1 Corinthians 12
12
1 NOW ABOUT the spiritual gifts (the special endowments of supernatural energy), brethren, I do not want you to be misinformed.
2 You know that when you were heathen, you were led off after idols that could not speak [habitually] as impulse directed and whenever the occasion might arise.
3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking under the power and influence of the [Holy] Spirit of God can [ever] say, Jesus be cursed! And no one can [really] say, Jesus is [my] Lord, except by and under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are distinctive varieties and distributions of endowments (gifts, extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians, due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit) and they vary, but the [Holy] Spirit remains the same.
5 And there are distinctive varieties of service and ministration, but it is the same Lord [Who is served].
6 And there are distinctive varieties of operation [of working to accomplish things], but it is the same God Who inspires and energizes them all in all.
7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the [Holy] Spirit [the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit] for good and profit.
8 To one is given in and through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] a message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] a word of knowledge and understanding according to the same [Holy] Spirit;
9 To another [wonder-working] faith by the same [Holy] Spirit, to another the extraordinary powers of healing by the one Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles, to another prophetic insight (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose); to another the ability to discern and distinguish between [the utterances of true] spirits [and false ones], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, to another the ability to interpret [such] tongues.
11 All these [gifts, achievements, abilities] are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually [exactly] as He chooses.
12 For just as the body is a unity and yet has many parts, and all the parts, though many, form [only] one body, so it is with Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
13 For by [means of the personal agency of] one [Holy] Spirit we were all, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, baptized [and by baptism united together] into one body, and all made to drink of one [Holy] Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one limb or organ but of many.
15 If the foot should say, Because I am not the hand, I do not belong to the body, would it be therefore not [a part] of the body?
16 If the ear should say, Because I am not the eye, I do not belong to the body, would it be therefore not [a part] of the body?
17 If 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?
18 But as it is, God has placed and arranged the limbs and organs in the body, each [particular one] of them, just as He wished and saw fit and with the best adaptation.
19 But if [the whole] were all a single organ, where would the body be?
20 And now there are [certainly] many limbs and organs, but a single body.
21 And the eye is not able to say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 But instead, there is [absolute] necessity for the parts of the body that are considered the more weak.
23 And those [parts] of the body which we consider rather ignoble are [the very parts] which we invest with additional honor, and our unseemly parts and those unsuitable for exposure are treated with seemliness (modesty and decorum),
24 Which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so adjusted (mingled, harmonized, and subtly proportioned the parts of) the whole body, giving the greater honor and richer endowment to the inferior parts which lack [apparent importance],
25 So that there should be no division or discord or lack of adaptation [of the parts of the body to each other], but the members all alike should have a mutual interest in and care for one another.
26 And if one member suffers, all the parts [share] the suffering; if one member is honored, all the members [share in] the enjoyment of it.
27 Now you [collectively] are Christ's body and [individually] you are members of it, each part severally and distinct [each with his own place and function].
28 So God has appointed some in the church [for His own use]: first apostles (special messengers); second prophets (inspired preachers and expounders); third teachers; then wonder-workers; then those with ability to heal the sick; helpers; administrators; [speakers in] different (unknown) tongues.
29 Are all apostles (special messengers)? Are all prophets (inspired interpreters of the will and purposes of God)? Are all teachers? Do all have the power of performing miracles?
30 Do all possess extraordinary powers of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
31 But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces). And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one that is better by far and the highest of them all–love].
Currently Selected:
1 Corinthians 12: AMPC
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
1 Corinthians 12
12
The Question About Gifts of the Holy Spirit
1Brothers and sisters, I want you to know how the Holy Spirit works. 2You know that before you were believers, you were somehow drawn away to worship idols that couldn’t even speak. 3So I want you to know that anyone who’s speaking with the help of God’s Spirit never says, “May Jesus be cursed.” And without the help of the Holy Spirit, no one can say, “Jesus is Lord.”
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5There are different ways to serve, but they all come from the same Lord. 6There are different ways the Spirit works, but the same God is working in all these ways and in every person.
7The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way for the good of all. 8To one person, the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To another, the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. 9To another the same Spirit gives faith, and to another gifts of healing. 10To another he gives the power to do miracles, or to prophesy, or to tell spirits apart, or to speak in different kinds of languages they hadn’t known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages. 11All these gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides.
One Body but Many Parts
12The body has many parts, but all of its many parts make up that one body. It’s the same with Christ. 13We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. 14So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts.
15If the foot said, “I’m not a hand, so I don’t belong to the body,” that wouldn’t make it not part of the body anymore. 16And if the ear said, “I’m not an eye, so I don’t belong to the body,” that wouldn’t make it not part of the body anymore. 17If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? 18God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. 19If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? 20As it is, there are many parts, but there’s only one body.
21The eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22It’s just the opposite! The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without. 23Any parts that we think are less attractive, we take special care to dress up. Some parts are private, and we treat them with modesty, 24which the other parts don’t need. When God put the body together, he gave more honor to the parts that didn’t have any. 25He did that so the parts of the body wouldn’t divide into opposing groups. Instead, they would all take care of one another. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy.
27You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28God has placed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, guiding, and speaking in different kinds of languages. 29Is everyone an apostle? Is everyone a prophet? Is everyone a teacher? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in languages they hadn’t known before? Do all explain what is said in those languages? 31Above all, you should want the greater gifts, but now let me show you the best way of all.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Radiate™ New Testament
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014, 2020 by Biblica, Inc.
Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.