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.
I Corinthians 12
12
Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity
1Now #1 Cor. 12:4; 14:1, 37concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2You know #1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 2:11; 1 Pet. 4:3that you were Gentiles, carried away to these #Ps. 115:5; Is. 46:7; Jer. 10:5; Hab. 2:18dumb idols, however you were led. 3Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and #Matt. 16:17no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
4#Rom. 12:3–8; 1 Cor. 12:11; Eph. 4:4, 11; Heb. 2:4There are diversities of gifts, but #Eph. 4:4the same Spirit. 5#Rom. 12:6There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God #1 Cor. 15:28; Eph. 1:23; 4:6who works all in all. 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8for to one is given #1 Cor. 2:6, 7; 2 Cor. 1:12the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another #Rom. 15:14; (1 Cor. 2:11, 16); 2 Cor. 8:7the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9#Matt. 17:19; (1 Cor. 13:2); 2 Cor. 4:13to another faith by the same Spirit, to another #Matt. 10:1; Mark 3:15; 16:18; James 5:14gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10#Mark 16:17to another the working of miracles, to another #Rom. 12:6prophecy, to another #1 John 4:1discerning of spirits, to another #Acts 2:4–11different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11But one and the same Spirit works all these things, #Rom. 12:6; 2 Cor. 10:13distributing to each one individually #(John 3:8)as He wills.
Unity and Diversity in One Body
12For #Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 10:17; Eph. 4:4as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, #(Gal. 3:16)so also is Christ. 13For #(Rom. 6:5)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—#Rom. 3:22; Gal. 3:28; (Eph. 2:13–18); Col. 3:11whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and #(John 7:37–39)have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18But now #1 Cor. 12:28God has set the members, each one of them, in the body #Rom. 12:3just as He pleased. 19And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21And the 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.” 22No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27Now #Rom. 12:5; Eph. 1:23; 4:12; 5:23, 30; Col. 1:24you are the body of Christ, and #Eph. 5:30members individually. 28And #Eph. 4:11God has appointed these in the church: first #(Eph. 2:20; 3:5)apostles, second #Acts 13:1; Rom. 12:6prophets, third teachers, after that #1 Cor. 12:10, 29; Gal. 3:5miracles, then #Mark 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:9, 30gifts of healings, #Num. 11:17helps, #Rom. 12:8; 1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:17, 24administrations, varieties of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31But #1 Cor. 14:1, 39earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.