Letters to the Churches

But much more the members of the body which seem to be more infirm are necessary,

and those that we think to be less honourable of the body, around these we put more abundant honour, and our unseemly things have seemliness more abundant,

and our seemly things have no need; but God did temper the body together, to the lacking part having given more abundant honour,

that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same anxiety for one another,

and whether one member doth suffer, suffer with it do all the members, or one member is glorified, rejoice with it do all the members;

and ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

And some, indeed, did God set in the assembly, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, afterwards powers, afterwards gifts of healings, helpings, governings, divers kinds of tongues;

are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all powers?

have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

and desire earnestly the better gifts; and yet a far excelling way do I shew to you:

If with the tongues of men and of messengers I speak, and have not love, I have become brass sounding, or a cymbal tinkling;

and if I have prophecy, and know all the secrets, and all the knowledge, and if I have all the faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing;

and if I give away to feed others all my goods, and if I give up my body that I may be burned, and have not love, I am profited nothing.

The love is long-suffering, it is kind, the love doth not envy, the love doth not vaunt itself, is not puffed up,

doth not act unseemly, doth not seek its own things, is not provoked, doth not impute evil,

rejoiceth not over the unrighteousness, and rejoiceth with the truth;

all things it beareth, all it believeth, all it hopeth, all it endureth.

The love doth never fail; and whether there be prophecies, they shall become useless; whether tongues, they shall cease; whether knowledge, it shall become useless;

for in part we know, and in part we prophecy;

and when that which is perfect may come, then that which is in part shall become useless.

When I was a babe, as a babe I was speaking, as a babe I was thinking, as a babe I was reasoning, and when I have become a man, I have made useless the things of the babe;

for we see now through a mirror obscurely, and then face to face; now I know in part, and then I shall fully know, as also I was known;

and now there doth remain faith, hope, love--these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Pursue the love, and seek earnestly the spiritual things, and rather that ye may prophecy,

for he who is speaking in an unknown tongue--to men he doth not speak, but to God, for no one doth hearken, and in spirit he doth speak secrets;