The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost^(A) came, they were all together^(B) in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.^{(C) 3} They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit^(D) and began to speak in other tongues^[a](E) as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing^(F) Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed,^(G) they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?^{(H) 8} Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,^(I) Pontus^(J) and Asia,^{[b](K) 10} Phrygia^(L) and Pamphylia,^(M) Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;^(N) visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

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.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,^(A) they will cease; where there are tongues,^(B) they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part^(C) and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes,^(D) what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood^(E) behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;^(F) then we shall see face to face.^(G) Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.^(H)

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.^(I) But the greatest of these is love.^(J)

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.