1 Now concerning spirituall giftes, brethren, I would not haue you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, and were caried away vnto the dumme Idoles, as ye were led. 3 Wherefore, I declare vnto you, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Iesus execrable: also no man can say that Iesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost. 4 Now there are diuersities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are diuersities of administrations, but the same Lord, 6 And there are diuersities of operations, but God is the same which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man, to profite withall. 8 For to one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisdome: and to an other the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit: 9 And to another is giuen faith by the same Spirit: and to another the giftes of healing, by the same Spirit: 10 And to another the operations of great workes: and to another, prophecie: and to another, the discerning of spirits: and to another, diuersities of tongues: and to another, the interpretation of tongues. 11 And all these thinges worketh one and the selfe same Spirit, distributing to euery man seuerally as he will. 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, which is one, though they be many, yet are but one body: euen so is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we bee Iewes, or Grecians, whether we be bonde, or free, and haue bene all made to drinke into one Spirit. 14 For the body also is not one member, but many. 15 If the foote would say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the eare would say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smellling? 18 But nowe hath God disposed the members euery one of them in the bodie at his owne pleasure. 19 For if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are there many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say vnto the hand, I haue no neede of thee: nor the head againe to the feete, I haue no neede of you. 22 Yea, much rather those members of the body, which seeme to be more feeble, are necessarie. 23 And vpon those members of the body, which wee thinke most vnhonest, put wee more honestie on: and our vncomely parts haue more comelinesse on. 24 For our comely partes neede it not: but God hath tempered the body together, and hath giuen the more honour to that part which lacked, 25 Lest there should be any diuision in the body: but that the members shoulde haue the same care one for another. 26 Therefore if one member suffer, all suffer with it: if one member be had in honour, all the members reioyce with it. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members for your part. 28 And God hath ordained some in the Church: as first Apostles, secondly Prophetes, thirdly teachers, then them that doe miracles: after that, the giftes of healing, helpers, gouernours, diuersitie of tongues. 29 Are all Apostles? are all Prophetes? are all teachers? 30 Are all doers of miracles? haue all the gifts of healing? doe all speake with tongues? doe all interprete? 31 But desire you the best giftes, and I will yet shewe you a more excellent way.
Spiritual Gifts
1 My friends, you asked me about spiritual gifts. 2 I want you to remember that before you became followers of the Lord, you were led in all the wrong ways by idols that cannot even talk. 3 Now I want you to know that if you are led by God's Spirit, you will say that Jesus is Lord, and you will never curse Jesus.
4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. 5 There are different ways to serve the same Lord, 6 and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do.
7 The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. 8 Some of us can speak with wisdom, while others can speak with knowledge, but these gifts come from the same Spirit. 9 To others the Spirit has given great faith or the power to heal the sick 10 or the power to work mighty miracles. Some of us are prophets, and some of us recognize when God's Spirit is present. Others can speak different kinds of languages, and still others can tell what these languages mean. 11 But it is the Spirit who does all this and decides which gifts to give to each of us.
One Body with Many Parts
12 The body of Christ has many different parts, just as any other body does. 13 Some of us are Jews, and others are Gentiles. Some of us are slaves, and others are free. But God's Spirit baptized each of us and made us part of the body of Christ. Now we each drink from that same Spirit.
14 Our bodies don't have just one part. They have many parts. 15 Suppose a foot says, “I'm not a hand, and so I'm not part of the body.” Wouldn't the foot still belong to the body? 16 Or suppose an ear says, “I'm not an eye, and so I'm not part of the body.” Wouldn't the ear still belong to the body? 17 If our bodies were only an eye, we couldn't hear a thing. And if they were only an ear, we couldn't smell a thing. 18 But God has put all parts of our body together in the way that he decided is best.
19 A body isn't really a body, unless there is more than one part. 20 It takes many parts to make a single body. 21 That's why the eyes cannot say they don't need the hands. That's also why the head cannot say it doesn't need the feet. 22 In fact, we cannot get along without the parts of the body that seem to be the weakest. 23 We take special care to dress up some parts of our bodies. We are modest about our personal parts, 24 but we don't have to be modest about other parts.
God put our bodies together in such a way that even the parts that seem the least important are valuable. 25 He did this to make all parts of the body work together smoothly, with each part caring about the others. 26 If one part of our body hurts, we hurt all over. If one part of our body is honored, the whole body will be happy.
27 Together you are the body of Christ. Each one of you is part of his body. 28 First, God chose some people to be apostles and prophets and teachers for the church. But he also chose some to work miracles or heal the sick or help others or be leaders or speak different kinds of languages. 29 Not everyone is an apostle. Not everyone is a prophet. Not everyone is a teacher. Not everyone can work miracles. 30 Not everyone can heal the sick. Not everyone can speak different kinds of languages. Not everyone can tell what these languages mean. 31 I want you to desire the best gifts. So I will show you a much better way.