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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I Corinthians 12: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
1 Corinthians 12
12
Spiritual Gifts
1Now, dear brothers and sisters,#12:1 Greek brothers. regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. 2You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. 3So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.
4There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
7A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 8To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice#12:8a Or gives a word of wisdom.; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.#12:8b Or gives a word of knowledge. 9The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 10He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages,#12:10 Or in various tongues; also in 12:28, 30. while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 11It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
One Body with Many Parts
12The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,#12:13a Greek some are Greeks. some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.#12:13b Greek we were all given one Spirit to drink.
14Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
22In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
27All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 28Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:
first are apostles,
second are prophets,
third are teachers,
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who have the gift of leadership,
those who speak in unknown languages.
29Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? 30Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! 31So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.
But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all.
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