Shared Word Translation
1 Corinthians 12
Spiritual Gifts
Now concerning spiritual matters, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were Gentiles, you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking in the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except in the Holy Spirit.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of workings, but the same God who works all things in all. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith in the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings in the one Spirit, to another workings of powers, to another prophecy, to another discernments of spirits, to another kinds of tongues, to another interpretation of tongues. All these are worked by the one and the same Spirit, distributing to each one individually just as he wills.
One Body with Many Members
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body.
The 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.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary, and those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, while our presentable parts have no need. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then works of power, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work powers? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And yet I show you a still more excellent way.