Humble Service in the Body of Christ

³ For by the grace given me^(A) I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,^{(B) 5} so in Christ we, though many, form one body,^(C) and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts,^(D) according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying,^(E) then prophesy in accordance with your^[a] faith;^{(F) 7} if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;^{(G) 8} if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;^(H) if it is giving, then give generously;^(I) if it is to lead,^[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,^(A) and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Unity and Diversity in the Body

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,^(B) so it is with Christ.^{(C) 13} For we were all baptized^(D) by^[a] one Spirit^(E) so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free^(F)—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.^{(G) 14} Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.^(H)

¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed^(I) the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.^{(J) 19} If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.^(K)

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ,^(L) and each one of you is a part of it.^{(M) 28} And God has placed in the church^(N) first of all apostles,^(O) second prophets,^(P) third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,^(Q) of helping, of guidance,^(R) and of different kinds of tongues.^{(S) 29} Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[b]?^(T) Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire^(U) the greater gifts.

Love Is Indispensable

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

13 If I speak in the tongues^[c](V) of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy^(W) and can fathom all mysteries^(X) and all knowledge,^(Y) and if I have a faith^(Z) that can move mountains,^(AA) but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor^(AB) and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[d](AC) but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient,^(AD) love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.^(AE)

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants,^(A) tossed back and forth by the waves,^(B) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.^{(C) 15} Instead, speaking the truth in love,^(D) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^(E) that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows^(F) and builds itself up^(G) in love,^(H) as each part does its work.