Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts,^[a] brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be ignorant.^(A)

⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit,^{(A) 5} and there are varieties of services but the same Lord,^{(B) 6} and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. ⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.^{(C) 8} To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,^{(D) 9} to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,^{(E) 10} to another the working of powerful deeds, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.^{(F) 11} All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.^(G)

³⁷ Anyone who claims to be a prophet or spiritual must acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command^[a] of the Lord.^(A)

Gifts of Prophecy and Tongues

14 Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts and especially that you may prophesy.^{(A) 2} For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to other people but to God, for no one understands them, since they are speaking mysteries in the Spirit.^{(B) 3} But those who prophesy speak to other people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.^{(C) 4} Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves, but those who prophesy build up the church. ⁵ Now I would like all of you to speak in tongues but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.^(D)

⁶ Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you in some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?^{(E) 7} It is the same way with lifeless instruments that produce sound, such as the flute or the harp. If they do not give distinct notes, how will what is being played on the flute or harp be recognized? ⁸ And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?^{(F) 9} So with yourselves: If in a tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is being said? For you will be speaking into the air.^{(G) 10} There are doubtless many different kinds of sounds in the world, and nothing is without sound. ¹¹ If then I do not know the meaning of a sound, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.^{(H) 12} So with yourselves: since you are striving after spiritual gifts, seek to excel in them for building up the church.

¹³ Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unproductive. ¹⁵ What should I do then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will sing praise with the spirit, but I will sing praise with the mind also.^{(I) 16} Otherwise, if you say a blessing with the spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say the “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since the outsider does not know what you are saying?^{(J) 17} For you may give thanks well enough, but the other person is not built up.^{(K) 18} I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you;

¹¹ He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers^(A)

⁸ But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.^(A)

The Coming of the Lord

¹³ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died,^[a] so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

⁸ We do not want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, of the affliction we experienced in Asia, for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself.^(A)

Warnings from Israel’s History

10 I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,^(A)