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.

The Excellence of Love

13 If I speak with the ^(AS)tongues of mankind and of ^(AT)angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a ^(AU)clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of ^(AV)prophecy and know all ^(AW)mysteries and all ^(AX)knowledge, and if I have ^(AY)all faith so as to ^(AZ)remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I ^(BA)give away all my possessions to charity, and if I ^(BB)surrender my body so that I may ^[x]glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.

⁴ Love ^(BC)is patient, love is kind, it ^(BD)is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not ^(BE)arrogant. ⁵ It does not act disgracefully, it ^(BF)does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, ^(BG)does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, ^6 (BH)it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but ^(BI)rejoices with the truth; ⁷ it ^[y](BJ)keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never fails; but if there are gifts of ^[z](BK)prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are ^(BL)tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with. ⁹ For we ^(BM)know in part and prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away with. ¹¹ When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I ^[aa]became a man, I did away with childish things. ¹² For now we ^(BN)see in a mirror ^[ab]dimly, but then ^(BO)face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also ^(BP)have been fully known. ¹³ But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the ^[ac]greatest of these is ^(BQ)love.