1 Corinthians 12-16

New International Version

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit,^(A) brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.^{(B) 2} You know that when you were pagans,^(C) somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.^{(D) 3} Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,”^(E) and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,”^(F) except by the Holy Spirit.^(G)

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit^(H) distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone^(I) it is the same God^(J) at work.

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.^{(K) 8} To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom,^(L) to another a message of knowledge^(M) by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith^(N) by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing^(O) by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers,^(P) to another prophecy,^(Q) to another distinguishing between spirits,^(R) to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a](S) and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^{[b] 11} All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,^(T) and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Unity and Diversity in the Body

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,^(U) so it is with Christ.^{(V) 13} For we were all baptized^(W) by^[c] one Spirit^(X) so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free^(Y)—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.^{(Z) 14} Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.^(AA)

¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed^(AB) the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.^{(AC) 19} If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.^(AD)

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ,^(AE) and each one of you is a part of it.^{(AF) 28} And God has placed in the church^(AG) first of all apostles,^(AH) second prophets,^(AI) third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,^(AJ) of helping, of guidance,^(AK) and of different kinds of tongues.^{(AL) 29} Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]?^(AM) Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire^(AN) the greater gifts.

Love Is Indispensable

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

13 If I speak in the tongues^[e](AO) of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy^(AP) and can fathom all mysteries^(AQ) and all knowledge,^(AR) and if I have a faith^(AS) that can move mountains,^(AT) but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor^(AU) and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[f](AV) but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient,^(AW) love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.^{(AX) 5} It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,^(AY) it is not easily angered,^(AZ) it keeps no record of wrongs.^{(BA) 6} Love does not delight in evil^(BB) but rejoices with the truth.^{(BC) 7} It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.^(BD)

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,^(BE) they will cease; where there are tongues,^(BF) they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part^(BG) and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes,^(BH) what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood^(BI) behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;^(BJ) then we shall see face to face.^(BK) Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.^(BL)

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.^(BM) But the greatest of these is love.^(BN)

Intelligibility in Worship

14 Follow the way of love^(BO) and eagerly desire^(BP) gifts of the Spirit,^(BQ) especially prophecy.^{(BR) 2} For anyone who speaks in a tongue^[g](BS) does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them;^(BT) they utter mysteries^(BU) by the Spirit. ³ But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening,^(BV) encouraging^(BW) and comfort. ⁴ Anyone who speaks in a tongue^(BX) edifies^(BY) themselves, but the one who prophesies^(BZ) edifies the church. ⁵ I would like every one of you to speak in tongues,^[h] but I would rather have you prophesy.^(CA) The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues,^[i] unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.^(CB)

⁶ Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation^(CC) or knowledge^(CD) or prophecy or word of instruction?^{(CE) 7} Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? ⁸ Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?^{(CF) 9} So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. ¹¹ If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me.^{(CG) 12} So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit,^(CH) try to excel in those that build up^(CI) the church.

¹³ For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.^{(CJ) 14} For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,^(CK) but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵ So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit,^(CL) but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing^(CM) with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. ¹⁶ Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,^[j] say “Amen”^(CN) to your thanksgiving,^(CO) since they do not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.^(CP)

¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. ¹⁹ But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.^(CQ)

²⁰ Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.^(CR) In regard to evil be infants,^(CS) but in your thinking be adults. ²¹ In the Law^(CT) it is written:

²² Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy,^(CV) however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. ²³ So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?^{(CW) 24} But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, ²⁵ as the secrets^(CX) of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”^(CY)

Good Order in Worship

²⁶ What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?^(CZ) When you come together, each of you^(DA) has a hymn,^(DB) or a word of instruction,^(DC) a revelation, a tongue^(DD) or an interpretation.^(DE) Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.^{(DF) 27} If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. ²⁸ If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

²⁹ Two or three prophets^(DG) should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.^{(DH) 30} And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. ³¹ For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. ³² The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.^{(DI) 33} For God is not a God of disorder^(DJ) but of peace^(DK)—as in all the congregations^(DL) of the Lord’s people.^(DM)

³⁴ Women^[l] should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak,^(DN) but must be in submission,^(DO) as the law^(DP) says. ³⁵ If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.^[m]

³⁶ Or did the word of God^(DQ) originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? ³⁷ If anyone thinks they are a prophet^(DR) or otherwise gifted by the Spirit,^(DS) let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.^{(DT) 38} But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.^[n]

³⁹ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager^(DU) to prophesy,^(DV) and do not forbid speaking in tongues. ⁴⁰ But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly^(DW) way.

