Old/New Testament
Psalm 135(A)
1 Praise the Lord.[a]
Praise the name of the Lord;
praise him, you servants(B) of the Lord,
2 you who minister in the house(C) of the Lord,
in the courts(D) of the house of our God.
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;(E)
sing praise to his name,(F) for that is pleasant.(G)
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob(H) to be his own,
Israel to be his treasured possession.(I)
5 I know that the Lord is great,(J)
that our Lord is greater than all gods.(K)
6 The Lord does whatever pleases him,(L)
in the heavens and on the earth,(M)
in the seas and all their depths.
7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain(N)
and brings out the wind(O) from his storehouses.(P)
8 He struck down the firstborn(Q) of Egypt,
the firstborn of people and animals.
9 He sent his signs(R) and wonders into your midst, Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his servants.(S)
10 He struck down many(T) nations
and killed mighty kings—
11 Sihon(U) king of the Amorites,(V)
Og king of Bashan,(W)
and all the kings of Canaan(X)—
12 and he gave their land as an inheritance,(Y)
an inheritance to his people Israel.
13 Your name, Lord, endures forever,(Z)
your renown,(AA) Lord, through all generations.
14 For the Lord will vindicate his people(AB)
and have compassion on his servants.(AC)
15 The idols of the nations(AD) are silver and gold,
made by human hands.(AE)
16 They have mouths, but cannot speak,(AF)
eyes, but cannot see.
17 They have ears, but cannot hear,
nor is there breath(AG) in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.
19 All you Israelites, praise the Lord;(AH)
house of Aaron, praise the Lord;
20 house of Levi, praise the Lord;
you who fear him, praise the Lord.
21 Praise be to the Lord from Zion,(AI)
to him who dwells in Jerusalem.(AJ)
Praise the Lord.
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks(AK) to the Lord, for he is good.(AL)
His love endures forever.(AM)
2 Give thanks(AN) to the God of gods.(AO)
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks(AP) to the Lord of lords:(AQ)
His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders,(AR)
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding(AS) made the heavens,(AT)
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth(AU) upon the waters,(AV)
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights(AW)—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern(AX) the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
10 to him who struck down the firstborn(AY) of Egypt
His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out(AZ) from among them
His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand(BA) and outstretched arm;(BB)
His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Sea[b](BC) asunder
His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through(BD) the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;(BE)
His love endures forever.
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;(BF)
His love endures forever.
17 to him who struck down great kings,(BG)
His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings(BH)—
His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites(BI)
His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan(BJ)—
His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land(BK) as an inheritance,(BL)
His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance(BM) to his servant Israel.(BN)
His love endures forever.
Concerning Spiritual Gifts
12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit,(A) brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.(B) 2 You know that when you were pagans,(C) somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.(D) 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,”(E) and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,”(F) except by the Holy Spirit.(G)
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit(H) 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(I) it is the same God(J) at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.(K) 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom,(L) to another a message of knowledge(M) by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith(N) by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing(O) by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers,(P) to another prophecy,(Q) to another distinguishing between spirits,(R) to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a](S) and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,(T) 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,(U) so it is with Christ.(V) 13 For we were all baptized(W) by[c] one Spirit(X) so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free(Y)—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.(Z) 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.(AA)
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(AB) the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.(AC) 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.(AD)
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,(AE) and each one of you is a part of it.(AF) 28 And God has placed in the church(AG) first of all apostles,(AH) second prophets,(AI) third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,(AJ) of helping, of guidance,(AK) and of different kinds of tongues.(AL) 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]?(AM) Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire(AN) the greater gifts.
Love Is Indispensable
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.