Add parallel Print Page Options

Spiritual Gifts

12 Brothers and sisters, I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding concerning spiritual gifts. You know that when you were unbelievers, every time you were led to worship false gods you were worshiping gods who couldn’t even speak. So I want you to know that no one speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is cursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person.

The evidence of the Spirit’s presence is given to each person for the common good of everyone. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom. The same Spirit gives another person the ability to speak with knowledge. To another person the same Spirit gives ⌞courageous⌟ faith. To another person the same Spirit gives the ability to heal. 10 Another can work miracles. Another can speak what God has revealed. Another can tell the difference between spirits. Another can speak in different kinds of languages. Another can interpret languages. 11 There is only one Spirit who does all these things by giving what God wants to give to each person.

12 For example, the body is one unit and yet has many parts. As all the parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether we are Jewish or Greek, slave or free, God gave all of us one Spirit to drink.

14 As you know, the human body is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. 15 Suppose a foot says, “I’m not a hand, so I’m not part of the body!” Would that mean it’s no longer part of the body? 16 Or suppose an ear says, “I’m not an eye, so I’m not a part of the body!” Would that mean it’s no longer part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? 18 So God put each and every part of the body together as he wanted it. 19 How could it be a body if it only had one part? 20 So there are many parts but one body.

21 An eye can’t say to a hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 The opposite is true. The parts of the body that we think are weaker are the ones we really need. 23 The parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we give special honor. So our unpresentable parts are made more presentable. 24 However, our presentable parts don’t need this kind of treatment. God has put the body together and given special honor to the part that doesn’t have it. 25 God’s purpose was that the body should not be divided but rather that all of its parts should feel the same concern for each other. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. If one part is praised, all the others share in its happiness.

27 You are Christ’s body and each of you is an individual part of it. 28 In the church God has appointed first apostles, next prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, then those who have the gift of healing, then those who help others, those who are managers, and those who can speak in a number of languages. 29 Not all believers are apostles, are they? Are all of them prophets? Do all of them teach? Do all of them perform miracles 30 or have gifts of healing? Can all of them speak in other languages or interpret languages?

31 You ⌞only⌟ want the better gifts, but I will show you the best thing to do.[a]

Love

13 I may speak in the languages of humans and of angels. But if I don’t have love, I am a loud gong or a clashing cymbal. I may have the gift to speak what God has revealed, and I may understand all mysteries and have all knowledge. I may even have enough faith to move mountains. But if I don’t have love, I am nothing. I may even give away all that I have and give up my body to be burned.[b] But if I don’t have love, none of these things will help me.

Love is patient. Love is kind. Love isn’t jealous. It doesn’t sing its own praises. It isn’t arrogant. It isn’t rude. It doesn’t think about itself. It isn’t irritable. It doesn’t keep track of wrongs. It isn’t happy when injustice is done, but it is happy with the truth. Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.

Love never comes to an end. There is the gift of speaking what God has revealed, but it will no longer be used. There is the gift of speaking in other languages, but it will stop by itself. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will no longer be used. Our knowledge is incomplete and our ability to speak what God has revealed is incomplete. 10 But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will no longer be used. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I no longer used childish ways. 12 Now we see a blurred image in a mirror. Then we will see very clearly. Now my knowledge is incomplete. Then I will have complete knowledge as God has complete knowledge of me.

13 So these three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the best one of these is love.

Speak in Ways That Can Be Understood

14 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially the gift of speaking what God has revealed. When a person speaks in another language, he doesn’t speak to people but to God. No one understands him. His spirit is speaking mysteries. But when a person speaks what God has revealed, he speaks to people to help them grow, to encourage them, and to comfort them. When a person speaks in another language, he helps himself grow. But when a person speaks what God has revealed, he helps the church grow. I wish that all of you could speak in other languages, but especially that you could speak what God has revealed. The person who speaks what God has revealed is more important than the person who speaks in other languages. This is true unless he can interpret what he says to help the church grow. Brothers and sisters, it wouldn’t do you any good if I came to you speaking in other languages, unless I explained revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or doctrine to you.

