1 Corinthians 12:4
1 Corinthians 12:44There are different gifts, but the same Spirit.
Read as describing the variety of ways Jehovah's active force operates among his people. Because the holy spirit is taught to be an impersonal force rather than a person, the "same spirit" is understood as one power producing many effects — like one current running many appliances.
Read verses 4 to 6 as the unit Paul wrote. There are different gifts but the same spirit; different ministries but the same Lord; different activities but the same God. Three parallel lines, three named subjects, one pattern of unity in diversity. Paul is not building a doctrine of the Trinity here, but the shape of his sentence assumes something. Then go to verse 11, which is the one to actually press. In the NWT: all these operations are performed by the very same spirit, distributing to each one respectively just as it wills. Just as it wills. The Greek verb is one of volition — deciding, choosing, wanting. A force does not distribute gifts according to what it wants. Electricity does not choose which appliance gets power. Whatever the NWT's pronoun, the verb attributes a will. Add the rest: the Spirit searches the deep things of God (2:10), can be lied to as a person is (, where lying to the holy spirit is called lying to God), teaches, testifies, and can be grieved (). Compare , , .