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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1 Corinthians 12
12
Spiritual Gifts
1Brothers and sisters, I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding concerning spiritual gifts. 2You know that when you were unbelievers, every time you were led to worship false gods you were worshiping gods who couldn’t even speak. 3So I want you to know that no one speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is cursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. 5There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. 6There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person.
7The evidence of the Spirit’s presence is given to each person for the common good of everyone. 8The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom. The same Spirit gives another person the ability to speak with knowledge. 9To another person the same Spirit gives ⌞courageous⌟ faith. To another person the same Spirit gives the ability to heal. 10Another can work miracles. Another can speak what God has revealed. Another can tell the difference between spirits. Another can speak in different kinds of languages. Another can interpret languages. 11There is only one Spirit who does all these things by giving what God wants to give to each person.
12For example, the body is one unit and yet has many parts. As all the parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether we are Jewish or Greek, slave or free, God gave all of us one Spirit to drink.
14As you know, the human body is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. 15Suppose a foot says, “I’m not a hand, so I’m not part of the body!” Would that mean it’s no longer part of the body? 16Or suppose an ear says, “I’m not an eye, so I’m not a part of the body!” Would that mean it’s no longer part of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? 18So God put each and every part of the body together as he wanted it. 19How could it be a body if it only had one part? 20So there are many parts but one body.
21An eye can’t say to a hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22The opposite is true. The parts of the body that we think are weaker are the ones we really need. 23The parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we give special honor. So our unpresentable parts are made more presentable. 24However, our presentable parts don’t need this kind of treatment. God has put the body together and given special honor to the part that doesn’t have it. 25God’s purpose was that the body should not be divided but rather that all of its parts should feel the same concern for each other. 26If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. If one part is praised, all the others share in its happiness.
27You are Christ’s body and each of you is an individual part of it. 28In the church God has appointed first apostles, next prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, then those who have the gift of healing, then those who help others, those who are managers, and those who can speak in a number of languages. 29Not all believers are apostles, are they? Are all of them prophets? Do all of them teach? Do all of them perform miracles 30or have gifts of healing? Can all of them speak in other languages or interpret languages?
31You ⌞only⌟ want the better gifts, but I will show you the best thing to do.#12:31 Or “Desire the better gifts, and I will show you the best thing to do.”
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