1 Corinthians 12
New Catholic Bible
The Gifts of the Spirit in the Service of the Church[a]
Chapter 12
Discerning the Gifts of the Spirit. 1 Now in regard to the gifts of the Spirit, brethren, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were still pagans you were constantly being enticed and led astray to the worship of mute idols. 3 Therefore, I wish you to understand that no one speaking under the influence of the Spirit of God says, “May Jesus be cursed.”[b] Likewise, no one can say “Jesus is Lord,” except under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit Distributes the Gifts for the Common Good.[c] 4 There are different varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different forms of activity, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.
7 To each of us, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one, is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom; and to another, the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit. 9 Another by the same Spirit is granted faith, while still another is granted the gift of healing by the same Spirit.
10 To one, is granted the gift of mighty deeds;[d] to another, the gift of prophecy; and to yet another, the gift to discern spirits. One receives the gift of tongues and another the ability to interpret them. 11 One and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing them individually to each person as he wills.
12 You Are the Body of Christ.[e] The body is one, although it has many parts; and all the parts, though many, form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as free men, and we were all given the same Spirit to drink.
14 Now the body is one, although it has many parts. 15 If the foot were to say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it nevertheless still belongs to the body. 16 Or if an ear were to say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it nevertheless still belongs to the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, how would we be able to hear? If the whole body were an ear, how would we exercise a sense of smell? 18 But God arranged each part in the body as he intended. 19 If all the members were identical, where would the body be?
20 As it is, there are many members, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” any more than the head can say to the feet, “I do not need you.” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are in fact indispensable, 23 and those parts of the body that we regard as less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable parts are treated with greater propriety, 24 whereas our more respectable members have no need of this.
But God has so designed the body as to give greater honor to the more humble parts, 25 in order that there may be no dissension within the body and each part may have equal concern for all the others. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it. If one member is honored, all the members rejoice together with it.
27 You therefore are the body of Christ, and each of you is a part of it. 28 And those whom God has appointed in the Church are first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then doers of mighty deeds, those who have the gifts of healing, helping others, administering, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all doers of mighty deeds? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Set your hearts on the greater gifts.
Hymn to Love.[f] Now I will show you a more excellent way.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 12:1 These pages have new relevance today. Such words as “charism” and “prophet” have once again become common in the Church. We are deeply interested in the relationships, undertakings, and inspirations that characterize the life and vitality of communities. God does indeed grant the grace of renewal for the sake of the authentic development of the Christian community. Nevertheless, we should not stop at the visible gifts, but should seek initiatives that help to unite the community and promote true love and the knowledge of the mystery of Christ. Christian experience is not a spectacle but a lived reality. This is a principle for discernment.
- 1 Corinthians 12:3 Cursed: to say this is to fail to recognize Jesus as the messenger of God (see Jn 8:48f; 9:24).
- 1 Corinthians 12:4 Note that these verses speak of the intervention of the three divine Persons. The charismatic movement cannot become a competition of visions nor a conflict of claims and a quest for prestige.
- 1 Corinthians 12:10 Mighty deeds: this phrase refers to actions that cannot be explained by natural means—hence, actions of God intended to show his power and purpose.
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 The Church, united and in harmony like a physical body, really forms the Body of Christ (1 Cor 10:17; Col 1:8-24; Eph 1:22-23; 5:23), brought into being by participation in his Eucharistic Body and given life by the life of the Spirit. This is one of Paul’s major ideas regarding the mystery of the Church.
- 1 Corinthians 12:31 This may be termed a passage for the ages. The word “love” summarizes for Paul all the newness that Jesus brings to the world. Wherever love exists, something of the eternal and the divine enters into the life and communication of human beings. In comparison to love, every other value is relative and transitory; love is the ultimate meaning.
We should leave aside all the cloying sentiments with which the words “love” and “charity” are often burdened and read these few strophes to rediscover this supreme reality that is so simple, so demanding, and so sublime. What a reversal this emphasis on genuine love is for the Corinthians! All the gifts that they like permit pretense, vanity, and ostentation even in the religious sphere; love is the direct opposite of all that.
Where love is lacking, all the charisms lose their power and meaning, even those that are the most needed and the most fruitful for the mission of the Church. The gifts are all provisional. When humankind attains its completion in the love of God, it will be genuinely and definitively fulfilled. In the fullness of this communion and in the complete vision of the Lord, faith and hope themselves will be left behind. But love alone will remain; it is eternal, for God is love (1 Jn 4:8). Even on earth, love is the reality and the power by which Christians must live.
哥林多前书 12
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
圣灵的恩赐
12 弟兄姊妹，谈到圣灵的恩赐，我不希望你们无知。 2 你们知道，自己在信主前曾受到迷惑和引诱去拜不会说话的偶像。 3 因此我希望你们知道，一个被上帝的灵感动的人绝不会说“耶稣该受咒诅”；若不是受了圣灵的感动，没有人会说“耶稣是主”。
4 恩赐各有不同，但圣灵是同一位。 5 事奉各有不同，但主是同一位。 6 工作各有不同，但上帝是同一位，祂在众人当中成就万事。 7 圣灵给各人不同的恩赐为要使众人得益处。 8 这人从圣灵领受智言，那人从圣灵领受知识； 9 圣灵赐这人信心，赐那人医病的恩赐； 10 圣灵使这人能行神迹，使那人能做先知讲道；使这人能辨别诸灵，使那人能说方言[a]，又使另一人能翻译方言。 11 这一切都是同一位圣灵所赐的，是祂按自己的旨意分别赐给各人的。
同属一个身体
12 这如同一个身体有许多肢体，肢体虽多，仍同属一个身体。基督的身体也是这样。 13 不论是犹太人或希腊人，是奴隶或自由人，我们都领受了同一位圣灵的洗礼，归入了同一个身体，同饮一位圣灵。
14 人的身体并非只有一个肢体，乃是由许多肢体组成的。 15 如果脚说：“我不是手，所以我不属于身体。”难道脚就因此不属于身体吗？ 16 如果耳朵说：“我不是眼睛，所以我不属于身体。”难道耳朵就因此不属于身体吗？ 17 如果整个身体是一只眼睛，哪里有听觉呢？如果整个身体是一只耳朵，哪里有嗅觉呢？
18 但事实上，上帝按自己的旨意将各个肢体安置在身体上了。 19 如果全身只有一个肢体，还会是身体吗？ 20 如今肢体虽多，但身体只有一个。 21 眼睛不能对手说：“我不需要你。”头也不能对脚说：“我不需要你。”
22 相反，看起来不太重要的肢体事实上是不可或缺的。 23 我们认为身体上不体面的肢体，越要加以美化；不雅观的肢体，越要精心呵护。 24 我们身上体面的肢体用不着美化。上帝把身体的各肢体安排在一起，使那些不体面的肢体更体面， 25 这样身体各肢体才可以彼此相顾，不会分门别类。 26 如果身体某个肢体感到痛苦，全身也一同受苦。如果某个肢体得到荣耀，全身也一同喜乐。
27 你们正是基督身体的不同肢体。 28 上帝在教会中设立的第一是使徒，第二是先知，第三是教师，其次是行神迹的，然后是有医病恩赐的，帮助别人的，管理事务的，说各种方言的。 29 岂是都做使徒吗？都做先知吗？都做教师吗？都行神迹吗？ 30 都有医病的恩赐吗？都懂得说方言吗？都会翻译方言吗？ 31 你们应该热心追求更大的恩赐。
现在，我要将一条奇妙无比的道路指示你们！
Footnotes
- 12:10 “方言”或译“语言”。
1 Corinthians 12
King James Version
12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
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