The Use of Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning ^(A)spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, ^(B)I do not want you to be unaware. ^2 (C)You know that when you were ^[a]pagans, you were ^(D)led ^[b]astray to the ^(E)mute idols, however you were led. ³ Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking ^[c](F)by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is ^[d](G)accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is ^(H)Lord,” except ^[e](I)by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are ^(J)varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶ There are varieties of effects, but the same ^(K)God who works all things in all persons. ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit ^(L)for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given the word of ^(M)wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of ^(N)knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another ^(O)faith ^[f]by the same Spirit, and to another ^(P)gifts of ^[g]healing ^[h]by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the ^[i]effecting of ^[j](Q)miracles, and to another ^(R)prophecy, and to another the ^[k](S)distinguishing of spirits, to another various ^(T)kinds of tongues, and to another the ^(U)interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, ^(V)distributing to each one individually just as He ^[l]wills.

¹² For just ^(W)as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, ^(X)so also is Christ. ¹³ For ^[m](Y)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether ^(Z)Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to ^(AA)drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For ^(AB)the body is not one part, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[n]any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason ^[o]any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has ^(AC)arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, ^(AD)just as He desired. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ But now ^(AE)there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, ^[p]it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³ and those parts of the body which we ^[q]consider less honorable, ^[r]on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, ²⁴ whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, ²⁵ so that there may be no ^[s]division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is ^[t]honored, all the parts rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are ^(AF)Christ’s body, and ^(AG)individually parts of it. ²⁸ And God has ^[u](AH)appointed in ^(AI)the church, first ^(AJ)apostles, second ^(AK)prophets, third ^(AL)teachers, then ^[v](AM)miracles, then ^(AN)gifts of healings, helps, ^(AO)administrations, and various ^(AP)kinds of tongues. ²⁹ All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of ^[w]miracles, are they? ³⁰ All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not ^(AQ)interpret, do they? ³¹ But ^(AR)earnestly desire the greater gifts.

And yet, I am going to show you a far better way.

Unity of the Spirit

4 Therefore I, ^(A)the prisoner of the Lord, ^(B)urge you to ^(C)walk in a manner worthy of the ^(D)calling with which you have been ^(E)called, ² with all ^(F)humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another ^(G)in love, ³ being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the ^(H)bond of peace. ⁴ There is ^(I)one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one ^(J)hope of your calling; ^5 (K)one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all ^(L)who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷ But ^(M)to each one of us ^(N)grace was given ^(O)according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore ^[a]it says,

⁹ (Now this expression, “He ^(R)ascended,” what ^[b]does it mean except that He also ^[c]had descended into ^(S)the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is Himself also He who ascended ^(T)far above all the heavens, so that He might ^(U)fill all things.) ¹¹ And He ^(V)gave ^(W)some as apostles, some as prophets, some as ^(X)evangelists, some as ^[d]pastors and ^(Y)teachers, ^12 (Z)for the equipping of the ^[e]saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of ^(AA)the body of Christ; ¹³ until we all attain to ^(AB)the unity of the faith, and of the ^[f](AC)knowledge of the Son of God, to a ^(AD)mature man, to the measure of the stature ^[g]which belongs to the ^(AE)fullness of Christ. ^14 [h]As a result, we are ^(AF)no longer to be children, ^(AG)tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by ^(AH)craftiness ^[i]in ^(AI)deceitful scheming; ¹⁵ but ^[j]speaking the truth ^(AJ)in love, ^[k]we are to ^(AK)grow up in all aspects into Him who is the ^(AL)head, that is, Christ, ¹⁶ from whom ^(AM)the whole body, being fitted and held together ^[l]by what every joint supplies, according to the ^[m]proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself ^(AN)in love.

The Christian’s Walk

^17 (AO)So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, ^(AP)that you are to no longer walk just as the ^[n]Gentiles also walk, in the ^(AQ)futility of their minds, ¹⁸ being ^(AR)darkened in their understanding, ^[o](AS)excluded from the life of God because of the ^(AT)ignorance that is in them, because of the ^(AU)hardness of their heart; ¹⁹ and they, having ^(AV)become callous, ^(AW)have given themselves up to ^(AX)indecent behavior ^[p]for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. ²⁰ But you did not ^(AY)learn Christ in this way, ²¹ if indeed you ^(AZ)have heard Him and have ^(BA)been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, ²² that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to ^(BB)rid yourselves of the ^(BC)old ^[q]self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the ^(BD)lusts of deceit, ²³ and that you are to be ^(BE)renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to ^(BF)put on the ^(BG)new ^[r]self, which ^[s](BH)in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

²⁵ Therefore, ^(BI)ridding yourselves of falsehood, ^(BJ)speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are ^(BK)parts of one another. ^26 (BL)Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and do not ^(BM)give the devil ^[t]an opportunity. ²⁸ The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather ^(BN)he must labor, ^(BO)producing with his own hands what is good, ^(BP)so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. ²⁹ Let no ^[u](BQ)unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for ^(BR)edification ^[v]according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. ^30 (BS)Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^[w]by whom you were ^(BT)sealed for the day of redemption. ^31 (BU)All bitterness, wrath, anger, ^[x]clamor, and slander must be ^(BV)removed from you, along with all ^(BW)malice. ^32 (BX)Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, ^(BY)just as God in Christ also has forgiven ^[y]you.