1 Corinthians 12–14

Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity

12Now ^aconcerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: ²You know ^bthat ¹you were Gentiles, carried away to these ^cdumb ²idols, however you were led. ³Therefore 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.

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

Unity and Diversity in One Body

¹²For ^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. ¹³For ^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. ¹⁴For in fact the body is not one member but many.

¹⁵If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? ¹⁸But now ^xGod has set the members, each one of them, in the body ^yjust as He pleased. ¹⁹And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

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

²⁷Now ^zyou are the body of Christ, and ^amembers individually. ²⁸And ^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. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? ³⁰Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹But ⁱearnestly desire the ⁹best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

The Greatest Gift

13Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ²And 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. ³And ^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.

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

⁸Love 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. ^9kFor we know in part and we prophesy in part. ¹⁰But when that which is ⁴perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

¹¹When 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. ¹²For ^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.

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

Prophecy and Tongues

14Pursue love, and ^adesire spiritual gifts, ^bbut especially that you may prophesy. ²For 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. ³But he who prophesies speaks ^dedification and ^eexhortation and comfort to men. ⁴He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. ⁵I 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

⁶But 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? ⁷Even 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? ⁸For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? ⁹So 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. ¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without ²significance. ¹¹Therefore, 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. ¹²Even so you, since you are ⁴zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the ⁵edification of the church that you seek to excel.

¹³Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may ^ginterpret. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. ¹⁵What 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. ¹⁶Otherwise, 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? ¹⁷For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.

¹⁸I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; ¹⁹yet 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.

Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers

²⁰Brethren, ^kdo not be children in understanding; however, in malice ^lbe babes, but in understanding be mature.

^21mIn the law it is written:

ⁿ“With men of other tongues and other lips

I will speak to this people;

And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,”

says the Lord.

²²Therefore tongues are for a ^osign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. ²³Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, ^pwill they not say that you are ⁶out of your mind? ²⁴But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. ²⁵⁷And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report ^qthat God is truly among you.

Order in Church Meetings

²⁶How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, ^rhas a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. ^sLet all things be done for ⁸edification. ²⁷If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. ²⁸But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. ²⁹Let two or three prophets speak, and ^tlet the others judge. ³⁰But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, ^ulet the first keep silent. ³¹For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. ³²And ^vthe spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³For God is not the author of ⁹confusion but of peace, ^was in all the churches of the saints.

^34xLet ¹your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the ^ylaw also says. ³⁵And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.

³⁶Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? ^37zIf anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. ³⁸But ²if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

³⁹Therefore, brethren, ^adesire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. ^40bLet all things be done decently and in order.