Part 41 (1/2)

(16)But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor the churches of G.o.d.

(17)And while I enjoin this, I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. (18)For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and I partly believe it. (19)For there must be also sects among you, that they who are approved may be made manifest among you.

(20)When therefore ye come together into one place, there is no eating of a supper of the Lord[11:20]. (21)For in eating, each takes without waiting his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

(22)What! have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of G.o.d, and shame those who have not? What shall I say to you?

Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

(23)For I received from the Lord, what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, in the night in which he was betrayed, took a loaf; (24)and having given thanks, he broke it, and said: This is my body, which is for you; this do in remembrance of me. (25)In like manner also the cup, after they had supped, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood; this do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. (26)For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye show the Lord's death till he come.

(27)So that whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.

(28)But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. (29)For he that eats and drinks, eats and drinks condemnation to himself, if he discern not the body.

(30)For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

(31)For if we judged ourselves; we should not be judged. (32)But being judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

(33)Wherefore, my brethren, when coming together to eat, wait for one another. (34)If any one is hungry, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

XII.

NOW concerning the spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

(2)Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away to the dumb idols, as ye were led. (3)Wherefore I give you to understand, that no one speaking by the Spirit of G.o.d calls Jesus accursed; and no one can say, Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.

(4)Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. (5)And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord. (6)And there are diversities of operations, but the same G.o.d who works all in all. (7)But to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit, for profiting. (8)For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; (9)to another faith, by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healings by the one Spirit; (10)to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another diversities of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. (11)But all these works the one and self-same Spirit, dividing to each one severally as he will.

(12)For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. (13)For by one Spirit we were all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit.

(14)For the body is not one member, but many. (15)If the foot say: Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body. (16)And if the ear say: Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body. (17)If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

(18)But now, G.o.d set the members each one of them in the body, as it pleased him. (19)And if they were all one member, where were the body?

(20)But now there are many members, but one body. (21)And the eye can not say to the hand, I have no need of thee; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. (22)Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary; (23)and those which we think to be less honorable parts of the body, on these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. (24)And our comely parts have no need; but G.o.d attempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that which lacked; (25)that there may be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. (26)And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

(27)Now ye are the body of Christ, and members each one[12:27].

(28)And G.o.d set some in the church, apostles first, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governings, diversities of tongues. (29)Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? (30)Have all gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

(31)But desire earnestly the greater gifts; and moreover, I show to you a more excellent way.

(1)Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding bra.s.s, or a tinkling cymbal. (2)And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. (3)And though I bestow all my goods in food, and though I give up my body that I may be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.

(4)Love suffers long, is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, (5)does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, imputes no evil; (6)rejoices not at unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; (7)bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (8)Love never fails; but whether there are prophesyings, they will be done away; whether tongues, they will cease; whether knowledge, it will be done away. (9)For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. (10)But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part will be done away.

(11)When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; but now that I am become a man, I have done away the things of the child. (12)For we see now in a mirror, obscurely; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then I shall know fully, even as I also am fully known.

(13)And now remain faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

(1)Pursue after love; and desire earnestly the spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. (2)For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to men, but to G.o.d; for no one understands; but with the spirit he speaks mysteries. (3)But he that prophesies, to men he speaks edification, and exhortation, and comfort. (4)He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself; but he that prophesies edifies the church.

(5)I would that ye should all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy; for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edification.