1 Corinthians 12

1 Now about “spiritual gifts.” My brothers and sisters, I want to explain this to you.

In the next place, friends, I do not want you to be ignorant about spiritual gifts.

2 You know that when you were pagans, you were deceived, being led astray by worshiping idols who couldn't even speak.

You know that there was a time when you were Gentiles, going astray after idols that could not speak, just as you happened to be led.

3 Let me make it clear to you: no one who speaks in the Spirit of God says, “Curse Jesus!” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord!” except by the Holy Spirit.

Therefore I tell you plainly that no one who speaks under the influence of the Spirit of God says ‘JESUS IS ACCURSED,’ and that no one can say ‘JESUS IS LORD,’ except under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

4 Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they come from the same Spirit.

Gifts differ, but the Spirit is the same;

5 There are different kinds of ministries, but they come from the same Lord.

ways of serving differ, yet the Master is the same;

6 There are different ways of working, but they come from the same God, who is at work in all of them.

results differ, yet the God who brings about every result is in every case the same.

7 The Spirit is given to each of us and is revealed for the good of all.

To each of us there is given spiritual illumination for the general good.

8 One person is given by the Spirit the ability to speak words of wisdom. Another is given a message of knowledge by the same Spirit.

To one is given the power to speak with wisdom through the Spirit; to another the power to speak with knowledge, due to the same Spirit;

9 Another receives the gift of strongly trusting in God by the same Spirit. Another receives gifts of healing from that one Spirit.

to another faith by the same Spirit; to another power to cure diseases by the one Spirit; to another supernatural powers;

10 Another is given the ability to perform miracles. Another receives the gift of prophecy. Another is given the gift of spiritual discernment. Another receives the ability to speak different languages while another is given the gift of interpreting languages.

to another the gift of preaching; to another the gift of distinguishing between true and false inspiration; to another varieties of the gift of ‘tongues’; to another the power to interpret ‘tongues.’

11 But all of these gifts are the work of the one and the same Spirit, sharing with each person as he alone chooses.

All these result from one and the same Spirit, who distributes his gifts to each individually as he wills.

12 Just like the human body is one unit but has many parts—all the parts of the body even though there are many of them, make up one body—so is Christ.

For just as the human body is one whole, and yet has many parts, and all its parts, many though they are, form but one body, so it is with the Christ;

13 For it was through one Spirit that we were all baptized into one body. It doesn't matter whether we are Jews or Greeks, slave or free—we all were given the one Spirit to drink.

for it was by one Spirit that we were all baptized to form one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and were all imbued with one Spirit.

14 The body is not made of one part, but many parts.

The human body, I repeat, consists not of one part, but of many.

15 If the foot were to say, “Because I'm not a hand, I'm not part of the body,” would that make it not part of the body?

If the foot says ‘Since I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it does not because of that cease to belong to the body.

16 If the ear were to say, “Because I'm not an eye, I'm not part of the body,” would that make it not part of the body?

Or if the ear says ‘Since I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it does not because of that cease to belong to the body.

17 If the whole body was an eye, how could you hear anything? If the whole body was an ear, how could you smell anything?

If all the body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If it were all hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

18 But God has arranged each part in the body, every last one of them, placing them just as he wanted.

But in fact God has placed each individual part just where he thought fit in the body.

19 If they were all the same part, what would happen to the body?

If, however, they all made up only one part, where would the body be?

20 However, since there are many parts, they make up the body.

But in fact, although it has many parts, there is only one body.

21 The eye can't tell the hand, “I don't need you,” or the head tell the feet, “I don't need you.”

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 Quite the opposite: some of those parts of the body that seem the most insignificant are the most essential.

No! Those parts of the body that seem naturally the weaker are indispensable;

23 In fact those parts of the body we do not consider to be decent to reveal we “honor” more by covering them up—what is indecent we treat with greater modesty!

and those parts which we deem less honorable we surround with special honor; and our ungraceful parts receive a special grace which our graceful parts do not require.

24 What's presentable doesn't need such covering up. God has so arranged the body that more honor is given to the parts that are less presentable.

Yes, God has so constructed the body – by giving a special honor to the part that lacks it –

25 This is so there wouldn't be any conflict within the body—the different parts should care equally for each other.

As to secure that there should be no disunion in the body, but that the parts should show the same care for one another.

26 So when one part is suffering, all the other parts of the body suffer with it, and when one part is treated well, then all the other parts of the body are happy too!

If one part suffers, all the others suffer with it, and if one part has honor done to it, all the others share its joy.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one makes up a part of it.

Together you are the body of Christ, and individually its parts.

28 In the church, God has arranged first for some to be apostles, secondly for some to be prophets, thirdly teachers. Then there are those who perform miracles, those with healing gifts, those who can help others, those good at administration, and those who can speak different languages.

In the church God has appointed, first, apostles, secondly preachers, thirdly teachers; then he has given supernatural powers, then power to cure diseases, aptness for helping others, capacity to govern, varieties of the gift of ‘tongues.’

29 Not everyone is an apostle, or a prophet, or a teacher, or able to perform miracles.

Can everyone be an apostle? Can everyone be a preacher? Can everyone be a teacher? Can everyone have supernatural powers?

30 Not all have healing gifts, or the ability to speak languages, or to interpret languages.

Can everyone have power to cure diseases? Can everyone speak in ‘tongues’? Can everyone interpret them?

31 But you should really want to have the most significant gifts. So now I will show you a far better way.

Strive for the greater gifts. Yet I can still show you a way beyond all comparison the best.