The Great Commission

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.^{(A) 17} When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.^{(B) 19} Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,^(C) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,^{(D) 20} and teaching^(E) them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you^(F) always, to the very end of the age.”^(G)

³ You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling^(A) among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? ⁴ For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,”^(B) are you not mere human beings?

⁵ What, after all, is Apollos?^(C) And what is Paul? Only servants,^(D) through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶ I planted the seed,^(E) Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.^{(F) 9} For we are co-workers in God’s service;^(G) you are God’s field,^(H) God’s building.^(I)

¹⁰ By the grace God has given me,^(J) I laid a foundation^(K) as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.^(L)

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit^(A) distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone^(B) it is the same God^(C) at work.

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.^{(D) 8} To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom,^(E) to another a message of knowledge^(F) by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith^(G) by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing^(H) by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers,^(I) to another prophecy,^(J) to another distinguishing between spirits,^(K) to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a](L) and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^{[b] 11} All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,^(M) and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Unity and Diversity in the Body

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,^(N) so it is with Christ.^{(O) 13} For we were all baptized^(P) by^[c] one Spirit^(Q) so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free^(R)—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.^{(S) 14} Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.^(T)

¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed^(U) the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.^{(V) 19} If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.^(W)

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ,^(X) and each one of you is a part of it.^{(Y) 28} And God has placed in the church^(Z) first of all apostles,^(AA) second prophets,^(AB) third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,^(AC) of helping, of guidance,^(AD) and of different kinds of tongues.^{(AE) 29} Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]?^(AF) Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire^(AG) the greater gifts.

Love Is Indispensable

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

13 If I speak in the tongues^[e](AH) of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy^(AI) and can fathom all mysteries^(AJ) and all knowledge,^(AK) and if I have a faith^(AL) that can move mountains,^(AM) but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor^(AN) and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[f](AO) but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient,^(AP) love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.^{(AQ) 5} It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,^(AR) it is not easily angered,^(AS) it keeps no record of wrongs.^{(AT) 6} Love does not delight in evil^(AU) but rejoices with the truth.^{(AV) 7} It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.^(AW)

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,^(AX) they will cease; where there are tongues,^(AY) they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.