²⁷ John answered, ^(A)“A person cannot receive even one thing ^(B)unless it is given him ^(C)from heaven.

^17 (A)Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from ^(B)the Father of lights, ^(C)with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.^[a]

⁷ For who sees anything different in you? ^(A)What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, ^(A)I worked harder than any of them, ^(B)though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

^10 (A)As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, ^(B)as good stewards of God's varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks ^(C)oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves ^(D)by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything ^(E)God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. ^(F)To him belong glory and ^(G)dominion forever and ever. Amen.

¹² Now ^(A)we have received not ^(B)the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. ¹³ And we impart this ^(C)in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, ^(D)interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.^[a]

¹⁴ The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are ^(E)folly to him, and ^(F)he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

¹⁵ To one he gave five ^(A)talents,^[a] to another two, to another one, ^(B)to each according to his ability. Then he ^(C)went away.

^15 (A)But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

⁴ And ^(A)no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, ^(B)just as Aaron was.

⁵ So also Christ ^(C)did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,