wmth - 1Corinthians:12-14

wmth@1Corinthians:12:1 @ It is important, brethren, that you should have clear knowledge on the subject of spiritual gifts.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:2 @ You know that when you were heathens you went astray after dumb idols, wherever you happened to be led.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:3 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:4 @ Now there are various kinds of gifts, but there is one and the same Spirit;

wmth@1Corinthians:12:5 @ various forms of official service, and yet one and the same Lord;

wmth@1Corinthians:12:6 @ diversities in work, and yet one and the same God–He who in each person brings about the whole result.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:7 @ But to each of us a manifestation of the Spirit has been granted for the common good.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:8 @ 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;

wmth@1Corinthians:12:9 @ to a third man, by means of the same Spirit, special faith; to another various gifts of healing, by means of the one Spirit;

wmth@1Corinthians:12:10 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:11 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:12 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:13 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:14 @ For the human body does not consist of one part, but of many.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:15 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:16 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:17 @ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the nostrils be?

wmth@1Corinthians:12:18 @ But, as a matter of fact, God has arranged the parts in the body –every one of them– as He has seen fit.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:19 @ If they were all one part, where would the body be?

wmth@1Corinthians:12:20 @ But, as a matter of fact, there are many parts and but one body.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:21 @ 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.«

wmth@1Corinthians:12:22 @ No, it is quite otherwise. Even those parts of the body which are apparently somewhat feeble are yet indispensable;

wmth@1Corinthians:12:23 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:24 @ But it was God who built up the body, and bestowed more abundant honor on the part that felt the need,

wmth@1Corinthians:12:25 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:26 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:27 @ As for you, you are the body of Christ, and individually you are members of it.

wmth@1Corinthians:12:28 @ 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.'

wmth@1Corinthians:12:29 @ Are all Apostles? Are all Prophets? Are all teachers?

wmth@1Corinthians:12:30 @ Have all miraculous powers? Have all ability to cure diseases? Do all speak in `tongues'? Do all interpret?

wmth@1Corinthians:12:31 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:1 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:2 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:3 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:4 @ Love is patient and kind. Love knows neither envy nor jealousy. Love is not forward and self-assertive, nor boastful and conceited.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:5 @ She does not behave unbecomingly, nor seek to aggrandize herself, nor blaze out in passionate anger, nor brood over wrongs.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:6 @ She finds no pleasure in injustice done to others, but joyfully sides with the truth.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:7 @ She knows how to be silent. She is full of trust, full of hope, full of patient endurance.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:8 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:9 @ For our knowledge is imperfect, and so is our prophesying;

wmth@1Corinthians:13:10 @ but when the perfect state of things is come, all that is imperfect will be brought to an end.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:11 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:12 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:13:13 @ And so there remain Faith, Hope, Love–these three; and of these the greatest is Love.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:1 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:2 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:3 @ But he who prophesies speaks to men words of edification, encouragement and comfort.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:4 @ He who speaks in an unknown tongue does good to himself, but he who prophesies does good to the Church.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:5 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:6 @ 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?

wmth@1Corinthians:14:7 @ 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?

wmth@1Corinthians:14:8 @ If the bugle –to take another example– gives an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?

wmth@1Corinthians:14:9 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:10 @ There are, we will suppose, a great number of languages in the world, and no creature is without a language.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:11 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:12 @ Therefore, seeing that you are ambitious for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in them so as to benefit the Church.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:13 @ Therefore let a man who has the gift of tongues pray for the power of interpreting them.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:14 @ For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is barren.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:15 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:16 @ 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?

wmth@1Corinthians:14:17 @ Rightly enough you are giving thanks, and yet your neighbor is not benefited.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:18 @ I speak in a tongue, thank God, more than all of you;

wmth@1Corinthians:14:19 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:20 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:21 @ In the Law it stands written, says the Lord.«

wmth@1Corinthians:14:22 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:23 @ 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?

wmth@1Corinthians:14:24 @ 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,

wmth@1Corinthians:14:25 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:26 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:27 @ 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;

wmth@1Corinthians:14:28 @ or if there is no interpreter, let the man with the gift be silent in the Church, speaking to himself and to God.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:29 @ But if there are Prophets, let two or three speak and let the rest judge.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:30 @ And if anything is revealed to some one else who is seated there, let the first be silent.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:31 @ For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged:

wmth@1Corinthians:14:32 @ and the spirits of Prophets yield submission to Prophets.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:33 @ For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace, as He is in all the Churches of His people.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:34 @ 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;

wmth@1Corinthians:14:35 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:36 @ Was it from you that God's Message first went forth, or is it to you only that it has come?

wmth@1Corinthians:14:37 @ 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.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:38 @ But if any one is ignorant, let him be ignorant.

wmth@1Corinthians:14:39 @ The conclusion, my brethren, is this. Be earnestly ambitious to prophesy, and do not check speaking with tongues;

wmth@1Corinthians:14:40 @ only let everything be done in a becoming and orderly manner.

wmth@1Corinthians:15:1 @ But let me recall to you, brethren, the Good News which I brought you, which you accepted, and on which you are standing,