Chapter 3
chapters twelve through sixteen of paul's first letter to the corinthians from the new testament in modern speech translated by richard francis weymouth this libravox recording is in the public domain recording by mark penfold chapter twelve it is important reverend that you should have clear knowledge on the subject of spiritual gifts you know that when you were heathens you went astray after dumb idols wherever you happened to be led 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 now there are various kinds of gifts but there is one and the same spirit various forms of official service and yet one and the same lord diversities in work and yet one and the same god he who in each person brings about the whole result but to each of us a manifestation of the spirit has been granted for the common good 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 to a third man by means of the same spirit special faith to another various gifts of healing by means of the one spirit to another the exercise of miraculous powers to another the gift of prophecy to another the power of discriminating between prophetic utterances to another utterances to another varieties of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues 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 for justice 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 for in fact in one spirit all of us whether we are jews
or gentiles slaves or gentiles were baptized to form but one body and we were all nourished by that one spirit for the human body does not consist of one part but of many 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 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 would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the nostrils be? But as a matter of fact, God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, as he has seen fit. If they were all one part, where would the body be? But as a matter of fact, there are many parts and but one body. 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. No, it is quite otherwise. Even those parts of the body which are apparently somewhat feeble are yet indispensable. And those which we deem less honorable, we clothe with more abundant honor. And so our ungrateful parts come to have a more abundant grace, while our graceful parts have everything they need. But it was God who built up the body and bestowed more abundant honor on the part that felt the need, 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. 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. As for you, you are the body of Christ, and individually you are members of it. 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. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Have all miraculous powers? Have all ability to cure diseases? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 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. Chapter 13
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. 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. 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.
Love is patient and kind. Love knows neither envy nor jealousy. Love is not forward and self-assertive, nor boastful and conceited. She does not behave unbecomingly, nor seek to aggrandize herself, nor blaze out in passionate anger, nor brood over wrongs. She finds no pleasure in injustice done to
