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Spiritual Gifts
1Now #ch. 14:1concerning#12:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians’ letter; see 7:1 spiritual gifts,#12:1 Or spiritual persons brothers,#12:1 Or brothers and sisters I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that #Eph. 2:11, 12; [1 Pet. 4:3]; See ch. 6:11 when you were pagans #1 Thess. 1:9 you were led astray to #Hab. 2:18, 19; [Ps. 115:5; Isa. 46:7; Jer. 10:5]mute idols, however you were led. 3Therefore I want you to understand that #1 John 4:2, 3 no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is #See Rom. 9:3 accursed!” and #John 15:26; [Matt. 16:17]; See Rom. 10:9no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
4Now #[Heb. 2:4]; See Rom. 12:6 there are varieties of gifts, but #Eph. 4:4-6the same Spirit; 5and #Rom. 12:7; [Eph. 4:11] there are varieties of service, but #[See ver. 4 above]the same Lord; 6and there are varieties of activities, but it is #[See ver. 4 above]the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7#Eph. 4:7; [ch. 14:26; Rom. 12:3]To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of #ch. 2:6, 7 wisdom, and to another the utterance of #See ch. 1:5knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9to another #ch. 13:2; 2 Cor. 4:13 faith by the same Spirit, to another #ver. 28, 30gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10to another #ver. 28, 29; [Gal. 3:5] the working of miracles, to another #ch. 13:2, 8; 14:1 prophecy, to another #[ch. 14:29; 1 John 4:1] the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another #See Mark 16:17 various kinds of tongues, to another #ver. 30; ch. 14:26the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, #[2 Cor. 10:13] who apportions to each one individually #Heb. 2:4as he wills.
One Body with Many Members
12For just as #See ch. 10:17 the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, #ver. 27so it is with Christ. 13For #[Rom. 6:5; Eph. 2:18] in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—#Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11; [Eph. 2:13-17] Jews or Greeks, slaves#12:13 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface or free—and #[John 7:37-39]all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15If 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. 16And 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. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18But as it is, #ver. 28 God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, #ver. 11; [ch. 3:5; Rom. 12:3]as he chose. 19If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts,#12:20 Or members; also verse 22 yet one body.
21The 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.” 22On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, #Rom. 12:15all rejoice together.
27Now #[Eph. 1:23; 4:12; 5:30; Col. 1:24] you are the body of Christ and individually #See Rom. 12:5members of it. 28And #ver. 18 God has appointed in the church first #Eph. 4:11 apostles, second #Eph. 2:20; 3:5 prophets, third teachers, then #ver. 10 miracles, then #ver. 9 gifts of healing, #[Acts 20:35] helping, #[Rom. 12:8; 1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:7, 17, 24]administrating, and #ver. 10 various kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31But #ch. 14:1, 39earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way.
