The Use of Spiritual Gifts
1 Now about the spiritualgifts[the special endowments given by the Holy Spirit], brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
2 You know that when you were pagans,you wereled off after speechless idols; however you were led off [whether by impulse or habit].
3 Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the [power and influence of the] Spirit of God can say, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is [my] Lord,” except by [the power and influence of] the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are [distinctive] varieties ofspiritualgifts [special abilities given by the grace and extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit operating in believers], but it is the same Spirit [who grants them and empowers believers].
5 And there are [distinctive] varieties of ministriesandservice, but it is the same Lord [who is served].
6 And there are [distinctive] ways of working [to accomplish things], but it is the same God who produces all things in allbelievers[inspiring, energizing, and empowering them].
7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good.
8 To one is given through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] the message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] the word of knowledgeandunderstanding according to the same Spirit;
9 to another [wonder-working] faith [is given] by the same [Holy] Spirit, and to another the [extraordinary] gifts of healings by the one Spirit;
10 and to another the working ofmiracles, and to another prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], and to another discernment of spirits [the ability to distinguish sound, godly doctrine from the deceptive doctrine of man-made religions and cults], to anothervariouskinds of [unknown] tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues.
11 All these things [the gifts, the achievements, the abilities, the empowering] are brought about by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, distributing to each one individually just as He chooses.
12 For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts, though many, form [only] one body, soit is with Christ.
13 For by one [Holy] Spirit we were all baptized into one body, [spiritually transformed–united together] whether Jews or Greeks (Gentiles), slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one [Holy] Spirit [since the same Holy Spirit fills each life].
14 For the [human] body does not consist of one part, but of many [limbs and organs].
15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am nota partof the body,” is it not on the contrary stilla partof the body?
16 If the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am nota partof the body,” is it not on the contrary stilla partof the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole [body] were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
18 But now [as things really are], God has placedandarranged the parts in the body, each one of them, just as He willedandsaw fit [with the best balance of function].
19 If they all were a singleorgan,where would [the rest of] the body be?
20 But now [as things really are] there are many parts [different limbs and organs], but a single body.
21 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.”
22 But quite the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are [absolutely] necessary;
23 and as for thosepartsof the body which we consider less honorable, these we treat with greater honor; and our less presentable parts are treated with greater modesty,
24 while our more presentable parts do not require it. But God has combined the [whole] body, giving greater honor to that part which lacks it,
25 so that there would be no divisionordiscord in the body [that is, lack of adaptation of the parts to each other], but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.
26 And if one member suffers, all the parts share the suffering; if one member is honored, all rejoice with it.
27 Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body, and individually [you are] members of it [each with his own special purpose and function].
28 So God has appointedandplaced in the church [for His own use]: first apostles [chosen by Christ], second prophets [those who foretell the future, those who speak a new message from God to the people], third teachers, then those who work miracles, then those with the gifts of healings, the helpers, the administrators, and speakers invariouskinds of [unknown] tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?
30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
31 But earnestly desireandstrive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal].
And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love].