1 Corinthians 12 (NIV) (2024)

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

12Now 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)

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

⁷Now 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, ⁹to another faith^(N) by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing^(O) by that one Spirit, ¹⁰to 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

¹²Just 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)

¹⁵Now 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. ¹⁶And 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. ¹⁷If 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? ¹⁸But 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? ²⁰As it is, there are many parts, but one body.^(AD)

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

²⁷Now 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? ³⁰Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]?^(AM) Do all interpret? ³¹Now eagerly desire^(AN) the greater gifts.

Love Is Indispensable

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

Footnotes

1. 1 Corinthians 12:10 Or languages; also in verse 28
2. 1 Corinthians 12:10 Or languages; also in verse 28
3. 1 Corinthians 12:13 Or with; or in
4. 1 Corinthians 12:30 Or other languages

Cross references

1. 1 Corinthians 12:1 : Ro 1:11; 1Co 1:7; 14:1, 37
2. 1 Corinthians 12:1 : S Ro 11:25
3. 1 Corinthians 12:2 : S Eph 2:2
4. 1 Corinthians 12:2 : Ps 115:5; Jer 10:5; Hab 2:18, 19
5. 1 Corinthians 12:3 : Ro 9:3; 1Co 16:22
6. 1 Corinthians 12:3 : S Jn 13:13
7. 1 Corinthians 12:3 : 1Jn 4:2, 3
8. 1 Corinthians 12:4 : ver 8-11; Ro 12:4-8; Eph 4:11; Heb 2:4
9. 1 Corinthians 12:6 : S Php 2:13
10. 1 Corinthians 12:6 : Eph 4:6
11. 1 Corinthians 12:7 : 1Co 14:12; Eph 4:12
12. 1 Corinthians 12:8 : 1Co 2:6
13. 1 Corinthians 12:8 : S 2Co 8:7
14. 1 Corinthians 12:9 : Mt 17:19, 20; 1Co 13:2
15. 1 Corinthians 12:9 : ver 28, 30; Mt 10:1
16. 1 Corinthians 12:10 : ver 28-30; Gal 3:5
17. 1 Corinthians 12:10 : S Eph 4:11
18. 1 Corinthians 12:10 : 1Jn 4:1
19. 1 Corinthians 12:10 : S Mk 16:17
20. 1 Corinthians 12:11 : S ver 4
21. 1 Corinthians 12:12 : S Ro 12:5
22. 1 Corinthians 12:12 : ver 27
23. 1 Corinthians 12:13 : S Mk 1:8
24. 1 Corinthians 12:13 : Eph 2:18
25. 1 Corinthians 12:13 : Gal 3:28; Col 3:11
26. 1 Corinthians 12:13 : Jn 7:37-39
27. 1 Corinthians 12:14 : ver 12, 20
28. 1 Corinthians 12:18 : ver 28
29. 1 Corinthians 12:18 : ver 11
30. 1 Corinthians 12:20 : ver 12, 14; S Ro 12:5
31. 1 Corinthians 12:27 : Eph 1:23; 4:12; Col 1:18, 24
32. 1 Corinthians 12:27 : S Ro 12:5
33. 1 Corinthians 12:28 : S 1Co 10:32
34. 1 Corinthians 12:28 : S Eph 4:11
35. 1 Corinthians 12:28 : S Eph 4:11
36. 1 Corinthians 12:28 : ver 9
37. 1 Corinthians 12:28 : Ro 12:6-8
38. 1 Corinthians 12:28 : ver 10; S Mk 16:17
39. 1 Corinthians 12:30 : ver 10
40. 1 Corinthians 12:31 : 1Co 14:1, 39

Footnotes

1. 12:2 or Gentiles