Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity

12 Now aconcerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know bthat 1you were Gentiles, carried away to these cdumb 2idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus 3accursed, and dno one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

4 eThere are 4diversities of gifts, but fthe same Spirit. 5 gThere are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God hwho works 5all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given ithe word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another jthe word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 kto another faith by the same Spirit, to another lgifts of healings by 6the same Spirit, 10 mto another the working of miracles, to another nprophecy, to another odiscerning of spirits, to another pdifferent kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, qdistributing to each one individually ras He wills.

Unity and Diversity in One Body

12 For sas the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, tso also is Christ. 13 For uby one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—vwhether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and whave all been made to drink 7into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.

15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of 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? 18 But now xGod has set the members, each one of them, in the body yjust as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the 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.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no 8schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now zyou are the body of Christ, and amembers individually. 28 And bGod has appointed these in the church: first capostles, second dprophets, third teachers, after that emiracles, then fgifts of healings, ghelps, hadministrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But iearnestly desire the 9best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

The Greatest Gift

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of aprophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, bso that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And cthough I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body 1to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 dLove suffers long and is ekind; love fdoes not envy; love does not parade itself, is not 2puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, gdoes not seek its own, is not provoked, 3thinks no evil; 6 hdoes not rejoice in iniquity, but irejoices in the truth; 7 jbears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 kFor we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is 4perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For lnow we see in a mirror, dimly, but then mface to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Prophecy and Tongues

14 Pursue love, and adesire spiritual gifts, bbut especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who cspeaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks dedification and eexhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; 1for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

Tongues Must Be Interpreted

6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by frevelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without 2significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a 3foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are 4zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the 5edification of the church that you seek to excel.

13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may ginterpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. hI will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing iwith the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” jat your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.