Diversity of Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts:[a] brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you used to be enticed and led astray by mute(A) idols.(B) Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Now there are different gifts,(C) but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person(D) for the common good: to one(E) is given a message of wisdom(F) through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing(G) by the one Spirit, 10 to another, the performing of miracles,(H) to another, prophecy,(I) to another, distinguishing between spirits,(J) to another, different kinds of tongues,[b] to another, interpretation of tongues. 11 One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he wills.

Unity Yet Diversity in the Body

12 For just as the body is one(K) and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.(L) 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.(M) 14 Indeed, the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason 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 an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted.(N) 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. 23 And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable,(O) we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, 24 which our respectable parts do not need.

Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division(P) in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ,(Q) and individual members of it. 28 And God has appointed these in the church:(R) first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,(S) next miracles,(T) then gifts of healing,(U) helping, leading, various kinds of tongues.[d] 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?(V) 31 But desire(W) the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

Footnotes

  1. 12:1 Or spiritual things, or spiritual people
  2. 12:10 languages
  3. 12:13 Or with, or in
  4. 12:28 languages, also in v. 30

The Use of Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning (A)spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, (B)I do not want you to be unaware. (C)You know that when you were [a]pagans, you were (D)led [b]astray to the (E)mute idols, however you were led. 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.

Now there are (J)varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same (K)God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit (L)for the common good. 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; 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.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 12:2 Lit Gentiles; i.e., mainly Greeks and Romans, traditionally polytheistic
  2. 1 Corinthians 12:2 Or away
  3. 1 Corinthians 12:3 Or in
  4. 1 Corinthians 12:3 Gr anathema
  5. 1 Corinthians 12:3 Or in
  6. 1 Corinthians 12:9 Or in
  7. 1 Corinthians 12:9 Lit healings
  8. 1 Corinthians 12:9 Or in
  9. 1 Corinthians 12:10 Lit effects
  10. 1 Corinthians 12:10 Or works of power
  11. 1 Corinthians 12:10 Lit distinguishings
  12. 1 Corinthians 12:11 Or intends
  13. 1 Corinthians 12:13 Or in
  14. 1 Corinthians 12:15 Lit not a part
  15. 1 Corinthians 12:16 Lit not a part
  16. 1 Corinthians 12:22 Lit to a much greater degree the parts
  17. 1 Corinthians 12:23 Or think to be
  18. 1 Corinthians 12:23 Or these we clothe with
  19. 1 Corinthians 12:25 Or dissension
  20. 1 Corinthians 12:26 Lit glorified
  21. 1 Corinthians 12:28 Lit set some in
  22. 1 Corinthians 12:28 Or works of power
  23. 1 Corinthians 12:29 Or works of power