Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today we conclude the first epistle
of St. Paul to the Corinthians, chapters 12 through
16. Chapter 12 Now concerning spiritual gifts,
brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant. You
know that you, or Gentiles, carried away to these
dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I
made known to you that no one speaking by the
Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one
can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy
Spirit. There are diversities of gifts, but the
same Spirit. There are differences of ministries,
but the same Lord. And there are diversities
of activities, but it is the same God who works
all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit
is given to each one for the profit of all. For
to one is given the word of wisdom through the
Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through
the same Spirit, to another faith by the same
Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same
Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to
another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits,
to another different kinds of tongues, to another
the interpretation of tongues. But one and the
same Spirit works all these things, distributing
to each one individually as he wills. for as
the body is one and has many members but all
the members of that one body being many are one
body so also is christ for by one spirit we were
all baptized into one body whether jews or greeks
whether slaves or free and have all been made
to drink into one spirit for in fact the body
is not one member but many if the foot should
say because i am not a hand i am not of the body
is it therefore not of the body And if the ear
should say, because I am not an eye, I am not
of the body, is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where would be
the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where
would be the smelling? But now God has set the
members, each one of them in the body, just as
he pleased. And if they were all one member,
where would the body be? But now indeed there
are many members, yet one body. And 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.
No, much rather, those members of the body which
seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members
of the body which we think to be less honorable,
on these we bestow greater honor. And our unpresentable
parts have greater modesty. But our presentable
parts have no need. But God composed the body.
having given greater honor to that part which
lacks it, that there should be no schism in the
body, but that the members should have the same
care for one another. And if one member suffers,
all the members suffer with it. Or if one member
is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Now you are the body of Christ and members individually.
And God has appointed these in the church. First,
apostles. Second, prophets. Third, teachers,
after that miracles, then gifts of healings,
helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts
of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all
interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts,
and yet I show you a more excellent way. Chapter
13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and
of angels but have no love, I have become sounding
brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have
the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries
and all knowledge, and though I have all faith
so that I could remove mountains but have not
love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my
goods to feed the poor, and though I give my
body to be burned, but have not love, it profits
me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind. Love
does not envy. Love does not parade itself, is
not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not
seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil,
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in
the truth, bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things. Love never
fails. But whether there are prophecies, they
will fail. Whether there are tongues, they will
cease. Whether there is knowledge, it will vanish
away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in
part. But when that which is perfect has come,
then that which is in part will be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child. I understood
as a child. I thought as a child. But when I
became a man, I put away childish things. For
now we see in a mirror, dimly. but then face
to face now i know in part but then i shall know
just as i also am known and now abide faith hope
love these three but the greatest of these is
love chapter fourteen pursue love and desire
spiritual gifts but especially that you may prophesy
for he who speaks in a tongue does not speak
to men but to god for no one understands him
However, in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. But
he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation
and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue
edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies
the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues,
but even more that you prophesied. For he who
prophesies is greater than he who speaks with
tongues, unless indeed he interprets that the
church may receive edification. but now brethren
if i come to you speaking with tongues what shall
i profit you unless i speak to you either by
revelation by knowledge by prophesying or by
teaching even things without life whether flute
or harp when they make a sound how will it be
known what is piped or played for if the trumpet
makes an uncertain sound who will prepare for
battle so likewise you unless you utter by the
tongue words easy to understand how will it be
known what is spoken for you will be speaking
into the air there are it may be so many kinds
of languages in the world and none of them is
without significance therefore if i do not know
the meaning of the language i shall be a foreigner
to him who speaks and he who speaks will be a
foreigner to me even so you Since you are zealous
for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification
of the church that you seek to excel. Therefore,
let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may
interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit
prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What
is the conclusion then? I will pray with the
spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding.
I will sing with the spirit, and I will also
sing with the understanding. Otherwise, if you
bless with the Spirit, how will he who occupies
the place of the uninformed say ameen at your
giving of thanks, since he does not understand
what you say? For you indeed give thanks well,
but the other is not edified. I thank my God
I speak with tongues more than you all. Yet in
the church I would rather speak five words with
my understanding that I may teach others also
than ten thousand words in a tongue. brethren
do not be children in understanding however in
malice be babes but in understanding be mature
in the law it is written with men of other tongues
and other lips i will speak to this people and
yet for all that they will not hear me says the
lord therefore tongues are for a sign not to
those who believe but to unbelievers but prophesying
is not for unbelievers but for those who believe
Therefore, if the whole church comes together
in one place and all speak with tongues, and
there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers,
will they not say that you are out of your mind?
But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an
uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by
all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets
of his heart are revealed. And so, falling down
on his face, he will worship God and report that
God is truly among you. How is it then, brethren,
whenever you come together, each of you has a
psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation,
has an interpretation. Let all things be done
for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue,
let there be two or at the most three, each in
turn. and let one interpret but if there is no
interpreter let him keep silent in church and
let him speak to himself and to god let two or
three prophets speak and let the others judge
but if anything is revealed to another who sits
by let the first keep silent for you can all
prophesy one by one that all may learn and all
may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets
are subject to the prophets. For God is not the
author of confusion, but of peace, as in all
the churches of the saints. Let your women keep
silent in the churches, for they are not permitted
to speak. But they are to be submissive, as the
law also says. And if they want to learn something,
let them ask their own husbands at home, for
it is shameful for women to speak in church.
