Day 49 of 365

¹Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

²You know that when you were heathen, you were led away to those mute idols, however you might be led.

³Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God's Spirit says, "Jesus is accursed." No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," but by the Holy Spirit.

⁴Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

⁵There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord.

⁶There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all.

⁷But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.

⁸For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit;

⁹to another faith, by the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, by the one Spirit;

¹⁰and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages.

¹¹But the one and the same Spirit works all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.

¹²For 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.

¹³For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴For the body is not one member, but many.

¹⁵If the foot would say, "Because I'm not the hand, I'm not part of the body," it is not therefore not part of the body.

¹⁶If the ear would say, "Because I'm not the eye, I'm not part of the body," it's not therefore not part of the body.

¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be?

¹⁸But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired.

¹⁹If they were all one member, where would the body be?

²⁰But now they are many members, but one body.

²¹The eye cannot tell the hand, "I have no need for you," or again the head to the feet, "I have no need for you."

²²No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.

²³Those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant propriety;

²⁴whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part,

²⁵that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

²⁶When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

²⁸God has set some in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.

²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers?

³⁰Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret?

³¹But earnestly desire the greater gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.

¹If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

²If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

³If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

⁴Love is patient and is kind; love does not envy. Love does not brag, is not proud,

⁵doesn't behave itself inappropriately, does not seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;

⁶doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

⁷bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.

⁹For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;

¹⁰but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.

¹¹When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.

¹²For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.

¹³But now faith, hope, and love remain-these three. The greatest of these is love.

¹Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

²For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries.

³But he who prophesies speaks to men for their encouragement, strengthening, and comfort.

⁴He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

⁵Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy, and he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the church may be built up.

⁶But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking with other languages, what would I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophesying, or of teaching?

⁷Even things without life, giving a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they did not give a distinction in the sounds, how would it be known what is piped or harped?

⁸For if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound, who would prepare himself for war?

⁹So also you, unless you uttered by the tongue words easy to understand, how would it be known what is spoken? For you would be speaking into the air.

¹⁰There are, it may be, so many kinds of sounds in the world, and none is without meaning.

¹¹If then I do not know the meaning of the sound, I would be to him who speaks a foreigner, and he who speaks would be a foreigner to me.

¹²So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek that you may abound to the building up of the church.

¹³Therefore let him who speaks in another language pray that he may interpret.

¹⁴For if I pray in another language, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

¹⁵What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

¹⁶Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how will he who fills the place of the unlearned say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, seeing he does not know what you say?

¹⁷For you truly give thanks well, but the other person is not built up.

¹⁸I thank God, I speak with other languages more than you all.

¹⁹However in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in another language.

²⁰Brothers, do not be children in thoughts, yet in malice be babies, but in thoughts be mature.

²¹In the law it is written, "By men of strange languages and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people. Not even thus will they hear me, says the Lord."

²²Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe.

²³If therefore the whole church is assembled together and all speak with other languages, and unlearned or unbelieving people come in, won't they say that you are crazy?

²⁴But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all.

²⁵And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.

²⁶What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.

²⁷If any man speaks in another language, let it be two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret.

²⁸But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church, and let him speak to himself, and to God.

²⁹Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern.

³⁰But if a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first keep silent.

³¹For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.

³²The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets,

³³for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

³⁴let the women keep silent in the churches, for it has not been permitted for them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as the Law also says.

³⁵If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is shameful for a woman to chatter in the church.

³⁶What? Was it from you that the word of God went out? Or did it come to you alone?

³⁷If any man thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him recognize the things which I write to you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.

³⁸But if someone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

³⁹Therefore, brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking with other languages.

⁴⁰Let all things be done decently and in order.

¹Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,

²both low and high, rich and poor together.

³My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart shall utter understanding.

⁴I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp.

⁵Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

⁶Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches-

⁷none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.

⁸For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,

⁹That he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.

¹⁰For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.

¹¹Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.

¹²But man, despite his riches, doesn't endure. He is like the animals that perish.

¹³This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. Selah.

¹⁴They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion.

¹⁵But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah.

¹⁶Do not be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased.

¹⁷For when he dies he shall carry nothing away. His glory shall not descend after him.

¹⁸Though while he lived he blessed his soul- and men praise you when you do well for yourself-

¹⁹he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.

²⁰A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.

¹An unfriendly man pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.

²A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.

³When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.

⁴The words of a man's mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.

⁵To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.

⁶A fool's lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.

⁷A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

⁸The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person's innermost parts.

⁹One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

¹⁰The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.

¹¹The rich man's wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.

¹²Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.

¹³He who gives answer before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.

¹⁴A man's spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?

¹⁵The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

¹⁶A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

¹⁷He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.

¹⁸The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.

¹⁹A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city; and disputes are like the bars of a castle.

²⁰A man's stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.

²²Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of the Lord.

²³The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.

²⁴A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.