1Corinthians:12-14

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* It is important , brethren , that you should have clear knowledge on the subject of spiritual gifts . * You know that when you were heathens you went astray after dumb idols , wherever you happened to be led . * For this reason I would have you understand that no one speaking under the influence of The Spirit of God ever says , »Jesus is accursed ,« and that no one is able to say , »Jesus is Lord ,« except under the influence of the Holy Spirit . * Now there are various kinds of gifts , but there is one and the same Spirit ; * various forms of official service , and yet one and the same Lord ; * diversities in work , and yet one and the same God –He who in each person brings about the whole result . * But to each of us a manifestation of the Spirit has been granted for the common good . * To one the utterance of wisdom has been granted through the Spirit ; to another the utterance of knowledge in accordance with the will of the same Spirit ; * to a third man , by means of the same Spirit , special faith ; to another various gifts of healing , by means of the one Spirit ; * to another the exercise of miraculous powers ; to another the gift of prophecy ; to another the power of discriminating between prophetic utterances ; to another varieties of the gift of `tongues ;' to another the interpretation of tongues . * But these results are all brought about by one and the same Spirit , who bestows His gifts upon each of us in accordance with His own will . * For just as the human body is one and yet has many parts , and all its parts , many as they are , constitute but one body , so it is with the Church of Christ . * For , in fact , in one Spirit all of us –whether we are Jews or Gentiles , slaves or free men – were baptized to form but one body ; and we were all nourished by that one Spirit . * For the human body does not consist of one part , but of many . * Were the foot to say , »Because I am not a hand I am not a part of the body ,« that would not make it any the less a part of the body . * Or were the ear to say , »Because I am not an eye , I am not a part of the body ,« that would not make it any the less a part of the body . * If the whole body were an eye , where would the hearing be ? If the whole body were an ear , where would the nostrils be ? * But , as a matter of fact , God has arranged the parts in the body –every one of them – as He has seen fit . * If they were all one part , where would the body be ? * But , as a matter of fact , there are many parts and but one body . * It is also impossible for the eye to say to the hand , »I do not need you ;« or again for the head to say to the feet , »I do not need you .« * No , it is quite otherwise . Even those parts of the body which are apparently somewhat feeble are yet indispensable ; * and those which we deem less honorable we clothe with more abundant honor ; and so our ungraceful parts come to have a more abundant grace , while our graceful parts have everything they need . * But it was God who built up the body , and bestowed more abundant honor on the part that felt the need , * that there might be no disunion in the body , but that all the members might entertain the same anxious care for one another 's welfare . * And if one part is suffering , every other part suffers with it ; or if one part is receiving special honor , every other part shares in the joy . * As for you , you are the body of Christ , and individually you are members of it . * And by God 's appointment there are in the Church –first Apostles , secondly Prophets , thirdly teachers . Then come miraculous powers , and then ability to cure diseases or render loving service , or powers of organization , or varieties of the gift of `tongues .' * Are all Apostles ? Are all Prophets ? Are all teachers ? * Have all miraculous powers ? Have all ability to cure diseases ? Do all speak in `tongues '? Do all interpret ? * But always seek to excel in the greater gifts . And now I will point out to you a way of life which transcends all others . * If I can speak with the tongues of men and of angels , but am destitute of Love , I have but become a loud-sounding trumpet or a clanging cymbal . * If I possess the gift of prophecy and am versed in all mysteries and all knowledge , and have such absolute faith that I can remove mountains , but am destitute of Love , I am nothing . * And if I distribute all my possessions to the poor , and give up my body to be burned , but am destitute of Love , it profits me nothing . * Love is patient and kind . Love knows neither envy nor jealousy . Love is not forward and self-assertive , nor boastful and conceited . * She does not behave unbecomingly , nor seek to aggrandize herself , nor blaze out in passionate anger , nor brood over wrongs . * She finds no pleasure in injustice done to others , but joyfully sides with the truth . * She knows how to be silent . She is full of trust , full of hope , full of patient endurance . * Love never fails . But if there are prophecies , they will be done away with ; if there are languages , they will cease ; if there is knowledge , it will be brought to an end . * For our knowledge is imperfect , and so is our prophesying ; * but when the perfect state of things is come , all that is imperfect will be brought to an end . * When I was a child , I talked like a child , felt like a child , reasoned like a child : when I became a man , I put from me childish ways . * For the present we see things as if in a mirror , and are puzzled ; but then we shall see them face to face . For the present the knowledge I gain is imperfect ; but then I shall know