Fellowship with God

⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light,^(A) and there is absolutely no darkness in him.^{(B) 6} If we say, “We have fellowship^(C) with him,” and yet we walk in darkness,^(D) we are lying and are not practicing the truth.^{(E) 7} If we walk in the light^(F) as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus^(G) his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say, “We have no sin,”^(H) we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive^(I) us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word^(J) is not in us.^(K)

The Spirit versus the Flesh

¹⁶ I say, then, walk by the Spirit^(A) and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires^(B) what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.^{(C) 18} But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious:^[a] sexual immorality,^(D) moral impurity,^(E) promiscuity,^{(F) 20} idolatry,^(G) sorcery,^(H) hatreds,^(I) strife,^(J) jealousy,^(K) outbursts of anger,^(L) selfish ambitions,^(M) dissensions,^(N) factions,^{(O) 21} envy,^[b](P) drunkenness, carousing,^(Q) and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.^(R)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit^(S) is love,^(T) joy,^(U) peace, patience,^(V) kindness,^(W) goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness,^(X) and self-control.^(Y) The law is not against such things.^{[c] 24} Now those who belong to Christ Jesus^(Z) have crucified the flesh^(AA) with its passions and desires.^{(AB) 25} If we live^(AC) by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.^(AD)

Many Gifts but One Body

³ For by the grace^(A) given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think.^(B) Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith^(C) to each one. ⁴ Now as we have many parts in one body,^(D) and all the parts do not have the same function, ⁵ in the same way we who are many^(E) are one body in Christ^(F) and individually members of one another. ⁶ According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts:^(G) If prophecy,^(H) use it according to the proportion of one’s^[a] faith; ⁷ if service,^(I) use it in service; if teaching,^(J) in teaching; ⁸ if exhorting,^(K) in exhortation; giving, with generosity;^(L) leading,^(M) with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.^(N)

⁴ Now there are different gifts,^(A) but the same Spirit. ⁵ There are different ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. ⁷ A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person^(B) for the common good: ⁸ to one^(C) is given a message of wisdom^(D) through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, ⁹ to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing^(E) by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another, the performing of miracles,^(F) to another, prophecy,^(G) to another, distinguishing between spirits,^(H) to another, different kinds of tongues,^[a] 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^(I) and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.^{(J) 13} For we were all baptized by^[b] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.^{(K) 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.^{(L) 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,^(M) 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^(N) 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,^(O) and individual members of it.

Psalm 133

Living in Harmony

A song of ascents. Of David.