1 Corinthians 12

1 Now, my fellow believers, [I will answer your questions] about the things God’s Spirit [enables believers to do]. I want you to know clearly [LIT] [about these things].

Now concerning spiritual [gifts], brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

2 You know that before you became Christians, various things led you to [worship] idols, which are unable to tell you [any of God’s message].

Ye know that when ye were Gentiles [ye were] led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led.

3 So [the first thing] that I will tell you now is that it is not the Spirit of God who would cause anyone to say, “Jesus deserved to die,” and that the Holy Spirit is the only one who can enable anyone to say, “Jesus is [truly] the Lord.”

Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema; and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit.

4 There are various things [that God’s] Spirit enables [various believers to do], but it is that same Spirit [who enables us to do them].

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 There are many different ways to serve [the Lord], but it is the same Lord [whom we all are serving].

And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord.

6 [We believers] have the power to do various [tasks], but it is the same God who gives all of us the power [to do] these things.

And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who worketh all things in all.

7 [God’s] Spirit gives his power to each believer in order to benefit all the other [believers].

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal.

8 To some, the Spirit gives the ability to speak very wise messages. To others, the same Spirit gives the ability to know [things that he reveals to them].

For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:

9 To others, the same Spirit gives the ability to believe [that God will work miracles]. To others, the Spirit gives the ability to heal [sick people].

to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit;

10 To others, he gives the power [to perform] miracles. To others, he gives the ability to speak messages that come directly from God. To others, he gives the ability to tell [if a message is really from God or not]. To others he gives the ability to speak messages in languages [MTY] [that they have not learned]. To others, he gives the ability to tell the meaning of those messages [MTY].

and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits: to another [divers] kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues:

11 It is the same Spirit who gives all these abilities. He gives whatever abilities he wants to give, to whatever person he wants to give them.

but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will.

12 Although a person’s body has many parts, all the parts form just one body [DOU]. It is like that [with those who belong to] Christ.

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.

13 When we were baptized {When people baptized us}, the one [Holy] Spirit caused us to become one group [of believers]. It does not matter whether we are Jews or non-Jews. It does not matter whether we are slaves or not slaves. [When we believed in Christ], the one Spirit came to live [MET] within all of us.

For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit.

14 [Our] bodies do not have only one part. They have many parts [with various functions].

For the body is not one member, but many.

15 If our foot could [talk and] say [to us], “Because I am not [your] hand, I am not a part of [your] body,” it would still be a part of [our] body.

If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.

16 If our ear could [talk and] say, “Because I am not [your] eye, I am not a part of your body,” it would still be a part of our body.

And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.

17 If our body were only an eye, (we would not be able to hear./how could we hear?) [RHQ] If our body were only an ear, (we would not be able to smell [anything]!/how could we smell [anything]?) [RHQ]

If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

18 But the truth is that God has put all the parts of our bodies together exactly as he wanted to put them.

But now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him.

19 If [our body] had only one part, it would not be a body. [RHQ]

And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20 But the truth is that there are many parts [in our body], but it is still only one body.

But now they are many members, but one body.

21 That is why if our eye [could talk], it should never say to our hand, “I do not need you!” And if our head [could talk], it should not say to our feet, “I do not need you!”

And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

22 Instead, the parts of our body that seem to be weaker are the ones that are absolutely necessary.

Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary:

23 And the parts that we do not think highly of are the parts that we clothe carefully. And we protect carefully those parts that we do not show to people.

and those [parts] of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant comeliness;

24 The parts that are [all right to] show people, we do not need to protect. Instead, God, who has put all the parts of our bodies together, causes us to care for in a special way the parts that we think are less important.

whereas our comely [parts] have no need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that [part] which lacked;

25 He does that in order that all the parts of our body will work together harmoniously [LIT], and so that all the parts will care for all the other parts equally.

that there should be no schism in the body; but [that] the members should have the same care one for another.

26 If one part of our body hurts, [it is as though] all the parts of our body are hurting. If we pay special attention to one part of our body, [it is as though] all the parts of our body feel pleasure [MET].

And whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or [one] member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

27 [Everything I have just said about how the parts of our bodies relate to each other applies to how] all of you who belong to Christ [should relate to each other]. Each of you belongs to him, [but you have not all been given the same abilities and work].

Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof.

28 God has placed apostles in our congregations. Apostles are first [in rank]. Next [in rank] are those who speak messages which come directly from God. Next [in rank] are those who teach [spiritual truth]. Then there are those who have the power to work miracles, those who have the ability to heal [sick people], those who have the ability to help [others], those who have the ability to govern [the affairs of the congregation], and those who have the ability to speak [messages] in languages [MTY] [that they have not learned].

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, [divers] kinds of tongues.

29 Certainly not all [believers] are apostles. [RHQ] They all do not have the ability to speak messages that come directly from God. [RHQ] They do not all have the ability to teach [spiritual truth]. [RHQ] They do not all have the power to work miracles. [RHQ]

Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all [workers of] miracles?

30 They do not all have the ability to heal people. [RHQ] They do not all have the ability to speak [messages] in languages [MTY] [they have not learned]. [RHQ] They do not all have the ability to tell others the meaning of those messages. [RHQ] [Certainly not!]

have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

31 But you should eagerly desire to have [the abilities that will help other believers] the most (OR, [the abilities that God considers] to be the most important). But now I will tell you the best way [to use the abilities that God’s Spirit has given you].

But desire earnestly the greater gifts. And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you.