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.
Gifts from the Holy Spirit
1 Now, concerning what you wrote about the gifts from the Holy Spirit.
I want you to know the truth about them, my friends. 2 You know that while you were still heathen, you were led astray in many ways to the worship of lifeless idols. 3 I want you to know that no one who is led by God's Spirit can say “A curse on Jesus!” and no one can confess “Jesus is Lord,” without being guided by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. 5 There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served. 6 There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to all for their particular service. 7 The Spirit's presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all. 8 The Spirit gives one person a message full of wisdom, while to another person the same Spirit gives a message full of knowledge. 9 One and the same Spirit gives faith to one person, while to another person he gives the power to heal. 10 The Spirit gives one person the power to work miracles; to another, the gift of speaking God's message; and to yet another, the ability to tell the difference between gifts that come from the Spirit and those that do not. To one person he gives the ability to speak in strange tongues, and to another he gives the ability to explain what is said. 11 But it is one and the same Spirit who does all this; as he wishes, he gives a different gift to each person.
One Body with Many Parts
12 Christ is like a single body, which has many parts; it is still one body, even though it is made up of different parts. 13 In the same way, all of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free, have been baptized into the one body by the same Spirit, and we have all been given the one Spirit to drink.
14 For the body itself is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. 15 If the foot were to say, “Because I am not a hand, I don't belong to the body,” that would not keep it from being a part of the body. 16 And if the ear were to say, “Because I am not an eye, I don't belong to the body,” that would not keep it from being a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were just an eye, how could it hear? And if it were only an ear, how could it smell? 18 As it is, however, God put every different part in the body just as he wanted it to be. 19 There would not be a body if it were all only one part! 20 As it is, there are many parts but one body.
21 So then, the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don't need you!” Nor can the head say to the feet, “Well, I don't need you!” 22 On the contrary, we cannot do without the parts of the body that seem to be weaker; 23 and those parts that we think aren't worth very much are the ones which we treat with greater care; while the parts of the body which don't look very nice are treated with special modesty, 24 which the more beautiful parts do not need. God himself has put the body together in such a way as to give greater honor to those parts that need it. 25 And so there is no division in the body, but all its different parts have the same concern for one another. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share its happiness.
27 All of you are Christ's body, and each one is a part of it. 28 In the church God has put all in place: in the first place apostles, in the second place prophets, and in the third place teachers; then those who perform miracles, followed by those who are given the power to heal or to help others or to direct them or to speak in strange tongues. 29 They are not all apostles or prophets or teachers. Not everyone has the power to work miracles 30 or to heal diseases or to speak in strange tongues or to explain what is said. 31 Set your hearts, then, on the more important gifts.
Best of all, however, is the following way.