1 Corinthians
Chapter 12
1 About spiritual gifts, friends, I don’t want you to be unaware.
2 You know that before, as non-Jews, you followed silent idols wherever you were taken.
3 I want you to know that no one led by God’s Spirit says Jesus is cursed, and no one can say Jesus is Lord without the Holy Spirit.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are different ways to serve, but the same God.
6 There are different ways of working, but it is the same God who does all the work in everyone.
7 The Spirit shows itself in each person for the common good.
8 One person receives wisdom from the Spirit; another gets knowledge from the same Spirit.
9 To one person the Spirit gives strong faith; to another person the same Spirit gives the power to heal.
10 One is given the power to perform miracles; another can prophesy; another can distinguish between spirits; another can speak in different languages; and yet another can interpret those languages.
11 But the same Spirit does all these things, giving to each person different gifts as he chooses.
12 Just as a body is one unit but has many parts, and all these parts make up one body, it is the same with Christ.
13 Through one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body, no matter if we are Jews or non-Jews, slaves or free; and we were all given the same Spirit to drink.
14 The body is not just one part, but many parts.
15 If the foot says, “Since I am not the hand, I don’t belong to the body,” does that mean it’s not part of the body?
16 If the ear says, “Because I’m not the eye, I don’t belong to the body,” does that mean it’s not part of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, how could we hear? If it were all ear, how could we smell?
18 God has placed each part of the body as he wanted.
19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20 Now there are many parts, but only one body.
21 The eye can’t tell the hand, “I don’t need you,” and the head can’t tell the feet, “I don’t need you.”
22 No, even those parts of the body that seem weaker are important.
23 We give more honor to the parts of the body we think are less worthy, and our less attractive parts get more attention to look better.
24 Our attractive parts don’t need anything, but God has put the body together, giving extra honor to the parts that were lacking.
25 The body should have no divide; but its parts should care equally for each other.
26 If one part hurts, all parts hurt with it; if one part is honored, all parts are happy with it.
27 You are now the body of Christ, each one of you a part of it.
28 God has placed in the church first apostles, then prophets, next teachers, then those who do miracles, followed by those with healing gifts, helpers, leaders, and different kinds of language speakers.
29 Are all messengers? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Does everyone perform miracles?
30 Does everyone have healing gifts? Does everyone speak in different languages? Does everyone explain what is said?
31 Desire greatly the best gifts; but I will show you an even better way.