1Corinthiens (NAB) 12
12 1 Now in regard to spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know how, when you were pagans, you were constantly attracted and led away to mute idols. 3 Therefore, I tell you that nobody speaking by the spirit of God says, "Jesus be accursed." And no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the holy Spirit.4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; 5 there are different forms of service but the same Lord;6 there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.7 To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.8 To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit;9 to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit;10 to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues.11 But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
12 As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.14 Now the body is not a single part, but many.15 If a foot should say, "Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body," it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.16 Or if an ear should say, "Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body," it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?18 But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended.19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?20 But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you," nor again the head to the feet, "I do not need you."22 Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary,23 and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety,24 whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it,25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.26 If (one) part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
27 Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it. 28 Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds?30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
31 Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way.
13 1 If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.3 If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, (love) is not pompous, it is not inflated, 5 it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,6 it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. 9 For we know partially and we prophesy partially,10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.11 When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things.12 At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.13 So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
14 1 Pursue love, but strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts, above all that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to human beings but to God, for no one listens; he utters mysteries in spirit. 3 On the other hand, one who prophesies does speak to human beings, for their building up, encouragement, and solace. 4 Whoever speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but whoever prophesies builds up the church.5 Now I should like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be built up.
6 Now, brothers, if I should come to you speaking in tongues, what good will I do you if I do not speak to you by way of revelation, or knowledge, or prophecy, or instruction? 7 Likewise, if inanimate things that produce sound, such as flute or harp, do not give out the tones distinctly, how will what is being played on flute or harp be recognized?8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?9 Similarly, if you, because of speaking in tongues, do not utter intelligible speech, how will anyone know what is being said? For you will be talking to the air.10 It happens that there are many different languages in the world, and none is meaningless;11 but if I do not know the meaning of a language, I shall be a foreigner to one who speaks it, and one who speaks it a foreigner to me.12 So with yourselves: since you strive eagerly for spirits, seek to have an abundance of them for building up the church.13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray to be able to interpret. 14 (For) if I pray in a tongue, my spirit is at prayer but my mind is unproductive.
15 So what is to be done? I will pray with the spirit, but I will also pray with the mind. I will sing praise with the spirit, but I will also sing praise with the mind.16 Otherwise, if you pronounce a blessing (with) the spirit, how shall one who holds the place of the uninstructed say the "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?17 For you may be giving thanks very well, but the other is not built up.18 I give thanks to God that I speak in tongues more than any of you,19 but in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, so as to instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.20 Brothers, stop being childish in your thinking. In respect to evil be like infants, but in your thinking be mature.
21 It is written in the law: "By people speaking strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to me, says the Lord."22 Thus, tongues are a sign not for those who believe but for unbelievers, whereas prophecy is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.23 So if the whole church meets in one place and everyone speaks in tongues, and then uninstructed people or unbelievers should come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if everyone is prophesying, and an unbeliever or uninstructed person should come in, he will be convinced by everyone and judged by everyone,25 and the secrets of his heart will be disclosed, and so he will fall down and worship God, declaring, "God is really in your midst."
26 So what is to be done, brothers? When you assemble, one has a psalm, another an instruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Everything should be done for building up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let it be two or at most three, and each in turn, and one should interpret.28 But if there is no interpreter, the person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God.29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others discern.30 But if a revelation is given to another person sitting there, the first one should be silent.31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged.32 Indeed, the spirits of prophets are under the prophets' control,33 since he is not the God of disorder but of peace. As in all the churches of the holy ones,
34 women should keep silent in the churches, for they are not allowed to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says.35 But if they want to learn anything, they should ask their husbands at home. For it is improper for a woman to speak in the church.
36 Did the word of God go forth from you? Or has it come to you alone?37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet or a spiritual person, he should recognize that what I am writing to you is a commandment of the Lord.38 If anyone does not acknowledge this, he is not acknowledged.39 So, (my) brothers, strive eagerly to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues,40 but everything must be done properly and in order.
15 1 Now I am reminding you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. 2 Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures; 4 that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures;5 that he appeared to Kephas, then to the Twelve.6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.7 After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.8 Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me.9 For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God (that is) with me.11 Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
12 But if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised.14 And if Christ has not been raised, then empty (too) is our preaching; empty, too, your faith.15 Then we are also false witnesses to God, because we testified against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised.16 For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised,17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,23 but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;24 then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death, 27 for "he subjected everything under his feet." But when it says that everything has been subjected, it is clear that it excludes the one who subjected everything to him. 28 When everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will (also) be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.29 Otherwise, what will people accomplish by having themselves baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are they having themselves baptized for them? 30 Moreover, why are we endangering ourselves all the time? 31 Every day I face death; I swear it by the pride in you (brothers) that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.32 If at Ephesus I fought with beasts, so to speak, what benefit was it to me? If the dead are not raised: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."33 Do not be led astray: "Bad company corrupts good morals."34 Become sober as you ought and stop sinning. For some have no knowledge of God; I say this to your shame.
35 But someone may say, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come back?" 36 You fool! What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be but a bare kernel of wheat, perhaps, or of some other kind;38 but God gives it a body as he chooses, and to each of the seeds its own body.39 Not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for human beings, another kind of flesh for animals, another kind of flesh for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the brightness of the heavenly is one kind and that of the earthly another.41 The brightness of the sun is one kind, the brightness of the moon another, and the brightness of the stars another. For star differs from star in brightness.42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible. 43 It is sown dishonorable; it is raised glorious. It is sown weak; it is raised powerful.44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one.45 So, too, it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living being," the last Adam a life-giving spirit. 46 But the spiritual was not first; rather the natural and then the spiritual.47 The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man, from heaven.48 As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly, and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly.49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one. 50 This I declare, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.53 For that which is corruptible must clothe itself with incorruptibility, and that which is mortal must clothe itself with immortality.
54 And when this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about: "Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
16 1 Now in regard to the collection for the holy ones, you also should do as I ordered the churches of Galatia. 2 On the first day of the week each of you should set aside and save whatever one can afford, so that collections will not be going on when I come.3 And when I arrive, I shall send those whom you have approved with letters of recommendation to take your gracious gift to Jerusalem.4 If it seems fitting that I should go also, they will go with me.
5 I shall come to you after I pass through Macedonia (for I am going to pass through Macedonia), 6 and perhaps I shall stay or even spend the winter with you, so that you may send me on my way wherever I may go.7 For I do not wish to see you now just in passing, but I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.8 I shall stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a door has opened for me wide and productive for work, but there are many opponents.
10 If Timothy comes, see that he is without fear in your company, for he is doing the work of the Lord just as I am.11 Therefore no one should disdain him. Rather, send him on his way in peace that he may come to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.12 Now in regard to our brother Apollos, I urged him strongly to go to you with the brothers, but it was not at all his will that he go now. He will go when he has an opportunity.
13 Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong.14 Your every act should be done with love.15 I urge you, brothers-- you know that the household of Stephanas is the firstfruits of Achaia and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the holy ones-- 16 be subordinate to such people and to everyone who works and toils with them.17 I rejoice in the arrival of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, because they made up for your absence,18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. So give recognition to such people.
19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca together with the church at their house send you many greetings in the Lord.
20 All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write you this greeting in my own hand.
22 If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be accursed. Marana tha.
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus.
1Corinthiens (NAB) 12