1 Corinthians 12–14

Diversity of Spiritual Gifts

12Now concerning what comes from the Spirit: ^rbrothers, I do not want you to be unaware. ²You know that when you were pagans, you used to be led off to the idols ^sthat could not speak. ^t3Therefore I am informing you 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.

⁴Now there are different gifts, ^ubut the same Spirit. ⁵There are different ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶And there are different activities, but the same God activates each gift in each person. ^v7A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person ^wto produce what is beneficial:

⁸to one ^xis given a message of wisdom ^y

through the Spirit,

to another, a message of knowledge

by the same Spirit,

⁹to another, faith by the same Spirit,

to another, gifts of healing ^zby the one Spirit,

¹⁰to another, the performing of miracles, ^a

to another, prophecy, ^b

to another, distinguishing between spirits, ^c

to another, different kinds of languages,

to another, interpretation of languages.

¹¹But one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as He wills.

Unity Yet Diversity in the Body

¹²For as the body is one ^dand has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. ^e13For we were all baptized by ^fone Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. ^g14So the body is not one part but many. ¹⁵If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. ¹⁶And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. ¹⁷If 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? ¹⁸But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted. ^h19And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? ²⁰Now there are many parts, yet one body.

²¹So 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!” ²²But even more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary. ²³And those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, ⁱwe clothe these with greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have a better presentation. ²⁴But our presentable parts have no need of clothing. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, ²⁵so that there would be no division ^jin the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. ²⁶So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, ^kand individual members of it. ²⁸And God has placed these in the church: ^l

first apostles, second prophets,

third teachers, ^mnext miracles, ⁿ

then gifts of healing, ^ohelping,

managing, various kinds of languages.

²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets?

Are all teachers? Do all do miracles?

³⁰Do all have gifts of healing?

Do all speak in other languages?

Do all interpret? ^p

³¹But desire ^qthe greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

Love: The Superior Way

13If I speak human or angelic languages

but do not have love, ^r

I am a sounding gong ^sor a clanging cymbal.

²If I have the gift of prophecy ^t

and understand all mysteries

and all knowledge,

and if I have all faith

so that I can move mountains ^u

but do not have love, I am nothing.

³And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor,

and if I give my body in order to boast ^v

but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴Love is patient, ^wlove is kind.

Love does not envy, ^x

is not boastful, is not conceited, ^y

⁵does not act improperly,

is not selfish, ^zis not provoked, ^a

and does not keep a record of wrongs.

⁶Love finds no joy in unrighteousness

but rejoices in the truth. ^b

⁷It bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures ^call things.

⁸Love never ends. ^d

But as for prophecies,

they will come to an end;

as for languages, they will cease;

as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

⁹For we know in part,

and we prophesy in part.

¹⁰But when the perfect comes,

the partial will come to an end.

¹¹When I was a child,

I spoke like a child,

I thought like a child,

I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man,

I put aside childish things.

¹²For now we see indistinctly, ^eas in a mirror, ^f

but then face to face. ^g

Now I know in part,

but then I will know fully, ^h

as I am fully known. ⁱ

¹³Now these three remain:

faith, hope, ^jand love.

But the greatest of these is love.

Prophecy: A Superior Gift

14Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and above all that you may prophesy. ²For the person who speaks in another language ^kis not speaking to men but to God, since no one understands him; however, he speaks mysteries in the Spirit. ^l3But the person who prophesies speaks to people for edification, encouragement, and consolation. ⁴The person who speaks in another language builds himself up, but he who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵I wish all of you spoke in other languages, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in languages, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.

⁶But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in other languages, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation ^mor knowledge or prophecy or teaching? ⁷Even inanimate things that produce sounds—whether flute or harp ⁿ—if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized? ⁸In fact, if the trumpet makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle? ^o9In the same way, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech, how will what is spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰There are doubtless many different kinds of languages in the world, and all have meaning. ^p11Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner ^qto the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. ¹²So also you—since you are zealous ^rfor spiritual gifts, ^stseek to excel in building up the church.

¹³Therefore the person who speaks in another language should pray that he can interpret. ¹⁴For if I pray in another language, my spirit ^uprays, but my understanding is unfruitful. ^v15What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with my understanding. ¹⁶Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit, ^whow will the uninformed person ^xsay “Amen” ^yat your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up. ¹⁸I thank ^zGod that I speak in other languages more than all of you; ¹⁹yet in the church I would rather speak five words ^awith my understanding, in order to teach others also, than 10,000 words in another language.

²⁰Brothers, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking. ^b21It is written in the law:

I will speak to these people

by people of other languages

and by the lips of foreigners,

and even then, they will not listen to Me, ^cd

says the Lord. ²²It follows that speaking in other languages is intended as a sign, ^enot for believers but for unbelievers. But prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. ²³Therefore, if the whole church assembles together and all are speaking in other languages and people who are uninformed or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds? ²⁴But if all are prophesying and some unbeliever or uninformed person comes in, he is convicted by all and is judged by all. ²⁵The secrets of his heart will be revealed, and as a result he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is really among you.” ^f

Order in Church Meetings

²⁶What then is the conclusion, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one ^ghas a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, another language, or an interpretation. ^hAll things must be done for edification. ²⁷If any person speaks in another language, there should be only two, or at the most three, each in turn, and someone must interpret. ²⁸But if there is no interpreter, that person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God. ²⁹Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate. ⁱ³⁰But if something has been revealed to another person sitting there, the first prophet should be silent. ³¹For you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may learn and everyone may be encouraged. ^j32And the prophets’ spirits are under the control of the prophets, ³³since God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

As in all the churches of the saints, ^k34the women ^lshould be silent in the churches, ^mfor they are not permitted to speak, but should be submissive, as the law also says. ³⁵And if they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands ⁿat home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church meeting. ³⁶Did the word of God originate from you, or did it come to you only?

³⁷If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, he should recognize that what I write to you is the Lord’s command. ³⁸But if anyone ignores this, he will be ignored. ^o39Therefore, my brothers, be eager ^pto prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in other languages. ⁴⁰But everything must be done decently ^qand in order.