The Father's Gifts Through One Spirit
Gifts are being ranked. Paul insists the same Spirit, Lord and Father work all of them, and that a body needs its unimpressive parts most. Our Father placed each part where he chose, so no one may say I don't need you.
12 1Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that back when you didn't know the Father, you were led astray to mute idols, in whatever way you were led. 3So I want you to know: no one speaking by the Holy Spirit says, "Jesus is cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are varieties of service, but the same Lord. 6Workings vary, but the same Father works all of them in everyone. a a v6 Here Paul names all three Persons together — the same Spirit, the same Lord Jesus, and the same Father — each at work in the one family of gifts. 7Each person is given the manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the common good. 8To one the Spirit gives a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge, by the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10to another performing miracles, to another prophecy, to another telling spirits apart, to another kinds of tongues, to another interpretation of tongues. 11One and the same Spirit works all these, giving to each individually as he decides.
One Body, Many Members
12For the body is one yet has many parts, and all its many parts form one body—so it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized in one Spirit into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all given one Spirit to drink.
14For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15If the foot says, "Since I'm not a hand, I'm not part of the body"—it's still part of the body. 16And if the ear says, "Since I'm not an eye, I'm not part of the body," it's still part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would hearing be? If it were all ear, where would smell be? 18But as it is, our Father placed each one of the parts in the body, as he chose. 19If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21The eye can't tell the hand, "I don't need you," nor again the head the feet, "I don't need you." 22On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. 23The body's parts we think less honorable, we dress with more honor; and we treat our unpresentable parts with more modesty, 24which our presentable parts don't need. But our Father put the body together, giving greater honor to the lacking part, 25so that the body has no split, and its parts care for each other alike. 26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
27Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28In the church, our Father appointed first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31But pursue the greater gifts. And I'll show you a surpassing way.
