1 Corinthians 12; 1
Corinthians 13; 1 Corinthians 14
1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to
be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or
other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore
I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus
be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the
Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the
same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same
Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God
works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the
manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To
one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the
message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another
faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to
another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing
between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to
still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are
the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he
determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of
many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is
with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into
one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one
Spirit to drink. 14Now the body is not made up of one part but of
many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a
hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to
be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say,
"Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not
for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole
body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were
an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God
has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them
to be. 19 If they were all one 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!" And the head cannot say
to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary,
those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and
the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the
parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while
our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the
members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked
it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but
that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If
one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every
part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and
each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has
appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers
of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others,
those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of
tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all
teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of
healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? 31 But
eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent
way.
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have
not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If
I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and
if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am
nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender
my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love
is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not
proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not
delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.7 It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never
fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are
tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass
away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but
when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was
a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a
child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now
we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And
now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is
love.
1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts,
especially the gift of prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a
tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he
utters mysteries with his spirit. 3 But everyone who prophesies
speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 4 He
who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the
church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues,
but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who
speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be
edified. 6 Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in
tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or
knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the
case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will
anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the
notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call,
who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you
speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are
saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10Undoubtedly there
are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without
meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone
is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. 12 So
it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in
gifts that build up the church. 13 For this reason anyone who
speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14 For
if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So
what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind;
I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16 If
you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among
those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he
does not know what you are saying? 17 You may be giving thanks
well enough, but the other man is not edified. 18 I thank God
that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the
church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten
thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brothers, stop thinking like
children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21 In
the Law it is written: "Through men of strange tongues and through the
lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not
listen to me," says the Lord. 22 Tongues, then, are a
sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for
believers, not for unbelievers. 23 So if the whole church
comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand
or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your
mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or someone who does not
understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all
that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25 and the
secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God,
exclaiming, "God is really among you!" 26 What then
shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word
of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must
be done for the strengthening of the church. 27 If anyone
speaks in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should speak, one at a time, and
someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the
speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God. 29 Two
or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is
said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting
down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all
prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The
spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For
God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the
saints,34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not
allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35 If
they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at
home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 36 Did
the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has
reached? 37 If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually
gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's
command. 38 If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. 39 Therefore,
my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But
everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
