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Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
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What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
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I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
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Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so.
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For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.
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Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife.
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I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord.
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A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.
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Paul’s Rights as an Apostle
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?
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What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
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Paul’s Use of His Freedom
Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
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To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.
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The Believer’s Freedom
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.
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I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience?
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Concerning Spiritual Gifts
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
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There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
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to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
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For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
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And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.
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Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
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Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
Love Is Indispensable
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
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If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
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Intelligibility in Worship
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
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So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
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If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.
