< 1 Corinthians 12 >

1 Now concerning the spiritual things, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were always led toward the mute idols, being carried away. 3 Therefore I inform you that no one speaking by God's Spirit calls Jesus accursed, and no one can declare Jesus to be Lord except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are allotments of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are allotments of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 And there are allotments of activities, but the same God is He who works them all, in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the common good. 8 So to one a word of wisdom is given, by the Spirit; to another a word of knowledge, by the same Spirit; 9 to a different one faith, by the same Spirit; to another presents of healings, by the same Spirit; 10 to another workings of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discernings of spirits; to a different one kinds of languages, to another interpretation of languages. 11 However, the one and the same Spirit produces all of these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 12 Now just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, though being many, are one body, so also is the Christ. 13 For we also were all baptized into one body by one Spirit—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and were all given to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” it would not therefore cease to be of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” it would not therefore cease to be of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be? 18 But God has really placed the members in the body, each one of them, just as He pleased. 19 (If the whole were just one member, where would the body be? 20 But in fact the parts are many but the body one.) 21 Further, the eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.” 22 Much to the contrary, those members of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And the parts of the body that we consider to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentables have special modesty, 24 while our presentables do not need it. Yes, God has blended the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacks it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another; 26 and if one member suffers, all the members should suffer along, or if one member is honored, all the members should rejoice along. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And those whom God has appointed in the Church are: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; after that miracles, then presents of healings, helps, administrations, kinds of languages. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not miracle workers, are they? 30 All do not have presents of healings, do they? All do not speak languages, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts.

< 1 Corinthians 12 >