1 Corinthians 12-14 (English Standard Version)

1 Corinthians 12

Spiritual Gifts

 ¹Now^(A) concerning^[a] spiritual gifts,^[b] brothers,^[c] I do not want you to be uninformed. ²You know that^(B) when you were pagans^(C) you were led astray to^(D) mute idols, however you were led. ³Therefore I want you to understand that^(E) no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is^(F) accursed!" and^(G) no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.

 ⁴Now^(H) there are varieties of gifts, but^(I) the same Spirit; ⁵and^(J) there are varieties of service, but^(K) the same Lord; ⁶and there are varieties of activities, but it is^(L) the same God who empowers them all in everyone. ^7(M) To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of^(N) wisdom, and to another the utterance of^(O) knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹to another^(P) faith by the same Spirit, to another^(Q) gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰to another^(R) the working of miracles, to another^(S) prophecy, to another^(T) the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another^(U) various kinds of tongues, to another^(V) the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit,^(W) who apportions to each one individually^(X) as he wills.

One Body with Many Members

 ¹²For just as^(Y) the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body,^(Z) so it is with Christ. ¹³For^(AA) in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—^(AB) Jews or Greeks, slaves^[d] or free—and^(AC) all were made to drink of one Spirit.

 ¹⁴For the body does not consist of one member but of many. ¹⁵If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷If 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? ¹⁸But as it is,^(AD) God arranged the members in the body, each one of them,^(AE) as he chose. ¹⁹If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰As it is, there are many parts,^[e] yet one body.

 ²¹The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." ²²On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, ²⁴which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, ²⁵that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored,^(AF) all rejoice together.

 ²⁷Now^(AG) you are the body of Christ and individually^(AH) members of it. ²⁸And^(AI) God has appointed in the church first^(AJ) apostles, second^(AK) prophets, third teachers, then^(AL) miracles, then^(AM) gifts of healing,^(AN) helping,^(AO) administrating, and various kinds of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹But^(AP) earnestly desire the higher gifts.

   

   And I will show you a still more excellent way.

1 Corinthians 13

The Way of Love

 ¹If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ²And if I have^(AQ) prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith,^(AR) so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ^3(AS) If I give away all I have, and^(AT) if I deliver up my body to be burned,^[f] but have not love, I gain nothing.

 ^4(AU) Love is patient and^(AV) kind; love^(AW) does not envy or boast; it^(AX) is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It^(AY) does not insist on its own way; it^(AZ) is not irritable or resentful;^{[g] 6}it^(BA) does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but^(BB) rejoices with the truth. ^7(BC) Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,^(BD) endures all things.

 ⁸Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹For^(BE) we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰but^(BF) when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹²For^(BG) now we see in a mirror dimly, but^(BH) then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as^(BI) I have been fully known.

 ¹³So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 14

Prophecy and Tongues

 ^1(BJ) Pursue love, and^(BK) earnestly desire the^(BL) spiritual gifts, especially that you may^(BM) prophesy. ²For^(BN) one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. ³On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. ⁴The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but^(BO) even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

 ⁶Now, brothers,^[h] if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some^(BP) revelation or knowledge or prophecy or^(BQ) teaching? ⁷If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? ⁸And^(BR) if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? ⁹So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be^(BS) speaking into the air. ¹⁰There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, ¹¹but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be^(BT) a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. ¹²So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

 ¹³Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also;^(BU) I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will^(BV) sing with my mind also. ¹⁶Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider^[i] say^(BW) "Amen" to^(BX) your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. ¹⁸I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. ¹⁹Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

 ²⁰Brothers,^(BY) do not be children in your thinking.^(BZ) Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be^(CA) mature. ^21(CB) In the Law it is written,^(CC) "By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord." ²²Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign^[j] not for unbelievers but for believers. ²³If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter,^(CD) will they not say that you are out of your minds? ²⁴But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, ^25(CE) the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so,^(CF) falling on his face, he will worship God and^(CG) declare that God is really among you.

Orderly Worship

 ²⁶What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has^(CH) a hymn,^(CI) a lesson,^(CJ) a revelation,^(CK) a tongue, or^(CL) an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. ²⁷If any speak in^(CM) a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. ²⁸But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. ²⁹Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others^(CN) weigh what is said. ³⁰If a revelation is made to another sitting there,^(CO) let the first be silent. ³¹For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, ³²and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. ³³For God is not a God of^(CP) confusion but of peace.

   

   As in^(CQ) all the churches of the saints, ^34(CR) the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but^(CS) should be in submission, as^(CT) the Law also says. ³⁵If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

 ³⁶Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? ^37(CU) If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. ³⁸If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. ³⁹So, my brothers,^(CV) earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. ^40(CW) But all things should be done decently and^(CX) in order.