12:1  Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to remain ignorant.

12:2   You know that when you lived as pagans, they led you to the mute idols, however you became led.

12:3   Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus receives a curse"; and no one can say, " I acknowledge Jesus as Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

12:4   Now there exist varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

12:5  And there exist varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.

12:6   There exist varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.

12:7   But to each one God gives the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

12:8  For to one the Lord gives the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;

12:9   to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

12:10   and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

12:11   But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

12:12   For even as the body consists of one entity and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they have grown to many, constitute one body, so also does Christ.

12:13   For by one Spirit we all received baptism into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we all drank of one Spirit.

12:14   For the body does not constitute one member, but many.

12:15   If the foot says, "Because I cannot function as a hand, I do not belong to the body," it does not for this reason become any the less a part of the body.

12:16   And if the ear says, "Because I do not function as an eye, I do not belong to the body," it does not for this reason consist of any the less a part of the body.

12:17   If the whole body functioned as an eye, where would the hearing come from? If the whole consisted of hearing, where would the sense of smell come from?

12:18  But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired

12:19   If they all consisted of one member, where would the body form?

12:20   But now there exist many members, but one body.

12:21   And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

12:22   On the contrary, it seems much truer that the members of the body which seem to have weakness have necessity;

12:23   and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,

12:24   whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,

12:25   so that there may exist no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

12:26   And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member receives honor, all the members rejoice with it.

12:27   Now you belong to Christ's body, and individually members of it.

12:28   And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.

12:29   All do not function as apostles, do they? All do not function as prophets, do they? All do not function as teachers, do they? All do not work miracles, do they?

12:30   All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?

12:31   But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.