1st Corinthians 12
Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you
to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, somehow
or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.
Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the
Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no
one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy
Spirit.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
There are different kinds of working, but the same God
works all of them in all men.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given
for the common good. To one there is given through the
Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of
knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith
by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that
one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy,
to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking
in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the
interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one
and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just
as he determines.
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts;
and though all its parts are many, they form one body.
So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit
into one body -whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free -and
we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If
the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do
not belong to the body," it would not for that reason
cease to be part of the body. 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 cease to be part of the body.
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? But in fact God has arranged the
parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted
them to be. If they were all one part, where would the
body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
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!" On
the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are indispensable, 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, while
our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God
has combined the members of the body and has given greater
honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should
be no division in the body, but that its parts should have
equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every
part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part
rejoices with it.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is
a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first
of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then
workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing,
those able to help others, those with gifts of administration,
and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all
apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work
miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in
tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater
gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.
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