A.T. Robertson Commentary 1 Corinthians 12:10

"and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; to another [divers] kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues:" — 1 Corinthians 12:10 (ASV)

Workings of miracles (ενεργηματα δυναμεων). Workings of powers. Cf. ενεργων δυναμεις in Ga 3:5; Hebrews 2:4 where all three words are used (σημεια, signs, τερατα, wonders, δυναμεις, powers). Some of the miracles were not healings as the blindness on Elymas the sorcerer.

Prophecy (προφητεια). Late word from προφητης and προφημ, to speak forth. Common in papyri. This gift Paul will praise most (chapter 1Colossians 14). Not always prediction, but a speaking forth of God's message under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Discernings of spirits (διακρισεις πνευματων). Διακρισις is old word from διακρινω and in N.T. only here; Romans 14:1; Hebrews 5:14. A most needed gift to tell whether the gifts were really of the Holy Spirit and supernatural (cf. so-called "gifts" today) or merely strange though natural or even diabolical (1 Timothy 4:1; 1 John 4:1f.).

Divers kinds of tongues (γενη γλωσσων). No word for "divers" in the Greek. There has arisen a great deal of confusion concerning the gift of tongues as found in Corinth. They prided themselves chiefly on this gift which had become a source of confusion and disorder. There were varieties (kinds, γενη) in this gift, but the gift was essentially an ecstatic utterance of highly wrought emotion that edified the speaker (14:4) and was intelligible to God (14:2,28). It was not always true that the speaker in tongues could make clear what he had said to those who did not know the tongue (14:13): It was not mere gibberish or jargon like the modern "tongues," but in a real language that could be understood by one familiar with that tongue as was seen on the great Day of Pentecost when people who spoke different languages were present. In Corinth, where no such variety of people existed, it required an interpreter to explain the tongue to those who knew it not. Hence Paul placed this gift lowest of all. It created wonder, but did little real good. This is the error of the Irvingites and others who have tried to reproduce this early gift of the Holy Spirit which was clearly for a special emergency and which was not designed to help spread the gospel among men. See on Ac 2:13-21; 10:44-46; 19:6.

The interpretation of tongues (ερμηνεια γλωσσων). Old word, here only and 14:26 in N.T., from ερμηνευω from Hερμης (the god of speech). Cf. on διερμηνευω in Lu 24:27; Acts 9:36. In case there was no one present who understood the particular tongue it required a special gift of the Spirit to some one to interpret it if any one was to receive benefit from it.