Musical instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. If there is no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played? For example, if the trumpet doesn’t sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? In the same way, if you don’t speak in a way that can be understood, how will anyone know what you’re saying? You will be talking into thin air.

10 No matter how many different languages there are in the world, not one of them is without meaning. 11 If I don’t know what a language means, I will be a foreigner to the person who speaks it and that person will be a foreigner to me. 12 In the same way, since you’re eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in them so that you help the church grow. 13 So the person who speaks in another language should pray for an interpretation of what he says.

14 If I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my mind is not productive. 15 So what does this mean? It means that I will pray with my spirit, and I will pray with my mind. I will sing psalms with my spirit, and I will sing psalms with my mind. 16 Otherwise, if you praise God only with your spirit, how can outsiders say “Amen!” to your prayer of thanksgiving? They don’t know what you’re saying. 17 Your prayer of thanksgiving may be very good, but it doesn’t help other people grow. 18 I thank God that I speak in other languages more than any of you. 19 Yet, in order to teach others in church, I would rather say five words that can be understood than ten thousand words in another language.

20 Brothers and sisters, don’t think like children. When it comes to evil, be like babies, but think like mature people. 21 God’s word says,

“Through people who speak foreign languages
and through the mouths of foreigners
I will speak to these people,
but even then they will not listen to me,
says the Lord.”

22 So the gift of speaking in other languages is a sign for unbelievers, not for believers. The gift of speaking what God has revealed is a sign for believers, not for unbelievers. 23 Suppose the whole congregation gathers in the same place and you speak in other languages. When outsiders or unbelievers come in, won’t they say that you’re out of your mind? 24 Now suppose you speak what God has revealed. When unbelievers or outsiders come in you will show them where they are wrong and convince them that they are sinners. 25 The secrets in their hearts will become known, and in this way they will quickly bow with their faces touching the ground, worship God, and confess that God is truly among you.

Maintain Order in Your Worship Services

26 So what does this mean, brothers and sisters? When you gather, each person has a psalm, doctrine, revelation, another language, or an interpretation. Everything must be done to help each other grow. 27 If people speak in other languages, only two or three at the most should speak. They should do it one at a time, and someone must interpret what each person says. 28 But if an interpreter isn’t present, those people should remain silent in church. They should only speak to themselves and to God.

29 Two or three people should speak what God has revealed. Everyone else should decide whether what each person said is right or wrong. 30 If God reveals something to another person who is seated, the first speaker should be silent. 31 All of you can take your turns speaking what God has revealed. In that way, everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 People who speak what God has revealed must control themselves. 33 God is not a God of disorder but a God of peace.

As in all the churches of God’s holy people, 34 the women must keep silent. They don’t have the right to speak. They must take their place as Moses’ Teachings say. 35 If they want to know anything they should ask their husbands at home. It’s shameful for a woman to speak in church. 36 Did God’s word originate with you? Are you the only ones it has reached?

37 Whoever thinks that he speaks for God or that he is spiritually gifted must acknowledge that what I write to you is what the Lord commands. 38 But whoever ignores what I write should be ignored.

39 So, brothers and sisters, desire to speak what God has revealed, and don’t keep anyone from speaking in other languages. 40 Everything must be done in a proper and orderly way.

Jesus Came Back to Life

15 Brothers and sisters, I’m making known to you the Good News which I already told you, which you received, and on which your faith is based. In addition, you are saved by this Good News if you hold on to the doctrine I taught you, unless you believed it without thinking it over. I passed on to you the most important points of doctrine that I had received:

Christ died to take away our sins as the Scriptures predicted.

He was placed in a tomb.

He was brought back to life on the third day as the Scriptures predicted.

He appeared to Cephas.[c] Next he appeared to the twelve apostles. Then he appeared to more than 500 believers at one time. (Most of these people are still living, but some have died.) Next he appeared to James. Then he appeared to all the apostles. Last of all, he also appeared to me.

