1 Corinthians 12

1 Now concerning the spiritual things, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

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

2 Ye know that, while Gentiles, ye were being carried away to the voiceless idols, as ye were led.

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 Therefore I make known to you, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God says, Jesus is accursed, and no man 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 varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

Gifts differ, but the Spirit is the same;

5 And there are varieties of services, and the same Lord.

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

6 And there are varieties of functions, but it is the same God who works all in all.

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

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each man toward that which is beneficial.

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

8 For to one, the word of wisdom is given through the Spirit, and to another, the word of knowledge according to 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 to a different man, faith by the same Spirit, and to another, gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

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

10 and to another, workings of miracles, and to another, prophecy, and to another, discerning of spirits, and to a different man, kinds of tongues, and to another, the interpretation of tongues.

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 the one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each man individually as it wills.

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

12 For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of the body, being many, are one body, so also is the 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 also by one Spirit we are all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bondmen or freemen, and we were all made to drink into one Spirit.

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 For the body also is not one part, but many.

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

15 If the foot should say, Because I am not a hand I am not of the body, it is not by this not 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 And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye I am not of the body, it is not by this not 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 were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?

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 now God has placed the parts, each one of them, in the body just as he intended.

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

19 And if they were all one part, where would be the body?

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

20 But now of course there are many body-parts, but one body.

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

21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of 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 Instead, much more the parts of the body that seem to be more feeble are necessary.

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

23 And those things of the body presumed to be without esteem, we place around these more abundant worth. And our unpresentable parts have more abundant propriety,

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 whereas our presentable parts have no need. Instead, God united the body together, having given more abundant worth to the part that lacks,

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

25 so that there would be no schisms in the body, but that the parts would have the same care 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 And if one part suffers, all the parts suffer together, or one part is honored, all the parts rejoice together.

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 ye are the body of Christ, and body-parts individually.

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

28 And in the church God has placed men who are first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, kinds of tongues.

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 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles?

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

30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

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

31 But be zealous for the better gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

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