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel^(DX) I preached to you,^(DY) which you received and on which you have taken your stand. ² By this gospel you are saved,^(DZ) if you hold firmly^(EA) to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

³ For what I received^(EB) I passed on to you^(EC) as of first importance^[o]: that Christ died for our sins^(ED) according to the Scriptures,^{(EE) 4} that he was buried,^(EF) that he was raised^(EG) on the third day^(EH) according to the Scriptures,^{(EI) 5} and that he appeared to Cephas,^[p](EJ) and then to the Twelve.^{(EK) 6} After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.^{(EL) 7} Then he appeared to James,^(EM) then to all the apostles,^{(EN) 8} and last of all he appeared to me also,^(EO) as to one abnormally born.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles^(EP) and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted^(EQ) the church of God.^{(ER) 10} But by the grace^(ES) of God I am what I am, and his grace to me^(ET) was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them^(EU)—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.^{(EV) 11} Whether, then, it is I or they,^(EW) this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

¹² But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,^(EX) how can some of you say that there is no resurrection^(EY) of the dead?^{(EZ) 13} If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised,^(FA) our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵ More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.^(FB) But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.^{(FC) 18} Then those also who have fallen asleep^(FD) in Christ are lost. ¹⁹ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.^(FE)

²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,^(FF) the firstfruits^(FG) of those who have fallen asleep.^{(FH) 21} For since death came through a man,^(FI) the resurrection of the dead^(FJ) comes also through a man. ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.^{(FK) 23} But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;^(FL) then, when he comes,^(FM) those who belong to him.^{(FN) 24} Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom^(FO) to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.^{(FP) 25} For he must reign^(FQ) until he has put all his enemies under his feet.^{(FR) 26} The last enemy to be destroyed is death.^{(FS) 27} For he “has put everything under his feet.”^[q](FT) Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.^{(FU) 28} When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,^(FV) so that God may be all in all.^(FW)

²⁹ Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? ³⁰ And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?^{(FX) 31} I face death every day^(FY)—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³² If I fought wild beasts^(FZ) in Ephesus^(GA) with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,

³³ Do not be misled:^(GC) “Bad company corrupts good character.”^{[s](GD) 34} Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God^(GE)—I say this to your shame.^(GF)

The Resurrection Body

³⁵ But someone will ask,^(GG) “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”^{(GH) 36} How foolish!^(GI) What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.^{(GJ) 37} When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. ³⁸ But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.^{(GK) 39} Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. ⁴⁰ There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. ⁴¹ The sun has one kind of splendor,^(GL) the moon another and the stars another;^(GM) and star differs from star in splendor.

⁴² So will it be^(GN) with the resurrection of the dead.^(GO) The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;^{(GP) 43} it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;^(GQ) it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴ it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.^(GR)

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”^[t];^(GS) the last Adam,^(GT) a life-giving spirit.^{(GU) 46} The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.^{(GV) 47} The first man was of the dust of the earth;^(GW) the second man is of heaven.^{(GX) 48} As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.^{(GY) 49} And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,^(GZ) so shall we^[u] bear the image of the heavenly man.^(HA)

⁵⁰ I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood^(HB) cannot inherit the kingdom of God,^(HC) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.^{(HD) 51} Listen, I tell you a mystery:^(HE) We will not all sleep,^(HF) but we will all be changed^(HG)— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,^(HH) the dead^(HI) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable^(HJ) must clothe itself with the imperishable,^(HK) and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^[v](HL)

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin,^(HN) and the power of sin is the law.^{(HO) 57} But thanks be to God!^(HP) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.^(HQ)

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,^(HR) because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.^(HS)

The Collection for the Lord’s People

16 Now about the collection^(HT) for the Lord’s people:^(HU) Do what I told the Galatian^(HV) churches to do. ² On the first day of every week,^(HW) each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.^{(HX) 3} Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve^(HY) and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. ⁴ If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

Personal Requests

⁵ After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you^(HZ)—for I will be going through Macedonia.^{(IA) 6} Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey,^(IB) wherever I go. ⁷ For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.^{(IC) 8} But I will stay on at Ephesus^(ID) until Pentecost,^{(IE) 9} because a great door for effective work has opened to me,^(IF) and there are many who oppose me.

¹⁰ When Timothy^(IG) comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord,^(IH) just as I am. ¹¹ No one, then, should treat him with contempt.^(II) Send him on his way^(IJ) in peace^(IK) so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.

¹² Now about our brother Apollos:^(IL) I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity.

¹³ Be on your guard; stand firm^(IM) in the faith; be courageous; be strong.^{(IN) 14} Do everything in love.^(IO)

¹⁵ You know that the household of Stephanas^(IP) were the first converts^(IQ) in Achaia,^(IR) and they have devoted themselves to the service^(IS) of the Lord’s people.^(IT) I urge you, brothers and sisters, ¹⁶ to submit^(IU) to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. ¹⁷ I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you.^{(IV) 18} For they refreshed^(IW) my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.^(IX)

Final Greetings

¹⁹ The churches in the province of Asia^(IY) send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla^[x](IZ) greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.^{(JA) 20} All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.^(JB)

²¹ I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.^(JC)

²² If anyone does not love the Lord,^(JD) let that person be cursed!^(JE) Come, Lord^[y]!^(JF)

²³ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.^(JG)

²⁴ My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.^[z]