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Spiritual Gifts

¹ Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.² You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.³ Therefore I inform 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 gifts, but the same Spirit.⁵ There are different ministries, but the same Lord.⁶ There are different ways of working, but the same God works all things 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 the same Spirit,⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in various tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who apportions them to each one as He determines.

The Body of Christ

¹² The body is a unit, though it is comprised of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ.¹³ For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.¹⁴ For the body does not consist 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,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a 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 members of the body, every one of them, according to His design.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 do not need you.” Nor can the head say to the feet, “I do not need you.”²² On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,²³ and the parts we consider less honorable, we treat with greater honor. And our unpresentable parts are treated with special modesty,²⁴ whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God has composed 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 members should have mutual concern for one another.²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

The Greater Gifts

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it.²⁸ And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various 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 a way that is beyond comparison.