Now concerning spiritual matters, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
You know that when you were of the nations, you were carried along toward mute idols, however you were led.
Therefore I make it clear to you: no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
There are different kinds of workings, but the same God who is actively working all things in everyone.
To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
To one is given a word of wisdom through the Spirit; to another, a word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another, faith by the same Spirit; to another, gifts of healings by the one Spirit; to another, workings of power; to another, prophecy; to another, discernment of spirits; to another, kinds of tongues; to another, interpretation of tongues.
All these are actively worked by one and the same Spirit, who distributes to each one individually, just as He chooses.
Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body — so also is Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all immersed into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and we were all given one Spirit to drink.
For the body does not consist of one member, but of many.
If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it does not for that reason stop belonging to the body.
If the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it does not for that reason stop belonging to the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would smell be?
But now God has arranged the members in the body, each one of them, just as He intended.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem weaker are indispensable.
The parts we consider less honourable, we clothe with greater honour, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater modesty —
while our presentable parts have no such need. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honour to the part that lacked it,
so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same care for one another.
If one member suffers, all suffer together. If one member is honoured, all rejoice together.
Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it.
And God has already placed in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then works of power, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various kinds of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all perform works of power? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Desire the greater expressions — and yet I show you a way beyond comparison.
Corinth is ranking people by visible spiritual experiences. Paul does not suppress the Spirit — he reorders their understanding. The Spirit is already present, already active, and already forming one body, not spiritual elites.
Paul does not speak of gifts as future possibilities. They are already active realities within the church. This flows directly from Pentecost fulfillment and the completed gift of the Spirit.
This is not aspirational language. Paul states what already is true: believers are already incorporated into Christ’s body, across ethnic and social divisions.
Differences in gifting are not signs of immaturity. They are God’s deliberate arrangement. Uniformity would deny the body’s nature.
Paul lists functions without creating ladders of worth. “First… second… third” reflects function in service, not superiority in value. The body image dismantles status competition.
The New Creation is not waiting for spiritual power to arrive. The Spirit is present, the body is formed, and every member already belongs. Maturity is learning to honour the place God has given — in yourself and in others.
Where might I be comparing my place in the body instead of receiving it with gratitude?
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