Chapter 12

1Now, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to misunderstand the abilities that come from God’s Spirit.

2You know that when you were non-Jews, you were somehow swept along and led toward idols—images of gods that cannot speak.

3So I want you to understand this: no one speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is cursed.” And no one can sincerely say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4There are different kinds of gracious gifts, but the same Spirit gives them.

5There are different ways to serve, but they all serve the same Lord.

6There are different ways God’s power works, but it is the same God who produces all of them in everyone.

7The Spirit’s work is made visible in each person for the good of everyone.

8Through the Spirit, one person is given the ability to speak wisely. Another is given the ability to speak with knowledge, in keeping with the same Spirit.

9The same Spirit gives another person extraordinary faith, and the one Spirit gives someone else gifts of healing.

10Another receives power to perform miracles; another, the ability to speak messages from God; another, the ability to distinguish among spiritual influences; another, different kinds of Spirit-given languages; and another, the ability to interpret those languages.

11The one and same Spirit produces all these things. The Spirit gives a particular gift to each person, choosing as the Spirit desires.

12A body is one whole, though it has many parts. All its many parts form one body. It is the same with the Messiah.

13Through one Spirit, all of us were baptized into one body, whether we were Jews or non-Jews, enslaved or free. All of us were given the one Spirit to drink in.

14After all, the body does not consist of one part but of many.

15Suppose the foot says, “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.

16And suppose the ear says, “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.

17If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell?

18But God has placed every part in the body exactly as he wanted.

19If everything were one single part, where would the body be?

20As it is, there are many parts but one body.

21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you.” Nor can the head say to the feet, “I do not need you.”

22On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem weaker are especially necessary.

23We give greater honor to the parts of our bodies that seem less honorable. We treat our private parts with greater modesty,

24while our presentable parts do not need such treatment. But God has joined the body together, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it.

25He did this so that there would be no division in the body, but so that all its parts would care equally for one another.

26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part celebrates with it.

27You together are the Messiah’s body, and each of you is one of its parts.

28God has appointed people in the community: first apostles, his authorized messengers; second, people who speak messages from God; third, teachers; then people who perform miracles; those with gifts of healing; those who help others; those who provide guidance; and those who speak in different kinds of Spirit-given languages.

29Not everyone is an apostle, is everyone? Not everyone speaks messages from God. Not everyone is a teacher. Not everyone performs miracles.

30Not everyone has gifts of healing. Not everyone speaks in Spirit-given languages. Not everyone interprets them.

31But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you a way that surpasses them all.