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.
1 Corinthians 12
12
1Now concerning spirituall giftes, brethren, I would not haue you ignorant. 2Ye know that ye were Gentiles, and were caried away vnto the dumme Idoles, as ye were led. 3Wherefore, I declare vnto you, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Iesus execrable: also no man can say that Iesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost. 4Now there are diuersities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are diuersities of administrations, but the same Lord, 6And there are diuersities of operations, but God is the same which worketh all in all. 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man, to profite withall. 8For to one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisdome: and to an other the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit: 9And to another is giuen faith by the same Spirit: and to another the giftes of healing, by the same Spirit: 10And to another the operations of great workes: and to another, prophecie: and to another, the discerning of spirits: and to another, diuersities of tongues: and to another, the interpretation of tongues. 11And all these thinges worketh one and the selfe same Spirit, distributing to euery man seuerally as he will. 12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, which is one, though they be many, yet are but one body: euen so is Christ. 13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we bee Iewes, or Grecians, whether we be bonde, or free, and haue bene all made to drinke into one Spirit. 14For the body also is not one member, but many. 15If the foote would say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? 16And if the eare would say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smellling? 18But nowe hath God disposed the members euery one of them in the bodie at his owne pleasure. 19For if they were all one member, where were the body? 20But now are there many members, yet but one body. 21And the eye cannot say vnto the hand, I haue no neede of thee: nor the head againe to the feete, I haue no neede of you. 22Yea, much rather those members of the body, which seeme to be more feeble, are necessarie. 23And vpon those members of the body, which wee thinke most vnhonest, put wee more honestie on: and our vncomely parts haue more comelinesse on. 24For our comely partes neede it not: but God hath tempered the body together, and hath giuen the more honour to that part which lacked, 25Lest there should be any diuision in the body: but that the members shoulde haue the same care one for another. 26Therefore if one member suffer, all suffer with it: if one member be had in honour, all the members reioyce with it. 27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members for your part. 28And God hath ordained some in the Church: as first Apostles, secondly Prophetes, thirdly teachers, then them that doe miracles: after that, the giftes of healing, helpers, gouernours, diuersitie of tongues. 29Are all Apostles? are all Prophetes? are all teachers? 30Are all doers of miracles? haue all the gifts of healing? doe all speake with tongues? doe all interprete? 31But desire you the best giftes, and I will yet shewe you a more excellent way.
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