how the Creator would speak with other tongues and other lips, while he does indeed confirm the gift of tongues by such a reference, he still cannot be thought to have said that the gift belonged to another god by appealing to the Creator's prediction. 1 Corinthians 14:21 In exactly the same way, when he commands women to keep silence in the church, so that they may not speak merely for the sake of learning, 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 although he has already shown that even they have the right to prophesy when he places a veil on the woman who prophesies, he appeals to the

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Supporting witness

This is He who places prophets in the Church, instructs teachers, directs tongues, gives powers and healings, does wonderful works, often discrimination of spirits, affords powers of government, suggests counsels, and orders and arranges whatever other gifts there are of charismata;

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Supporting witness

For although the Spirit of the Saviour that is in Him “searcheth all things, even the deep things of God,” yet as to us “there are diversities of gifts, differences of administrations, and diversities of operations;” and we, while upon the earth, as Paul also declares, “know in part, and prophesy in part.” Since, therefore, we know but in part, we ought to leave all sorts of [difficult] questions in the hands of Him who in some measure, [and that only,] bestows grace on us.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

Now, on the subject of spiritual gifts, 1 Corinthians 12:1 I have to remark that these also were promised by the Creator through Christ;

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

this will be the spirit of knowledge. See how the apostle agrees with the prophet both in making the distribution of the one Spirit, and in interpreting His special graces.

Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confession of Faith Supporting witness

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

Hebrews 2:4 Direct teaching

while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

1 Corinthians 14:12 Direct teaching

Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

1 Corinthians 12:7 Direct teaching

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

...ion, shaping it to be like His own Son. Through the Father's hands, meaning through the Son and the Holy Spirit, humans, not just a part of humans, were made in God's likeness. Although the soul and spirit are part of a human, they do not make up the entire person; the complete human is the union of the soul receiving the Spirit of the Father and the blending of that physical nature formed in God's image. This is why the apostle states, "We speak wisdom among those who are perfect," referring to those who have received the Spirit of God and who speak in all languages through the Spirit of God, just as he did. Similarly, we also hear many members in the Church who have prophetic gifts, speaking all kinds of languages through the Spirit and revealing hidden truths for the common good and declaring God's mysteries. The apostle calls these people "spiritual" because they share in the Spirit, not because their flesh has been stripped away and they have become purely spiritual. If someone removes the fleshly substance, which is God's workmanship, and considers only the purely spiritual, such a being would not be a spiritual person but just the spirit of a human or the Spirit of God. W

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness

...ses through the ministry of the prophets.” The apostle explained this passage by saying, “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are differences of ministries, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the benefit of all.” God, who works all things in all, is invisible and indescribable to all things created by Him, yet He is by no means unknown; for all things learn through His Word that there is one God the Father, who contains all things and grants existence to all, as it is written in the Gospel: “No man has seen God at any time, except the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father; He has declared Him.”

Victorinus, Commentary on the Apocalypse Direct teaching

...es, since from now on they were armed and strengthened by the same Spirit, having in themselves the gifts which this same Spirit distributes, and appropriates to the Church, the spouse of Christ, as her ornaments. This is He who places prophets in the Church, instructs teachers, directs tongues, gives powers and healings, does wonderful works, often gives discrimination of spirits, affords powers of government, suggests counsels, and orders and arranges whatever other gifts of charismata there are. And thus He makes the Lord’s Church everywhere, and in all things, perfected and completed. This is He who, after the manner of a dove, when our Lord was baptized, came and remained upon Him, dwelling in Christ full and entire, and not diminished in any measure or portion, but with His whole overflow copiously distributed and sent forth, so that from Him others might receive some enjoyment of His graces. The source of the entire Holy Spirit remained in Christ, so that from Him streams of gifts and works might be drawn, while the Holy Spirit dwelt abundantly in Christ. For truly Isaiah, prophesying this, said: “And the Spirit of wisdom and understanding shall rest upon Him, the Spirit

Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confession of Faith Direct teaching

...ls Jesus accursed, and that no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with it. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another various kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. But all these works that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will. For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:3-13). And again he says, "For if he who comes preaches another Christ whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit that you have received not, or

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

In like manner we do also hear many brethren in the Church, who possess prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit speak all kinds of languages, and bring to light for the general benefit the hidden things of men, and declare the mysteries of God, whom also the apostle terms “spiritual,” they being spiritual because they partake of the Spirit, and not because their flesh has been stripped off and taken away, and because they have become purely spiritual.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book II Supporting witness

