1 Now as for the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I want to make sure you are clear about them. 2 You know that when you were pagans,+ to idols that can’t even speak you were swept off again and again in whatever manner it was you were being led. 3 That is why I want to make sure you know that no one, if it is the Spirit of God by which he is speaking, says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 Now, there are gifts certainly of different kinds, but it is the same Spirit who gives them all; 5 there are, likewise, different kinds of service, yet it is the same Lord who is being served; 6 there are, likewise, different expressions of power, but it is the same God who is putting his power to work in all sorts of ways in all kinds of people. 7 In each person, moreover, the Spirit’s presence is displayed for the common good. 8 Although one person, you see, through the Spirit, is given a word of wisdom, someone else is given a word of knowledge because of the work of the very same Spirit. 9 To another is given a gift of great faith by the very same Spirit; to another, gifts of healings by that one Spirit; 10 to another, power for doing miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, the ability to distinguish between spirits; to another, tongues+ of various kinds, and to another, the ability to interpret what is being said.

11 All these things are enabled by one and the same Spirit, who distributes gifts to each person according to his will. 12 Just as the body, you see, is a single unit, and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, make up one body, so too it is with the Messiah. 13 With one Spirit, you see, we, all of us, were into one body baptized, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free; all of us were given one Spirit to drink. 14 Yes, the body consists not of one part, but of many. 15 If the foot were to say, “Since I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it wouldn’t be any less a part of the body because of that, would it? 16 And if the ear were to say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it wouldn’t be any less a part of the body because of that, would it? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? 18 As it is, God has arranged for his own use the parts in the body, each one of them according to his will. 19 Now if each part of the body were the same, that wouldn’t be a body at all! 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I don’t need you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that are considered to be less important, are, in fact, even more necessary; 23 those parts of the body that we consider to be less honorable, these we clothe with even greater honor; the parts of our body that should not be seen are treated with even greater modesty, 24 while our presentable parts don’t require any such treatment. The fact is, God has put the body together in such a way as to give even greater honor to the very parts that lack it, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that its parts would have the same concern for one another. 26 Indeed if one part suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the other parts rejoice with it.

27 ᵖYou make up the body of the Messiah, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 Here are some of the parts God has arranged for his own use in the assembly: First, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, those who do miracles; then, people with gifts of healing, those enabled to help others in different ways, those with various gifts of leadership, and those who speak in tongues of various kinds. 29 Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform miracles, do they? 30 Not all have gifts, do they, of healing? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all have the ability to interpret what is being said, do they?

31 Eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will point out to you the very best way of all.