1Brothers and sisters, I want you to know about the gifts of the Holy Spirit.2You know that at one time you were unbelievers. You were somehow drawn away to worship statues of gods that couldn’t even speak.3So I want you to know that no one who is speaking with the help of God’s Spirit says, ‘May Jesus be cursed.’ And without the help of the Holy Spirit no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord.’4There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same Spirit.5There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord.6There are different ways the Spirit works. But the same God is working in all these ways and in all people.7The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all.8To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge.9To others the same Spirit gives faith. To others that one Spirit gives gifts of healing.10To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others he gives the ability to prophesy. To others he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages.11All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides.
One body but many parts
12There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ.13We were all baptised by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink.14So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts.15Suppose the foot says, ‘I am not a hand. So I don’t belong to the body.’ By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body.16And suppose the ear says, ‘I am not an eye. So I don’t belong to the body.’ By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body.17If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell?18God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be.19If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body?20As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.21The eye can’t say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ The head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’22In fact, it is just the opposite. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without.23The parts that we think are less important we treat with special honour. The private parts aren’t shown. But they are treated with special care.24The parts that can be shown don’t need special care. But God has put together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honour to the parts that didn’t have any.25In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another.26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honoured, every part shares in its joy.27You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.28First, God has placed apostles in the church. Second, he has placed prophets in the church. Third, he has placed teachers in the church. Then he has given to the church miracles and gifts of healing. He also has given the gift of helping others and the gift of guiding the church. God also has given the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages.29Is everyone an apostle? Is everyone a prophet? Is everyone a teacher? Do all work miracles?30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in languages they had not known before? Do all explain what is said in those languages?
Love is necessary
31But above all, you should want the more important gifts. But now I will show you the best way of all.
1 Corinthians 12
English Standard Version
Spiritual Gifts
1Now concerning[1] spiritual gifts,[2] brothers,[3] I do not want you to be uninformed. (1Co 14:1)2You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. (Ps 115:5; Isa 46:7; Jer 10:5; Hab 2:18; 1Co 6:11; Eph 2:11; 1Th 1:9; 1Pe 4:3)3Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. (Mt 16:17; Joh 15:26; Ro 9:3; Ro 10:9; 1Jo 4:2)4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; (Ro 12:6; Eph 4:4; Heb 2:4)5and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; (Ro 12:7; 1Co 12:4; Eph 4:11)6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. (1Co 12:4)7To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (Ro 12:3; 1Co 14:26; Eph 4:7)8For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, (1Co 1:5; 1Co 2:6)9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, (1Co 12:28; 1Co 12:30; 1Co 13:2; 2Co 4:13)10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. (Mr 16:17; 1Co 12:28; 1Co 12:30; 1Co 13:2; 1Co 13:8; 1Co 14:1; 1Co 14:26; 1Co 14:29; Ga 3:5; 1Jo 4:1)11All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. (2Co 10:13; Heb 2:4)
One Body with Many Members
12For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. (1Co 10:17; 1Co 12:27)13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[4] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. (Joh 7:37; Ro 6:5; Ga 3:28; Eph 2:13; Eph 2:18; Col 3:11)14For the body does not consist of one member but of many.15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.17If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?18But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. (Ro 12:3; 1Co 3:5; 1Co 12:11; 1Co 12:28)19If all were a single member, where would the body be?20As it is, there are many parts,[5] yet one body.21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”22On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,23and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,24which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,25that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. (Ro 12:15)27Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (Ro 12:5; Eph 1:23; Eph 4:12; Eph 5:30; Col 1:24)28And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. (Ac 20:35; Ro 12:8; 1Co 12:9; 1Co 12:10; 1Co 12:18; Eph 2:20; Eph 3:5; Eph 4:11; 1Ti 5:17; Heb 13:7; Heb 13:17; Heb 13:24)29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?30Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?31But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. (1Co 14:1; 1Co 14:39)