1 Corinthians 12
12
Gifts from the Holy Spirit
1Now, brothers, I want you to understand about spiritual gifts. 2You remember the lives you lived before you were believers. You let yourselves be influenced and led away to worship idols—things that have no life. 3So I tell you that no one who is speaking with the help of God’s Spirit says, “Jesus be cursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” without the help of the Holy Spirit.
4There are different kinds of gifts; but they are all from the same Spirit. 5There are different ways to serve; but all these ways are from the same Lord. 6And there are different ways that God works in people; but all these ways are from the same God. God works in us all in everything we do. 7Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, to help everyone. 8The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom. And the same Spirit gives another the ability to speak with knowledge. 9The same Spirit gives faith to one person. And that one Spirit gives another gifts of healing. 10The Spirit gives to another person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy. And he gives to another the ability to know the difference between good and evil spirits. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of languages and to another the ability to interpret those languages. 11One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things. The Spirit decides what to give each person.
The Body of Christ
12A person’s body is one thing, but it has many parts. Yes, there are many parts to a body, but all those parts make only one body. Christ is like that too. 13Some of us are Jews, and some of us are Greeks. Some of us are slaves, and some of us are free. But we were all baptized into one body through one Spirit. And we were all made to share in the one Spirit.
14And a person’s body has more than one part. It has many parts. 15The foot might say, “I am not a hand. So I am not part of the body.” But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body. 16The ear might say, “I am not an eye. So I am not part of the body.” But saying this would not make the ear stop being a part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, the body would not be able to hear. If the whole body were an ear, the body would not be able to smell anything. 18-19If each part of the body were the same part, there would be no body. But truly God put the parts in the body as he wanted them. He made a place for each one of them. 20And so there are many parts, but only one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the foot, “I don’t need you!” 22No! Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are really very important. 23And the parts of the body that we think are not worth much are the parts that we give the most care to. And we give special care to the parts of the body that we want to hide. 24The more beautiful parts of our body need no special care. But God put the body together and gave more honor to the parts that need it. 25God did this so that our body would not be divided. God wanted the different parts to care the same for each other. 26If one part of the body suffers, then all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is honored, then all the other parts share its honor.
27All of you together are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of that body. 28And in the church God has given a place first to apostles, second to prophets, and third to teachers. Then God has given a place to those who do miracles, those who have gifts of healing, those who can help others, those who are able to lead, and those who can speak in different languages. 29Not all are apostles. Not all are prophets. Not all are teachers. Not all do miracles. 30Not all have gifts of healing. Not all speak in different languages. Not all interpret those languages. 31But you should truly want to have the greater gifts.
Love
And now I will show you the best way of all.
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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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