Or did the word of God come originally from you?
Or was it you only that it reached? If anyone
thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual,
let him acknowledge that the things which I write
to you are the commandments of the Lord. But
if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. Therefore,
brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do
not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things
be done decently and in order. Chapter 15 Moreover,
brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I
preached to you, which also you received, and
in which you stand, by which also you are saved,
if you hold fast that word which I preached to
you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered
to you first of all that which I also received,
that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that
He rose again the third day according to the
Scriptures. and that he was seen by Cephas, then
by the twelve. After that he was seen by over
five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater
part remain to the present, but some have fallen
asleep. After that he was seen by James, then
by all the apostles. Then last of all he was
seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
For I am the least of the apostles, who am not
worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted
the church of God. But by the grace of God I
am what I am, and His grace toward me was not
in vain. But I labored more abundantly than they
all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was
with me. Therefore whether it was I or they,
so we preach, and so you believed. Now if Christ
is preached, that He has been raised from the
dead, how do some among you say that there is
no resurrection of the dead? But if there is
no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not
risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching
is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and
we are found false witnesses of God, because
we have testified of God that he raised up Christ,
whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead
do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then
Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen,
your faith is futile, you are still in your sins.
Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ
have perished. If in this life only we have hope
in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiful.
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has
become the firstfruits of those who have fallen
asleep. For since by man came death, by man also
came the resurrection of the dead. For as in
Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be
made alive, but each one in his own order. Christ,
the firstfruits, afterward those who are christ's
at his coming then comes the end when he delivers
the kingdom of god to the father when he puts
an end to all rule and all authority and power
for he must reign till he has put all enemies
under his feet the last enemy that will be destroyed
is death for he has put all things under his
feet but when he says all things are put under
him it is evident that he who put all things
under him is accepted now when all things are
made subject to him then the son himself will
also be subject to him who put all things under
him that god may be all in all otherwise what
will they do who are baptized for the dead if
the dead do not rise at all why then are they
baptized for the dead and why do we stand in
jeopardy every hour I affirm by the boasting
in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord,
I die daily. If in the manner of men I have fought
with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it
to me? If the dead do not rise, let us eat and
drink, for tomorrow we die. Do not be deceived.
Evil company corrupts good habits. Awake to righteousness
and do not sin. For some do not have the knowledge
of God. I speak this to your shame. But someone
will say, How are the dead raised up? And with
what body do they come? Foolish one! What you
sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what
you sow you do not sow that body that shall be
but mere grain, perhaps wheat or some other grain.
But God gives it a body as he pleases, and to
each seed its own body. All flesh is not the
same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of
men. another flesh of animals, another of fish,
and another of birds. There are also celestial
bodies and terrestrial bodies. But the glory
of the celestial is one, and the glory of the
terrestrial is another. There is one glory of
the sun, another glory of the moon, and another
glory of the stars. For one star differs from
another star in glory. So also is the resurrection
of the dead. The body is sown in corruption.
It is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor.
However, the spiritual is not first, but the
natural, and afterward, the spiritual. The first
man was of the earth, made of dust. The second
man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of
dust, so also are those who are made of dust.
And as is the heavenly man, so also are those
who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image
of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image
of the heavenly man. Now this I say, brethren,
that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all
sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will
be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality. So when
this corruptible has put on incorruption and
this mortal has put on immortality, then shall
be brought to pass the saying that is written,
Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where
is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of
sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast,
immovable, always abounding in the work of the
lord knowing that your labor is not in vain in
the lord chapter sixteen now concerning the collection
for the saints as i have given orders to the
churches of galatia so you must do also on the
first day of the week let each one of you lay
something aside storing up as he may prosper
that there be no collections when i come and
when i come Whomever you approve by your letters,
I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem. But
if it is fitting that I go also, they will go
with me. Now I will come to you when I pass through
Macedonia, for I am passing through Macedonia.
And it may be that I will remain, or even spend
the winter with you, that you may send me on
my journey wherever I go. For I do not wish to
see you now on the way, but I hope to stay a
while with you if the Lord permits. but i will
tarry in ephesus until pentecost for a great
and effective door has opened to me and there
are many adversaries and if timothy comes see
that he may be with you without fear for he does
the work of the lord as i also do therefore let
no one despise him but send him on his journey
in peace that he may come to me for i am waiting
for him with the brethren now concerning our
brother apollos I strongly urged him to come
to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling
to come at this time. However, he will come when
he has a convenient time. Watch, stand fast in
the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that
you do be done with love. I urge you, brethren,
you know the household of Stephanas, that it
is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they
have devoted themselves to the ministry of the
saints, that you also submit to such. and to
everyone who works and labors with us. I am glad
about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and
Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they
supplied, for they refreshed my spirit and yours.
Therefore acknowledge such men. The churches
of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet
you heartily in the Lord, with the church that
is in their house. All the brethren greet you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss. The salutation,
with my own hand, Paul's. If anyone does not
love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.
O Lord, come. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you. My love be with you, all in Christ
Jesus. Amen. I hope you enjoyed today's reading
as much as I did, and I look forward to seeing
you again tomorrow to continue on our journey.
God bless you and have a great day.