...e Spirit of the Savior searches all things, even the deep things of God, for us there are different gifts, administrations, and operations; and while on earth, as Paul states, we know in part and prophesy in part. Since we only partially know, we should leave difficult questions in the hands of Him who only to some extent grants us grace. For example, eternal fire is prepared for sinners, as the Lord has clearly stated and the Scriptures show. The Scriptures also show that God foreknew this would happen, since He prepared eternal fire from the beginning for those who would later break His commandments. But the cause of the nature of such transgressors is not explained in any Scripture, nor by an apostle, nor has the Lord taught us. Therefore, we should leave the knowledge of this matter to God, just as the Lord does with the day and hour of judgment. We should not risk such a danger as to leave nothing in God's hands, even though we have received only a measure of grace from Him in this world. When we investigate matters that are beyond us and cannot find satisfaction, it is unreasonable to show such presumption as to claim we fully understand God and undiscovered things, as if

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

...ord of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith through the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing through the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another different kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. And all these are worked by the one and the same Spirit, distributing to each one as He wills." 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 Since this is so, the prophets are perfect in prophecy, the righteous in righteousness, and the martyrs in confession, and others in preaching. This does not mean that they do not share in the common virtues, but that they are especially skilled in the things to which they are appointed. For what sensible person would say that a prophet was not righteous? Why? Did not righteous men like Abraham prophesy?

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

I am led to this view of the charisms by the words of Paul which he writes somewhere, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 There are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit, and diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord.

Tertullian, De Anima (On the Soul) Supporting witness

and the apostle most assuredly foretold that there were to be spiritual gifts in the church.

Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Supporting witness

and for Your Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church throughout the world: even now, O Lord, bestow upon her the rich gifts of Your all-holy Spirit.

Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Supporting witness

Have mercy upon us, O God, according to Your great mercy, and send forth on us, and on these offered gifts, Your all-holy Spirit.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...iests in relation to the people, and the laity are the laity in relation to the clergy. And being a Christian is in our own power, but being an apostle, or a bishop, or holding any other such office, is not in our own power, but under the disposal of God, who gives the gifts. And this is enough concerning those who are granted gifts and dignities.

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

...that temple? For the one who has been sanctified, with his sins taken away in baptism, and has been spiritually remade into a new man, has become fit to receive the Holy Spirit, since the apostle says, "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:27. He who, after being baptized among the heretics, is able to put on Christ, can much more receive the Holy Spirit whom Christ sent. Otherwise, the One who is sent would be greater than the One who sends, so that a person baptized outside may indeed begin to put on Christ, but not be able to receive the Holy Spirit, as if Christ could be put on without the Spirit, or the Spirit could be separated from Christ. Moreover, it is foolish to say that although the second birth is spiritual, by which we are born in Christ through the washing of regeneration, someone may be spiritually born among the heretics, where they say that the Spirit is not. For water alone cannot cleanse away sins and sanctify a man unless he also has the Holy Spirit. Therefore it is necessary for them to admit that the Holy Spirit is there where they say baptism is. Otherwise, there is no baptism where the Holy Spirit is not, beca

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...or to receive the Eucharist? If they admit that they do, then it is plain that they are without the Holy Spirit, who always remains with the faithful. For Solomon says about holy people, "So that each one may prepare himself, so that when he sleeps it may keep him, and when he rises it may speak with him," Proverbs 6:22. For if you think, woman, that when you are in your seven days of separation you are without the Holy Spirit, then if you were to die suddenly, you would depart without the Spirit and without sure hope in God. Or else you must understand that the Spirit is always inseparable from you, since He is not confined to a place. But you need prayer and the Eucharist and the coming of the Holy Spirit, because in this matter you have committed no sin. For neither lawful union, nor childbearing, nor menstrual cleansing, nor a nighttime emission can defile a person's nature or separate the Holy Spirit from him. Nothing can do that except impiety and unlawful conduct. For the Holy Spirit always remains with those who have Him, as long as they are worthy. And when He departs from people, He leaves them deserted and exposed to the wicked spirit. Now every person is filled eithe

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

..., the Lord proves and declares in His Gospel that sins can be taken away only by those who have the Holy Spirit. For after His resurrection, when He sent out His disciples, He spoke to them and said, "As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they will be forgiven; if you retain anyone's sins, they will be retained." John 20:21-23 In this place He shows that only the one who has the Holy Spirit can baptize and give forgiveness of sins. Moreover, John, who was to baptize Christ our Lord Himself, received the Holy Spirit beforehand while he was still in his mother's womb, so that it might be certain and clear that no one can baptize except those who have the Holy Spirit. Therefore those who support heretics or schismatics must answer us whether they have the Holy Spirit or not. If they have Him, why are hands laid on those who were baptized among them when they come to us, so that they may receive the Holy Spirit, since He must surely have been received there, where, if He was there, He could also be given? But if heretics and schismatics who baptize outsi

