1 Corinthians 12
12
1But concerning spiritual manifestations, brethren, I do not wish you to be ignorant. 2Ye know that when ye were of the nations ye were led away to dumb idols, in whatever way ye might be led. 3I give you therefore to know, that no one, speaking in the power of the Spirit of God, says, Curse on Jesus; and no one can say, Lord Jesus, unless in the power of the Holy Spirit. 4But there are distinctions of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5and there are distinctions of services, and the same Lord; 6and there are distinctions of operations, but the same God who operates all things in all. 7But to each the manifestation of the Spirit is given for profit. 8For to one, by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; 9and to a different one faith, in the power of the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healing in the power of the same Spirit; 10and to another operations of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; and to a different one kinds of tongues; and to another interpretation of tongues. 11But all these things operates the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each in particular according as he pleases.
12For even as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ. 13For also in the power of one Spirit we have all been baptised into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bondmen or free, and have all been given to drink of one Spirit. 14For also the body is not one member but many. 15If the foot say, Because I am not a hand I am not of the body, is it on account of this not indeed of the body? 16And if the ear say, Because I am not an eye I am not of the body, is it on account of this not indeed of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, where the hearing? if all hearing, where the smelling? 18But now God has set the members, each one of them in the body, according as it has pleased him. 19But if all were one member, where the body? 20But now the members are many, and the body one. 21The eye cannot say to the hand, I have not need of thee; or again, the head to the feet, I have not need of you. 22But much rather, the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23and those parts of the body which we esteem to be the more void of honour, these we clothe with more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness; 24but our comely parts have not need. But God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to the part that lacked; 25that there might be no division in the body, but that the members might have the same concern one for another. 26And if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; and if one member be glorified, all the members rejoice with it.
27Now ye are Christ's body, and members in particular. 28And God has set certain in the assembly: first, apostles; secondly, prophets; thirdly, teachers; then miraculous powers; then gifts of healings; helps; governments; kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all in possession of miraculous powers? 30have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31But desire earnestly the greater gifts, and yet shew I unto you a way of more surpassing excellence.
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1 Corinthians 12: DARBY
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
1 Corinthians 12
12
The different functions of the Spirit
1Now as to the phenomena of your faith which show in a special way the presence of God and the action of the Spirit. Recollect this Spirit is one. Many of you are moved far beyond your ordinary capacity, and do things which in your own strength would be utterly impossible to you, — you prophesy, teach, heal, speak with tongues, and perform wonders, marvels — and this is not yourselves, it is the Spirit by which you are possessed. 2But recollect, my brethren, there is nothing in this similar to those possessions by spirits you were once familiar with in the old religions. At one time that worship was part of your life. You were carried away willy-nilly as you were led in the service of these dumb idols. 3-5And because this type of worship was so familiar to you, I bid you remember that, if anyone is possessed and cries out a curse on Jesus, such possession you will know comes not from God, whilst on the other hand to acknowledge Jesus as Lord can never be done except by those to whom the Spirit has been imparted. Now this Spirit, as I say, is one, absolutely one, throughout all its manifestations, and that is why all those phenomena which represent to us its operations are so mutually harmonious and complementary. 6-8One man may evidence one kind of gift or service, one man’s sphere of usefulness or inspiration may differ entirely from another’s, but he will not differ in the spirit.
The oneness of the Spirit
9It is the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God which imparts, ordains, inspires, possesses. 10The word of knowledge, the word of wisdom, faith, gifts of healing, inspiration and genius, prophecy, spiritual insight and discernment, tongues and the interpretation of tongues — 11these all proceed in varying degrees displayed by different individuals from the one infinite Spirit. He, that Spirit, is all in all, and one, and all these gifts are constituted in His action and operation. 12The Christ is as it were one infinite body, wherein all the parts and members are mutually helpful and interdependent. 13In the unity of the same organism there cannot be inharmonious contradictory parts. 14-16Hand cannot say to foot, I have no need of you. Ear and eye are different members and have different functions, but what if the ear said to the eye, “because I am different from you, we belong to different bodies,” would it be true? And so all of us were baptised into one vast body, the infinite Christ, — Jews, Greeks, slaves, and free — and we all drank the wine of the one Spirit. Hence these different gifts, functions and offices which operate in us. This very variety constitutes the essential being of the Spirit, because the Spirit includes all. 17If the body were all eye, where would the hearing be? If it were all ear, where would the eyebrow be? 18-21Every part is beautifully formed to assist and be complementary to the others; none is otiose, negligible or useless, 22but on the contrary those very parts which are held in least honour often have the most important functions, 23-25and the visible parts of the body which form its beauty are the most dependent on the organs which are not seen and are less esteemed. 26If one member suffer, all suffer with it, and no one part of the body can be affected, for good or ill, without all the others feeling it. 27So is it in that infinite spiritual body of the Christ, which we together constitute, of which we are all members. 28Whether in the church there be those that are called apostles, prophets, teachers, healers, helpers, officers, speakers with tongues — what is this but the activity of one life? 29Because it is one thing, all are not therefore apostles, nor all prophets, nor all teachers, 30nor all healers, nor all speakers with tongues, nor all interpreters. 31True, some gifts are greater than others, and it is right to wish for the greatest gifts of all, and in that respect, I will point out to you a way that is better than all others.
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Translated in 1916, published in 1937.