Diversity of Spiritual Gifts
12 Now concerning spiritual gifts:[a] brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you used to be enticed and led astray by mute(A) idols.(B) 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are different gifts,(C) but the same Spirit. 5 There are different ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. 7 A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person(D) for the common good: 8 to one(E) is given a message of wisdom(F) through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing(G) by the one Spirit, 10 to another, the performing of miracles,(H) to another, prophecy,(I) to another, distinguishing between spirits,(J) to another, different kinds of tongues,[b] to another, interpretation of tongues. 11 One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he wills.
Unity Yet Diversity in the Body
12 For just as the body is one(K) and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.(L) 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.(M) 14 Indeed, the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted.(N) 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. 23 And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable,(O) we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, 24 which our respectable parts do not need.
Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division(P) in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ,(Q) and individual members of it. 28 And God has appointed these in the church:(R) first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,(S) next miracles,(T) then gifts of healing,(U) helping, leading, various kinds of tongues.[d] 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?(V) 31 But desire(W) the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.
Footnotes
- 12:1 Or spiritual things, or spiritual people
- 12:10 languages
- 12:13 Or with, or in
- 12:28 languages, also in v. 30
Cross references
- 12:2 : Ac 8:32; 1Co 14:10; 2Pt 2:16
- 12:2 : 1Co 8:4
- 12:4 : Rm 12:6; 1Co 14:1; Eph 4:8; Heb 2:4; 1Pt 4:10
- 12:7 : Jms 4:5
- 12:8–10 : Rm 12:7–8; Eph 4:11; 1Pt 4:11
- 12:8 : 1Co 2:6–7
- 12:9 : Lk 13:32; Ac 4:22,30; 10:38
- 12:10 : Ac 19:11
- 12:10 : 1Co 13:2
- 12:10 : 1Jn 4:1–3
- 12:12 : Jn 11:52
- 12:12 : Eph 4:4
- 12:13 : Gl 3:28; Eph 2:13–18; Col 3:11
- 12:18 : Ps 143:10; Pr 16:9; Jn 5:30; Gl 1:4; Eph 1:9; 1Jn 2:17
- 12:23 : Mk 6:4; 1Pt 2:7
- 12:25 : 1Co 1:10
- 12:27 : Eph 1:23; Col 1:18
- 12:28 : Mt 16:18; 1Co 14:4; Rv 1:4
- 12:28 : Eph 4:11; Jms 3:1
- 12:28 : Mk 13:22
- 12:28 : 1Co 12:9
- 12:30 : Lk 24:27
- 12:31 : Nm 25:13; Jms 4:2