I’m like an aborted child ⌞who was given life⌟. I’m the least of the apostles. I’m not even fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted God’s church. 10 But God’s kindness [d] made me what I am, and that kindness was not wasted on me. Instead, I worked harder than all the others. It was not I who did it, but God’s kindness was with me. 11 So, whether it was I or someone else, this is the message we brought you, and this is what you believed.

We Will Come Back to Life

12 If we have told you that Christ has been brought back to life, how can some of you say that coming back from the dead is impossible? 13 If the dead can’t be brought back to life, then Christ hasn’t come back to life. 14 If Christ hasn’t come back to life, our message has no meaning and your faith also has no meaning. 15 In addition, we are obviously witnesses who lied about God because we testified that he brought Christ back to life. But if it’s true that the dead don’t come back to life, then God didn’t bring Christ back to life. 16 Certainly, if the dead don’t come back to life, then Christ hasn’t come back to life either. 17 If Christ hasn’t come back to life, your faith is worthless and sin still has you in its power. 18 Then those who have died as believers in Christ no longer exist. 19 If Christ is our hope in this life only, we deserve more pity than any other people.

20 But now Christ has come back from the dead. He is the very first person of those who have died to come back to life. 21 Since a man brought death, a man also brought life back from death. 22 As everyone dies because of Adam, so also everyone will be made alive because of Christ. 23 This will happen to each person in his own turn. Christ is the first, then at his coming, those who belong to him ⌞will be made alive⌟. 24 Then the end will come. Christ will hand over the kingdom to God the Father as he destroys every ruler, authority, and power.

25 Christ must rule until God has put every enemy under his control. 26 The last enemy he will destroy is death. 27 Clearly, God has put everything under Christ’s authority. When God says that everything has been put under Christ’s authority, this clearly excludes God, since God has put everything under Christ’s authority. 28 But when God puts everything under Christ’s authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, since God had put everything under the Son’s authority. Then God will be in control of everything.

29 However, people are baptized because the dead ⌞will come back to life⌟. What will they do? If the dead can’t come back to life, why do people get baptized as if they can ⌞come back to life⌟?

30 Why are we constantly putting ourselves in danger? 31 Brothers and sisters, I swear to you on my pride in you which Christ Jesus our Lord has given me: I face death every day. 32 If I have fought with wild animals in Ephesus, what have I gained according to the way people look at things? If the dead are not brought back to life, “Let’s eat and drink because tomorrow we’re going to die!” 33 Don’t let anyone deceive you. Associating with bad people will ruin decent people. 34 Come back to the right point of view, and stop sinning. Some people don’t know anything about God. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

We Will Have Bodies That Will Not Decay

35 But someone will ask, “How do the dead come back to life? With what kind of body will they come back?”

36 You fool! The seed you plant doesn’t come to life unless it dies first. 37 What you plant, whether it’s wheat or something else, is only a seed. It doesn’t have the form that the plant will have. 38 God gives the plant the form he wants it to have. Each kind of seed grows into its own form. 39 Not all flesh is the same. Humans have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds have another, and fish have still another. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. Heavenly bodies don’t all have the same splendor, neither do earthly bodies. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon has another kind of splendor, and the stars have still another kind of splendor. Even one star differs in splendor from another star.

42 That is how it will be when the dead come back to life. When the body is planted, it decays. When it comes back to life, it cannot decay. 43 When the body is planted, it doesn’t have any splendor and is weak. When it comes back to life, it has splendor and is strong. 44 It is planted as a physical body. It comes back to life as a spiritual body. As there is a physical body, so there is also a spiritual body.

45 This is what Scripture says: “The first man, Adam, became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual does not come first, but the physical and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was made from the dust of the earth. He came from the earth. The second man came from heaven. 48 The people on earth are like the man who was made from the dust of the earth. The people in heaven are like the man who came from heaven. 49 As we have worn the likeness of the man who was made from the dust of the earth, we will also wear the likeness of the man who came from heaven. 50 Brothers and sisters, this is what I mean: Flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom. What decays cannot inherit what doesn’t decay.

