1 Corinthians 12
12
Unity and Variety. 1Now in regard to spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware. 2#There is an experience of the Spirit and an understanding of ecstatic phenomena that are specifically Christian and that differ, despite apparent similarities, from those of the pagans. It is necessary to discern which spirit is leading one; ecstatic phenomena must be judged by their effect (1 Cor 12:2). 1 Cor 12:3 illustrates this by an example: power to confess Jesus as Lord can come only from the Spirit, and it is inconceivable that the Spirit would move anyone to curse the Lord. You know how, when you were pagans, you were constantly attracted and led away to mute idols.#Eph 2:11–18. 3Therefore, I tell you that nobody speaking by the spirit of God says, “Jesus be accursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the holy Spirit.#Rom 10:9; 1 Jn 4:2–3.
4#There are some features common to all charisms, despite their diversity: all are gifts (charismata), grace from outside ourselves; all are forms of service (diakoniai), an expression of their purpose and effect; and all are workings (energēmata), in which God is at work. Paul associates each of these aspects with what later theology will call one of the persons of the Trinity, an early example of “appropriation.” There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;#Rom 12:6; Eph 4:7, 11. 5there are different forms of service but the same Lord; 6there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. 7To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. 8To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit;#2:6–13. 9to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; 10to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues.#14:5, 26, 39; Acts 2:4. 11But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.#7:7; Eph 4:7.
One Body, Many Parts.#The image of a body is introduced to explain Christ’s relationship with believers (1 Cor 12:12). 1 Cor 12:13 applies this model to the church: by baptism all, despite diversity of ethnic or social origins, are integrated into one organism. 1 Cor 12:14–26 then develop the need for diversity of function among the parts of a body without threat to its unity. 12As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.#10:17; Rom 12:4–5; Eph 2:16; Col 3:15. 13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.#Gal 3:28; Eph 2:13–18; Col 3:11 / Jn 7:37–39.
14Now the body is not a single part, but many. 15If a foot should say, “Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. 16Or if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.” 22Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary, 23and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, 24whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, 25so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. 26If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
Application to Christ.#Paul now applies the image again to the church as a whole and its members (1 Cor 12:27). The lists in 1 Cor 12:28–30 spell out the parallelism by specifying the diversity of functions found in the church (cf. Rom 12:6–8; Eph 4:11). 27Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.#Rom 12:5–8; Eph 1:23; 4:12; 5:30; Col 1:18, 24. 28Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles;#First, apostles: apostleship was not mentioned in 1 Cor 12:8–10, nor is it at issue in these chapters, but Paul gives it pride of place in his listing. It is not just one gift among others but a prior and fuller gift that includes the others. They are all demonstrated in Paul’s apostolate, but he may have developed his theology of charisms by reflecting first of all on his own grace of apostleship (cf. 1 Cor 3:5–4:14; 9:1–27; 2 Cor 2:14–6:13; 10:1–13:30, esp. 1 Cor 11:23 and 12:12). second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues.#Eph 2:20; 3:5; 4:11. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.
The Way of Love. But I shall show you a still more excellent way.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
1 Corinthians 12
12
Gifts From the Holy Spirit
1Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand about spiritual gifts. 2You remember the lives you lived before you were believers. You let yourselves be influenced and led away to worship idols—things that have no life. 3So I tell you that no one who is speaking with the help of God’s Spirit says, “Jesus be cursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” without the help of the Holy Spirit.
4There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. 5There are different ways to serve, but we serve the same Lord. 6And there are different ways that God works in people, but it is the same God who works in all of us to do everything.
7Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person. The Spirit gives this to each one to help others. 8The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom. And the same Spirit gives another person the ability to speak with knowledge. 9The same Spirit gives faith to one person and to another he gives gifts of healing. 10The Spirit gives to one person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy, and to another the ability to judge what is from the Spirit and what is not. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of languages, and to another the ability to interpret those languages. 11One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things. The Spirit decides what to give each one.
The Body of Christ
12A person has only one body, but it has many parts. Yes, there are many parts, but all those parts are still just one body. Christ is like that too. 13Some of us are Jews and some of us are not; some of us are slaves and some of us are free. But we were all baptized to become one body through one Spirit. And we were all given#12:13 given Literally, “given to drink.” the one Spirit.
14And a person’s body has more than one part. It has many parts. 15The foot might say, “I am not a hand, so I don’t belong to the body.” But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body. 16The ear might say, “I am not an eye, so I don’t belong to the body.” But saying this would not make the ear stop being a part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, it would not be able to hear. If the whole body were an ear, it would not be able to smell anything. 18-19If each part of the body were the same part, there would be no body. But as it is, God put the parts in the body as he wanted them. He made a place for each one. 20So there are many parts, but only one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the foot, “I don’t need you!” 22No, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are actually very important. 23And the parts that we think are not worth very much are the parts we give the most care to. And we give special care to the parts of the body that we don’t want to show. 24The more beautiful parts don’t need this special care. But God put the body together and gave more honor to the parts that need it. 25God did this so that our body would not be divided. God wanted the different parts to care the same for each other. 26If one part of the body suffers, then all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part is honored, then all the other parts share its honor.
27All of you together are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of that body. 28And in the church God has given a place first to apostles, second to prophets, and third to teachers. Then God has given a place to those who do miracles, those who have gifts of healing, those who can help others, those who are able to lead, and those who can speak in different kinds of languages. 29Not all are apostles. Not all are prophets. Not all are teachers. Not all do miracles. 30Not all have gifts of healing. Not all speak in different kinds of languages. Not all interpret those languages. 31Continue to give your attention to the spiritual gifts you consider to be the greatest. But now I want to point out a way of life that is even greater.
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