You remember the lives you lived before you were believers. You let yourselves be influenced and led away to worship idols —things that have no life.
So I tell you that no one who is speaking with the help of God's Spirit says, "Jesus be cursed." And no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," without the help of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit gives to one person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy, and to another the ability to know the difference between good and evil spirits. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of languages, and to another the ability to interpret those languages.
Some of us are Jews and some of us are not; some of us are slaves and some of us are free. But we were all baptized to become one body through one Spirit. And we were all given the one Spirit.
If each part of the body were the same part, there would be no body. But as it is, God put the parts in the body as he wanted them. He made a place for each one.
And the parts that we think are not worth very much are the parts we give the most care to. And we give special care to the parts of the body that we don't want to show.
And in the church God has given a place first to apostles, second to prophets, and third to teachers. Then God has given a place to those who do miracles, those who have gifts of healing, those who can help others, those who are able to lead, and those who can speak in different kinds of languages.
Continue to give your attention to the spiritual gifts you consider to be the greatest. But I want to point out a way of life that is even greater. And now I will show you the best way of all.