1 Corinthians 12
12
Spiritual Gifts
1Now #ch. 14:1concerning#12:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians’ letter; see 7:1 spiritual gifts,#12:1 Or spiritual persons brothers,#12:1 Or brothers and sisters I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that #Eph. 2:11, 12; [1 Pet. 4:3]; See ch. 6:11 when you were pagans #1 Thess. 1:9 you were led astray to #Hab. 2:18, 19; [Ps. 115:5; Isa. 46:7; Jer. 10:5]mute idols, however you were led. 3Therefore I want you to understand that #1 John 4:2, 3 no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is #See Rom. 9:3 accursed!” and #John 15:26; [Matt. 16:17]; See Rom. 10:9no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
4Now #[Heb. 2:4]; See Rom. 12:6 there are varieties of gifts, but #Eph. 4:4-6the same Spirit; 5and #Rom. 12:7; [Eph. 4:11] there are varieties of service, but #[See ver. 4 above]the same Lord; 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is #[See ver. 4 above]the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7#Eph. 4:7; [ch. 14:26; Rom. 12:3]To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of #ch. 2:6, 7 wisdom, and to another the utterance of #See ch. 1:5knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9to another #ch. 13:2; 2 Cor. 4:13 faith by the same Spirit, to another #ver. 28, 30gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10to another #ver. 28, 29; [Gal. 3:5] the working of miracles, to another #ch. 13:2, 8; 14:1 prophecy, to another #[ch. 14:29; 1 John 4:1] the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another #See Mark 16:17 various kinds of tongues, to another #ver. 30; ch. 14:26the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, #[2 Cor. 10:13] who apportions to each one individually #Heb. 2:4as he wills.
One Body with Many Members
12For just as #See ch. 10:17 the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, #ver. 27so it is with Christ. 13For #[Rom. 6:5; Eph. 2:18] in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—#Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11; [Eph. 2:13-17] Jews or Greeks, slaves#12:13 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface or free—and #[John 7:37-39]all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18But as it is, #ver. 28 God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, #ver. 11; [ch. 3:5; Rom. 12:3]as he chose. 19If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts,#12:20 Or members; also verse 22 yet one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, #Rom. 12:15all rejoice together.
27Now #[Eph. 1:23; 4:12; 5:30; Col. 1:24] you are the body of Christ and individually #See Rom. 12:5members of it. 28And #ver. 18 God has appointed in the church first #Eph. 4:11 apostles, second #Eph. 2:20; 3:5 prophets, third teachers, then #ver. 10 miracles, then #ver. 9 gifts of healing, #[Acts 20:35] helping, #[Rom. 12:8; 1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:7, 17, 24]administrating, and #ver. 10 various kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31But #ch. 14:1, 39earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way.
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1 Corinthians 12
12
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
1Brothers and sisters, I want you to know about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 2You know that at one time you were unbelievers. You were somehow drawn away to worship statues of gods that couldn’t even speak. 3So I want you to know that no one who is speaking with the help of God’s Spirit says, “May Jesus be cursed.” And without the help of the Holy Spirit no one can say, “Jesus is Lord.”
4There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same Spirit. 5There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord. 6There are different ways the Spirit works. But the same God is working in all these ways and in all people.
7The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all. 8To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. 9To others the same Spirit gives faith. To others that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. 10To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others he gives the ability to prophesy. To others he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages. 11All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides.
One Body but Many Parts
12There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ. 13We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. 14So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts.
15Suppose the foot says, “I am not a hand. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 16And suppose the ear says, “I am not an eye. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? 18God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. 19If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? 20As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.
21The eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22In fact, it is just the opposite. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without. 23The parts that we think are less important we treat with special honor. The private parts aren’t shown. But they are treated with special care. 24The parts that can be shown don’t need special care. But God has put together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honor to the parts that didn’t have any. 25In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy.
27You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it. 28First, God has placed apostles in the church. Second, he has placed prophets in the church. Third, he has placed teachers in the church. Then he has given to the church miracles and gifts of healing. He also has given the gift of helping others and the gift of guiding the church. God also has given the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages. 29Is everyone an apostle? Is everyone a prophet? Is everyone a teacher? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in languages they had not known before? Do all explain what is said in those languages? 31But above all, you should want the more important gifts.
Love Is Necessary
But now I will show you the best way of all.
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