Chapter VI: Spiritual Gifts

1 [12:1]AND I wish you not to be ignorant, brothers, of the spiritual gifts. [12:2]You know that when you were gentiles, you followed dumb idols as you were led. [12:3]I assure you, therefore, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus an accursed thing, and no one can call Jesus Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

2 [12:4]And there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit; [12:5]and there are diversities of services and the same Lord; [12:6]and there are diversities of operations and the same God, who performs all things in all. [12:7]But a manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for a useful purpose. [12:8]For to one is given by the Spirit a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge by the same Spirit, [12:9]and to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of performing cures by the same Spirit, [12:10]and to another the performance of mighty works, and to another prophecy, and to another discrimination of spirits, and to another different tongues, and to another an interpretation of tongues; [12:11]but all these [works] performs one and the same Spirit, distributing to each in particular as it wills.

3 [12:12]For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body being many are one body, so also is Christ; [12:13]for we have all been baptized with one Spirit in one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether servants or freemen, and have all been made to drink one Spirit. [12:14]For the body also is not one member but many. [12:15]If the foot says, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? [12:16]and if the ear says, Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? [12:17]If the whole body was an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole was a hearing, where would be the smelling? [12:18]But now God has placed the members each one of them in the body, as he pleased. [12:19]But if all were one member, where would be the body? [12:20]But now there are many members, but one body. [12:21]The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, or again, the head to the feet, I have no need of you; [12:22]but much more those members of the body which seem to be weak are necessary, [12:23]and those which we esteem to be less honorable members of the body, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our uncomely members have more abundant comeliness, [12:24]for our comely ones have no need. But God has commingled the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which was lacking, [12:25]that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. [12:26]And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; and if one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it.

4 [12:27]And you are a body of Christ, and members in particular. [12:28]And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then powers, then gifts of performing cures, aids, governments, different tongues. [12:29]Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all powers? [12:30]have all gifts of performing cures? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? [12:31]But desire earnestly the best gifts: and I will still more fully show you the way.

5 [13:1]If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love, I am a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. [13:2]And if I have prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. [13:3]And if I deal out all my property to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, and have not love, I shall not be profited.

6 [13:4]Love suffers long and is kind; love envies not; love is not boastful, is not puffed up, [13:5]does not behave unbecomingly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, devises not evil, [13:6]rejoices not in wickedness, but rejoices in the truth; [13:7]bears all things, believes all things, hopes for all things, and endures all things.

7 [13:8]Love never fails; but if there are prophecies, they shall pass away; if tongues, they shall cease; if knowledge, it shall pass away. [13:9]And we know in part and we prophesy in part; [13:10]when the perfect has come, that which is in part shall pass away. [13:11]When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; when I became a man I put away childish things. [13:12]For now we see by a mirror darkly, but then we shall see face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully as I also am known. [13:13]And now remain faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

8 [14:1]Cherish love, and be earnestly desirous of spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy. [14:2]For he that speaks with a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but in spirit he speaks mysteries; [14:3]but he that prophesies speaks to men to edification and exhortation and consolation. [14:4]He that speaks with a tongue edifies himself; but he that prophesies edifies an assembly. [14:5]I wish you all to speak with tongues, but rather that you should prophesy; and he that prophesies is greater than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, that the assembly may receive edification.

9 [14:6]But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you by a revelation, or by a knowledge, or by a prophecy, or by a doctrine? [14:7]So of irrational objects making a sound, whether a flute or harp; if it makes no distinction of sounds, how shall it be known what is played on the flute or harp? [14:8]For also if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for the battle? [14:9]So also you by a tongue if you utter a word not easily understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for you will speak to the air. [14:10]There are perhaps as many kinds of voices in the world, and no one is without significance; [14:11]if therefore I do not know the meaning of the voice, I shall be to him that speaks a barbarian, and he that speaks will be a barbarian to me. [14:12]So also you, since you are earnestly desirous of spirits [spiritual gifts], seek to abound for the edification of the church. [14:13]Let him therefore that speaks with a tongue pray that he may interpret, [14:14]For if I pray with a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. [14:15]What then is [to be done]? I will pray with the spirit, I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the understanding; [14:16] since if you bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupies the place of the unlearned say, Amen, to your thanksgiving, since he knows not what you say? [14:17]For you indeed give thanks well; but the other is not edified. [14:18]I thank God I speak with a tongue more than you all; [14:19]but in an assembly I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may also teach others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

10 [14:20]Brothers, be not children in understanding, but in malice be children, and in understanding be perfect men. [14:21]For it is written in the law, With other tongues, and with other lips will I speak to this people, and so they shall not understand me, says the Lord. [14:22]Tongues therefore are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers, but prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers. [14:23]If, therefore, the whole church comes together, and all speak with tongues, and there come in the unlearned and unbelieving, will they not say that you are mad? [14:24]But if all prophesy, and there comes in an unbeliever or an unlearned man, he is convinced by all, he is examined by all, [14:25]and the secrets of his heart are made manifest, and so falling down on his face he worships God, declaring that God is really among you.

11 [14:26]What then is [to be done] brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a revelation, has an interpretation; let all things be done for edification. [14:27]If any one speaks with a tongue, let it be by two or at most by three, and by turns, and let one interpret; [14:28] and if there is no interpreter, let him be silent in the assembly, and let him speak to himself and to God. [14:29]Let two or three prophets speak, and let the rest judge; [14:30]but if any thing is revealed to another sitting by, let the first be silent. [14:31]For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all be comforted. [14:32]And the spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets; [14:33]for God is not [the friend] of disorder but of peace.

12 [14:34]As in all the churches of the saints, let your women keep silence in the assemblies; for it is not permitted to them to speak, but to be in subjection, as the law also says. [14:35]But if they wish to learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in an assembly. [14:36]Did the word of God go out from you, or did it come to you alone?

13 [14:37]If any one thinks he is a prophet, or a spiritual man, let him acknowledge the [things] which I write to you, that they are the Lord's; [14:38] but if any one is ignorant, let him be ignorant. [14:39]Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues; [14:40]but let all things be done becomingly and in order.