Varieties of Spiritual Gifts
12 Now concerning spiritual gifts,[a] brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the speechless idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed,” and no one is able to say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, 5 and there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord, 6 and there are varieties of activities, but the same God, who works all things in all people. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for what is beneficial to all. 8 For to one is given a word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another a word of knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another[b] gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another[c] miraculous powers[d], to another[e] prophecy, to another[f] distinguishing of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, to another[g] interpretation of tongues. 11 But in all these things one and the same Spirit is at work, distributing to each one individually just as he wishes.
Unity in the Midst of Diversity
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the body, although they[h] are many, are one body, thus also Christ. 13 For by[i] one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free persons, and all were made to drink one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” not because of this is it not a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body, not because of this is it not a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body just as he wanted. 19 And if they all were one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body.
21 Now the eye is not able to say to the hand, “I do not have need of you,” or again, the head to the feet, “I do not have need of you.” 22 But by much more the members of the body which are thought to be weaker are necessary, 23 and the parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, these we clothe with more abundant honor, and our unpresentable parts come to have more abundant presentability, 24 but our presentable parts do not have need of this. Yet God composed the body by giving more abundant honor to the part which lacked it, 25 in order that there not be a division in the body, but the members would have the same concern for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer together; if a member[j] is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members of it individually[k], 28 and whom God has appointed in the church: first, apostles, second, prophets, third, teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, kinds of tongues. 29 Not all are apostles, are they?[l] Not all are prophets, are they?[m] Not all are teachers, are they?[n] Not all are workers of miracles, are they?[o] 30 Not all have gifts of healing, do they?[p] Not all speak with tongues, do they?[q] Not all interpret, do they?[r] 31 But strive[s] for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 12:1 Or “spiritual things”; possibly “those who possess spiritual gifts”
- 1 Corinthians 12:9 Some manuscripts have “and to another”
- 1 Corinthians 12:10 Some manuscripts have “and to another”
- 1 Corinthians 12:10 Literally “activities of power”
- 1 Corinthians 12:10 Some manuscripts have “and to another”
- 1 Corinthians 12:10 Some manuscripts have “and to another”
- 1 Corinthians 12:10 Some manuscripts have “and to another”
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“are”) which is understood as concessive
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 Or “in”
- 1 Corinthians 12:26 Some manuscripts have “one member”
- 1 Corinthians 12:27 Literally “by part”
- 1 Corinthians 12:29 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
- 1 Corinthians 12:29 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
- 1 Corinthians 12:29 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
- 1 Corinthians 12:29 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
- 1 Corinthians 12:30 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
- 1 Corinthians 12:30 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
- 1 Corinthians 12:30 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
- 1 Corinthians 12:31 Or “you are striving” (some understand the form of this verb to be indicative mood rather than imperative mood)