fully , even as I am fully known . * And so there remain Faith , Hope , Love –these three ; and of these the greatest is Love . * Be eager in your pursuit of this Love , and be earnestly ambitious for spiritual gifts , but let it be chiefly so in order that you may prophesy . * For he who speaks in an unknown tongue is not speaking to men , but to God ; for no one understands him . Yet in the Spirit he is speaking secret truths . * But he who prophesies speaks to men words of edification , encouragement and comfort . * He who speaks in an unknown tongue does good to himself , but he who prophesies does good to the Church . * I should be right glad were you all to speak in `tongues ,' but yet more glad were you all to prophesy . And , in fact , the man who prophesies is superior to him who speaks in `tongues ,' except when the latter can interpret in order that the Church may get a blessing . * But , brethren , as things are , if I come to you speaking in `tongues ,' what benefit shall I confer on you , if the utterance is neither in the form of a revelation nor of additional knowledge nor of prophecy nor of teaching ? * Even inanimate things –flutes or harps , for instance – when yielding a sound , if they make no distinction in the notes , how shall the tune which is played on the flute or the harp be known ? * If the bugle –to take another example – gives an uncertain sound , who will prepare for battle ? * And so with you ; if with the living voice you fail to utter intelligible words , how will people know what you are saying ? You will be talking to the winds . * There are , we will suppose , a great number of languages in the world , and no creature is without a language . * If , however , I do not know the meaning of the particular language , I shall seem to the speaker of it , and he to me , to be merely talking some foreign tongue . * Therefore , seeing that you are ambitious for spiritual gifts , seek to excel in them so as to benefit the Church . * Therefore let a man who has the gift of tongues pray for the power of interpreting them . * For if I pray in an unknown tongue , my spirit prays , but my understanding is barren . * How then does the matter stand ? I will pray in spirit , and I will pray with my understanding also . I will praise God in spirit , and I will praise Him with my understanding also . * Otherwise , if you bless God in spirit only , how shall he who is in the position of an ungifted man say the `Amen ' to your giving of thanks , when he does not know what your words mean ? * Rightly enough you are giving thanks , and yet your neighbor is not benefited . * I speak in a tongue , thank God , more than all of you ; * but in the Church I would rather speak five words with my understanding –so as to instruct others also – than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue . * Brethren , do not prove yourselves to be children in your minds . As regards evil , indeed , be utter babes , but as regards your minds prove yourselves to be men of ripe years . * In the Law it stands written , says the Lord .« * This shows that the gift of tongues is intended as a sign not to those who believe but to unbelievers , but prophecy is intended not for unbelievers but for those who believe . * Accordingly if the whole Church has assembled and all are speaking in `tongues ,' and there come in ungifted men , or unbelievers , will they not say that you are all mad ? * If , on the other hand , every one is prophesying and an unbeliever or an ungifted man comes in , he is convicted by all and closely examined by all , * and the hidden evils of his heart are brought to light . And , as the result , he will fall on his face and worship God , and will report to others that of a truth God is among you . * What then , brethren ? Whenever you assemble , there is not one of you who is not ready either with a song of praise , a sermon , a revelation , a `tongue ,' or an interpretation . Let everything be done with a view to the building up of faith and character . * If there is speaking in an unknown tongue , only two or at the most three should speak , and they should do so one at a time , and one should interpret ; * or if there is no interpreter , let the man with the gift be silent in the Church , speaking to himself and to God . * But if there are Prophets , let two or three speak and let the rest judge . * And if anything is revealed to some one else who is seated there , let the first be silent . * For you can all prophesy one by one , so that all may learn and all be encouraged : * and the spirits of Prophets yield submission to Prophets . * For God is not a God of disorder , but of peace , as He is in all the Churches of His people . * Let married women be silent in the Churches , for they are not permitted to speak . They must be content with a subordinate place , as the Law also says ; * and if they wish to ask questions , they should ask their own husbands at home . For it is disgraceful for a married woman to speak at a Church assembly . * Was it from you that God 's Message first went forth , or is it to you only that it has come ? * If any one deems himself to be a Prophet or a man with spiritual gifts , let him recognize as the Lord 's command all that I am now writing to you . * But if any one is ignorant , let him be ignorant . * The conclusion , my brethren , is this . Be earnestly ambitious to prophesy , and do not check speaking with tongues ; * only let everything be done in a becoming and orderly manner . * But let me recall to you , brethren , the Good News which I brought you , which you accepted , and on which you are standing ,

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