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
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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