²³ For the wages of sin is death,^(A) but the gift of God is eternal life^(B) in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.

¹⁵ Thanks be to God^(A) for his indescribable gift!^(B)

⁴ But because of his great love for us,^(A) God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions^(B)—it is by grace you have been saved.^{(C) 6} And God raised us up with Christ^(D) and seated us with him^(E) in the heavenly realms^(F) in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,^(G) expressed in his kindness^(H) to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace^(I) you have been saved,^(J) through faith^(K)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works,^(L) so that no one can boast.^{(M) 10} For we are God’s handiwork,^(N) created^(O) in Christ Jesus to do good works,^(P) which God prepared in advance for us to do.

⁷ But to each one of us^(A) grace^(B) has been given^(C) as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it^[a] says:

⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^[c]? ¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended^(F) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)^{(G) 11} So Christ himself gave^(H) the apostles,^(I) the prophets,^(J) the evangelists,^(K) the pastors and teachers,^{(L) 12} to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ^(M) may be built up^{(N) 13} until we all reach unity^(O) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God^(P) and become mature,^(Q) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.^(R)

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

¹⁰ “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded:^{(A) 11} the tabernacle^(B) with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; ¹² the ark^(C) with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain^(D) that shields it; ¹³ the table^(E) with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; ¹⁴ the lampstand^(F) that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; ¹⁵ the altar^(G) of incense with its poles, the anointing oil^(H) and the fragrant incense;^(I) the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle;^{(J) 16} the altar^(K) of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin^(L) with its stand; ¹⁷ the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard;^{(M) 18} the tent pegs^(N) for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; ¹⁹ the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary—both the sacred garments^(O) for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests.”

²⁰ Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, ²¹ and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. ²² All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. ²³ Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn^(P) or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them. ²⁴ Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. ²⁵ Every skilled woman^(Q) spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. ²⁶ And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. ²⁷ The leaders^(R) brought onyx stones and other gems^(S) to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. ²⁸ They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.^{(T) 29} All the Israelite men and women who were willing^(U) brought to the Lord freewill offerings^(V) for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do.

Bezalel and Oholiab^(W)

³⁰ Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, ³¹ and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills^(X)— ³² to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, ³³ to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. ³⁴ And he has given both him and Oholiab^(Y) son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach^(Z) others. ³⁵ He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work^(AA) as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.

The Parable of the Bags of Gold^(A)

¹⁴ “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey,^(B) who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,^[a] each according to his ability.^(C) Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷ So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.^{(D) 20} The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

²¹ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.^(E) Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²² “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.^(F) Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²⁴ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

²⁶ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷ Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.^{(G) 30} And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’^(H)

²⁹ for God’s gifts and his call^(A) are irrevocable.^(B)

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.

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit,^(A) brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.^{(B) 2} You know that when you were pagans,^(C) somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.^{(D) 3} Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,”^(E) and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,”^(F) except by the Holy Spirit.^(G)

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit^(H) distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone^(I) it is the same God^(J) at work.

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.^{(K) 8} To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom,^(L) to another a message of knowledge^(M) by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith^(N) by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing^(O) by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers,^(P) to another prophecy,^(Q) to another distinguishing between spirits,^(R) to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a](S) and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^{[b] 11} All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,^(T) and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.