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...us worthy to stand before You and to sacrifice to You. And we beg You to look mercifully upon these gifts set before You, O God, who stand in need of none of our offerings. Accept them, to the honor of Your Christ, and send down Your Holy Spirit upon this sacrifice, the Witness of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus, that He may show this bread to be the body of Your Christ, and the cup to be the blood of Your Christ, so that those who partake of it may be strengthened for piety, may obtain the remission of their sins, may be delivered from the devil and his deceit, may be filled with the Holy Spirit, may be made worthy of Your Christ, and may obtain eternal life through Your reconciliation to them, O Lord Almighty. We further pray to You, O Lord, for Your holy Church spread from one end of the world to the other, which You have purchased with the precious blood of Your Christ, that You will preserve it unshaken and free from disturbance until the end of the world; and for every episcopate that rightly divides the word of truth. We further pray to You for me, who am nothing, who offer to You; for the whole presbytery; for the deacons and all the clergy, that You will make them wise

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...y appease You, and gather together the number of those who shall be saved, and may offer to You the gifts of Your holy Church. Grant to him, O Lord Almighty, through Your Christ, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, so that he may have power to remit sins according to Your command; to give forth lots according to Your command; to loose every bond, according to the power that You gave the apostles; that he may please You in meekness and a pure heart, with a steadfast, blameless, and unreprovable mind; to offer to You a pure and unbloody sacrifice, which by Your Christ You have appointed as the mystery of the new covenant, for a sweet savor, through Your holy child Jesus Christ, our God and Savior, through whom glory, honor, and worship be to You in the Holy Spirit, now and always, and for all ages. And when he has prayed for these things, let the rest of the priests add, Amen; and together with them all the people. And after the prayer, let one of the bishops elevate the sacrifice upon the hands of him that is ordained, and early in the morning let him be placed in his throne, in a place set apart for him among the rest of the bishops, they all giving him the kiss in the Lord. And

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Supporting witness

Now, we are taught what the Holy Spirit is in many passages of Scripture. For example, David says in the fifty-first Psalm, "And take not Your Holy Spirit from me." And in Daniel it is said, "The Holy Spirit which is in you." In the New Testament we also have many clear testimonies: the Holy Spirit is described as having descended upon Christ; after His resurrection, the Lord breathed on His apostles and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit"; the angel said to Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you"; and Paul declares that no one can call Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit. In the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit was given in baptism through the laying on of the apostles' hands. From all these passages we learn that the person of the Holy Spirit has such authority and dignity that saving baptism is not complete except by the authority of the most excellent Trinity of them all, that is, by naming the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and by joining to God the Father, who is unbegotten, and to His only begotten Son, the name also of the Holy Spirit. Who, then, is not amazed at the exceeding majesty of the Holy Spirit, when he hears that he who speaks a word against the Son of man may

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Supporting witness

... would necessarily be required from the hands of the bishops. Further, as you are not ignorant, the Holy Spirit is found to have been given by the Lord without baptism of water to men who believe, as it is written in Acts of the Apostles in this way: “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had also been poured out on the Gentiles. For they heard them speak in tongues, and they magnified God. Then Peter answered, ‘Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?’ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” Acts 10:44-48 Peter also later taught us very fully about these same Gentiles, saying: “And He made no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” Acts 15:9 And so there will be no doubt that men may be baptized with the Holy Spirit without water, since you see that these were baptized before they were baptized with water. In this way, the declarations of both John and of our Lord Himself were fulfil

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Background

...re, the Levites who served at the tabernacle shared in the things offered to God by all the people: gifts, offerings, firstfruits, tithes, sacrifices, and oblations. They did this without disturbance, they and their wives, their sons, and their daughters. Since their work was ministry at the tabernacle, they had no lot or inheritance in the land among the children of Israel, because the oblations of the people were Levi's lot and the inheritance of their tribe. Therefore, O bishops, you are to your people priests and Levites, ministering in the holy tabernacle, the holy Catholic Church. You stand at the altar of the Lord your God, and offer to Him reasonable and unbloody sacrifices through Jesus the great High Priest. To the laity you are prophets, rulers, governors, and kings; mediators between God and His faithful people, who receive and declare His word, and are well acquainted with the Scriptures. You are the voice of God and witnesses of His will. You bear the sins of all and intercede for all. As you have heard, the word severely threatens those who hide the key of knowledge from men, who are liable to destruction if you do not declare His will to the people under you. You

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

who are partakers of His divine influence, and of the communication of the Holy Spirit;