Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity

12 Now ^(A)concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: ² You know ^(B)that^[a] you were Gentiles, carried away to these ^(C)dumb^[b] idols, however you were led. ³ Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus ^[c]accursed, and ^(D)no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

^4 (E)There are ^[d]diversities of gifts, but ^(F)the same Spirit. ^5 (G)There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God ^(H)who works ^[e]all in all. ⁷ But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: ⁸ for to one is given ^(I)the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another ^(J)the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, ^9 (K)to another faith by the same Spirit, to another ^(L)gifts of healings by ^[f]the same Spirit, ^10 (M)to another the working of miracles, to another ^(N)prophecy, to another ^(O)discerning of spirits, to another ^(P)different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, ^(Q)distributing to each one individually ^(R)as He wills.

Unity and Diversity in One Body^(S)

¹² For ^(T)as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, ^(U)so also is Christ. ¹³ For ^(V)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—^(W)whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and ^(X)have all been made to drink ^[g]into one Spirit. ¹⁴ For in fact the body is not one member but many.

¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? ¹⁸ But now ^(Y)God has set the members, each one of them, in the body ^(Z)just as He pleased. ¹⁹ And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

²⁰ But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. ²¹ And the 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.” ²² No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. ²³ And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, ²⁴ but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, ²⁵ that there should be no ^[h]schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now ^(AA)you are the body of Christ, and ^(AB)members individually. ²⁸ And ^(AC)God has appointed these in the church: first ^(AD)apostles, second ^(AE)prophets, third teachers, after that ^(AF)miracles, then ^(AG)gifts of healings, ^(AH)helps, ^(AI)administrations, varieties of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But ^(AJ)earnestly desire the ^[i]best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

The Greatest Gift

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of ^(A)prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, ^(B)so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ And ^(C)though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body ^[a]to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

^4 (D)Love suffers long and is ^(E)kind; love ^(F)does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not ^[b]puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, ^(G)does not seek its own, is not provoked, ^[c]thinks no evil; ^6 (H)does not rejoice in iniquity, but ^(I)rejoices in the truth; ^7 (J)bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. ^9 (K)For we know in part and we prophesy in part. ¹⁰ But when that which is ^[d]perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. ¹² For ^(L)now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then ^(M)face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

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

Walk in Unity

4 I, therefore, the prisoner ^[a]of the Lord, ^[b]beseech you to ^(A)walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, ² with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, ³ endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit ^(B)in the bond of peace. ^4 (C)There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; ^5 (D)one Lord, ^(E)one faith, ^(F)one baptism; ^6 (G)one God and Father of all, who is above all, and ^(H)through all, and in ^[c]you all.

Spiritual Gifts

⁷ But ^(I)to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore He says:

^9 (K)(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also ^[d]first descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One ^(L)who ascended far above all the heavens, ^(M)that He might fill all things.)

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, ^(N)for the ^[e]edifying of ^(O)the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith ^(P)and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to ^(Q)a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be ^(R)children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of ^(S)deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the ^(T)head—Christ— ^16 (U)from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

³ For I say, ^(A)through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, ^(B)not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt ^(C)to each one a measure of faith. ⁴ For ^(D)as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so ^(E)we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is ^(F)given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us ^(G)prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; ^(H)he who teaches, in teaching; ^8 (I)he who exhorts, in exhortation; ^(J)he who gives, with liberality; ^(K)he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, ^(L)with cheerfulness.