Things to note in this passage regarding biblical, multi-ethnic community:

• This powerful passage describes how all Christians are interconnected and interdependent – just like the parts of a body.  A body is one of many metaphors that the Bible uses to teach us how we should view our relationships with one another.
• verse 7: The gifts of the Spirit are meant “for the common good” – to edify and build up the church.
• verse 13: Paul specifically mentions that their ethnicity (Jews or Greeks) and their socio-economic status (slave or free) does not diminish in any way the oneness they share through Christ.
• verses 21-26: In this passage we can see how our differences should be viewed as a positive thing.  The body could not function if all the parts were an eye — and, the Body of Christ would not be as beautiful or glorifying to God if we all looked the same.
• verse 26: It is essential to grasp the concept of “when one part suffers, we all suffer” in order to build biblical, multi-ethnic community.
• I recommend reading 1 Corinthians 13 along with this passage – the two chapters are very interconnected (there were no chapter divisions in the original Greek text).

Click here to learn the author, date, theme, etc. of the Book of 1 Corinthians. Have a thought about this passage?  Please add your comment at the bottom. Some sections which are especially significant when discussing biblical, multi-ethnic community have been highlighted in blue.

1 Corinthians 12

Spiritual Gifts

¹Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. ²You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. ³Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

⁷Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^{[b] 11}All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

¹²The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. ¹³For we were all baptized by^[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

¹⁴Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. ¹⁵If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. ¹⁶And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

²¹The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²²On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]? Do all interpret? ³¹But eagerly desire^[e] the greater gifts.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.

Footnotes:

1. 1 Corinthians 12:10 Or languages; also in verse 28
2. 1 Corinthians 12:10 Or languages; also in verse 28
3. 1 Corinthians 12:13 Or with; or in
4. 1 Corinthians 12:30 Or other languages
5. 1 Corinthians 12:31 Or But you are eagerly desiring

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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of International Bible Society. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of International Bible Society.

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