51 I’m telling you a mystery. Not all of us will die, but we will all be changed. 52 It will happen in an instant, in a split second at the sound of the last trumpet. Indeed, that trumpet will sound, and then the dead will come back to life. They will be changed so that they can live forever. 53 This body that decays must be changed into a body that cannot decay. This mortal body must be changed into a body that will live forever. 54 When this body that decays is changed into a body that cannot decay, and this mortal body is changed into a body that will live forever, then the teaching of Scripture will come true:

“Death is turned into victory!
55 Death, where is your victory?
Death, where is your sting?”

56 Sin gives death its sting, and God’s standards give sin its power. 57 Thank God that he gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 So, then, brothers and sisters, don’t let anyone move you off the foundation ⌞of your faith⌟. Always excel in the work you do for the Lord. You know that the hard work you do for the Lord is not pointless.

The Collection for the People in Jerusalem

16 Now, concerning the money to be collected for God’s people ⌞in Jerusalem⌟: I want you to do as I directed the churches in Galatia. Every Sunday each of you should set aside some of your money and save it. Then money won’t have to be collected when I come. When I come, I will give letters of introduction to the people whom you choose. You can send your gift to Jerusalem with them. If I think it’s worthwhile for me to go, they can go with me.

Paul’s Plans

After I go through the province of Macedonia, I’ll visit you. (I will be going through Macedonia.) I’ll probably stay with you. I might even spend the winter. Then you can give me your support as I travel, wherever I decide to go. Right now all I could do is visit you briefly, but if the Lord lets me, I hope to spend some time with you. I will be staying here in Ephesus until Pentecost. I have a great opportunity to do effective work here, although there are many people who oppose me.

News about Timothy, Apollos, and Others

10 If Timothy comes, make sure that he doesn’t have anything to be afraid of while he is with you. He’s doing the Lord’s work as I am, 11 so no one should treat him with contempt. Without quarreling, give him your support for his trip so that he may come to me. I’m expecting him to arrive with the other Christians.

12 Concerning Apollos, our brother in the Christian faith: I tried hard to get him to visit you with the other Christians. He didn’t want to at this time. However, he will visit you when he has an opportunity.

13 Be alert. Be firm in the Christian faith. Be courageous and strong. 14 Do everything with love.

15 You know that the family of Stephanas was the first family to be won ⌞for Christ⌟ in Greece. This family has devoted itself to serving God’s people. So I encourage you, brothers and sisters, 16 to follow the example of people like these and anyone else who shares their labor and hard work. 17 I am glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus came here. They have made up for your absence. 18 They have comforted me, and they have comforted you. Therefore, show people like these your appreciation.

Greetings

19 The churches in the province of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca and the church that meets in their house send their warmest Christian greetings. 20 All the brothers and sisters ⌞here⌟ greet you. Greet each other with a holy kiss. 21 I, Paul, am writing this greeting with my own hand.

22 If anyone doesn’t love the Lord, let him be cursed! Our Lord, come!

23 May the good will [e] of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 Through Christ Jesus my love is with all of you.

Footnotes

  1. 12:31 Or “Desire the better gifts, and I will show you the best thing to do.”
  2. 13:3 Some manuscripts read “give up my body so that I may brag.”
  3. 15:5 Cephas   is the Aramaic name for the Apostle Peter.
  4. 15:10 Or “grace.”
  5. 16:23 Or “grace.”

Bible Gateway Recommends

Little Girls Bible Storybook for Mothers and Daughters
Little Girls Bible Storybook for Mothers and Daughters
Retail: $17.99
Our Price: $13.49
Save: $4.50 (25%)
5.0 of 5.0 stars
The Concise A to Z Guide to Finding It in the Bible
The Concise A to Z Guide to Finding It in the Bible
Retail: $13.99
Our Price: $12.59
Save: $1.40 (10%)
5.0 of 5.0 stars