1 Corinthians 12-14

New American Standard Bible 1995

The Use of Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning ^(A)spiritual gifts, brethren, ^(B)I do not want you to be unaware. ^2 (C)You know that when you were pagans, you were ^(D)led astray to the ^(E)mute idols, however you were led. ³ Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking ^[a](F)by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is ^[b](G)accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is ^(H)Lord,” except ^[c](I)by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are ^(J)varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶ There are varieties of effects, but the same ^(K)God who works all things in all persons. ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit ^(L)for the common good. ⁸ 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; ⁹ to another ^(O)faith ^[d]by the same Spirit, and to another ^(P)gifts of ^[e]healing ^[f]by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the ^[g]effecting of ^[h](Q)miracles, and to another ^(R)prophecy, and to another the ^[i](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 wills.

¹² For even ^(W)as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, ^(X)so also is Christ. ¹³ For ^[j](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 member, 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 ^[k]any the 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 ^[l]any the less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has ^(AC)placed the members, each one of them, in the body, ^(AD)just as He desired. ¹⁹ If they were all one member, where would the body be? ²⁰ But now ^(AE)there are many members, 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, ^[m]it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³ and those members of the body which we ^[n]deem less honorable, ^[o]on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, ²⁴ whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, ²⁵ so that there may be no ^[p]division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is ^[q]honored, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are ^(AF)Christ’s body, and ^(AG)individually members of it. ²⁸ And God has ^[r](AH)appointed in ^(AI)the church, first ^(AJ)apostles, second ^(AK)prophets, third ^(AL)teachers, then ^[s](AM)miracles, then ^(AN)gifts of healings, helps, ^(AO)administrations, 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 ^[t]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 I show you a still more excellent way.

The Excellence of Love

13 If I speak with the ^(AS)tongues of men and of ^(AT)angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a ^(AU)clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of ^(AV)prophecy, and know all ^(AW)mysteries and all ^(AX)knowledge; and if I have ^(AY)all faith, so as to ^(AZ)remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ And if I ^(BA)give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I ^(BB)surrender my body ^[u]to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

⁴ Love ^(BC)is patient, love is kind and ^(BD)is not jealous; love does not brag and is not ^(BE)arrogant, ⁵ does not act unbecomingly; it ^(BF)does not seek its own, is not provoked, ^(BG)does not take into account a wrong suffered, ^6 (BH)does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but ^(BI)rejoices with the truth; ^7 [v](BJ)bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never fails; but if there are gifts of ^[w](BK)prophecy, they will be done away; if there are ^(BL)tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. ⁹ For we ^(BM)know in part and we prophesy in part; ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I ^[x]became a man, I did away with childish things. ¹² For now we ^(BN)see in a mirror ^[y]dimly, but then ^(BO)face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also ^(BP)have been fully known. ¹³ But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the ^[z]greatest of these is ^(BQ)love.

Prophecy a Superior Gift

14 ^(BR)Pursue love, yet ^(BS)desire earnestly ^(BT)spiritual gifts, but especially that you may ^(BU)prophesy. ² For one who ^(BV)speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one ^[aa]understands, but ^[ab]in his spirit he speaks ^(BW)mysteries. ³ But one who prophesies speaks to men for ^(BX)edification and ^(BY)exhortation and consolation. ⁴ One who ^(BZ)speaks in a tongue ^(CA)edifies himself; but one who ^(CB)prophesies ^(CC)edifies the church. ⁵ Now I wish that you all ^(CD)spoke in tongues, but ^(CE)even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who ^(CF)speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive ^(CG)edifying.

⁶ But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of ^(CH)revelation or of ^(CI)knowledge or of ^(CJ)prophecy or of ^(CK)teaching? ⁷ Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? ⁸ For if ^(CL)the ^[ac]bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? ⁹ So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be ^(CM)speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of ^[ad]languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. ¹¹ If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a ^[ae](CN)barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a ^[af]barbarian ^[ag]to me. ¹² So also you, since you are zealous of ^[ah]spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the ^(CO)edification of the church.

¹³ Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ^15 (CP)What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will ^(CQ)sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. ¹⁶ Otherwise if you bless ^[ai]in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ^[aj]ungifted say ^(CR)the “Amen” at your ^(CS)giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not ^(CT)edified. ¹⁸ I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; ¹⁹ however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Instruction for the Church

^20 (CU)Brethren, ^(CV)do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil ^(CW)be infants, but in your thinking be mature. ²¹ In ^(CX)the Law it is written, “^(CY)By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. ²² So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but ^(CZ)prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. ²³ Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ^[ak]ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that ^(DA)you are mad? ²⁴ But if all ^(DB)prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ^[al]ungifted man enters, he is ^(DC)convicted by all, he is called to account by all; ^25 (DD)the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will ^(DE)fall on his face and worship God, ^(DF)declaring that God is certainly among you.

^26 (DG)What is the outcome then, ^(DH)brethren? When you assemble, ^(DI)each one has a ^(DJ)psalm, has a ^(DK)teaching, has a ^(DL)revelation, has a ^(DM)tongue, has an ^(DN)interpretation. Let ^(DO)all things be done for edification. ²⁷ If anyone speaks in a ^(DP)tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must ^(DQ)interpret; ²⁸ but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹ Let two or three ^(DR)prophets speak, and let the others ^(DS)pass judgment. ³⁰ But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. ³¹ For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; ³² and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; ³³ for God is not a God of ^(DT)confusion but of ^[am]peace, as in ^(DU)all the churches of the ^(DV)saints.

³⁴ The women are to ^(DW)keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but ^(DX)are to subject themselves, just as ^(DY)the Law also says. ³⁵ If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is ^[an]improper for a woman to speak in church. ^36 [ao]Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?

^37 (DZ)If anyone thinks he is a prophet or ^(EA)spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you ^(EB)are the Lord’s commandment. ³⁸ But if anyone does not recognize this, he ^[ap]is not recognized.

³⁹ Therefore, my brethren, ^(EC)desire earnestly to ^(ED)prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. ⁴⁰ But ^(EE)all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.