The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NET. Switch to the NET to read along with the audio.
Gifts and ministries
27 Now you together are the Messiah’s body, and individually you are members of it. 28 In the church, God has placed apostles first, then prophets, then teachers, then powerful deeds, then gifts of healing, helpful deeds, organizational gifts, different types of languages. 29 Not everyone is an apostle, are they? Not everyone is a prophet! Not everyone is a teacher! Not everyone does powerful deeds! 30 Not everyone has gifts of healing! Not everyone speaks with tongues! Not everyone interprets!
31 You should be eager for the better kinds of gifts.
The need for love and the character of love
Now I’m going to show you a better way, a much better way.
13 If I speak in human languages, or even in those of angels, but do not have love,
then I’ve become a clanging gong or else
a clashing cymbal. 2 And if I should have
prophetic gifts, and know all mysteries,
all knowledge, too; have faith, to move the mountains,
but have no love—I’m nothing. 3 If I give
all my possessions to the poor, and, for pride’s sake,
my very body, but do not have love,
it’s useless to me.
4 Love’s great-hearted; love is kind,
knows no jealousy, makes no fuss,
is not puffed up, 5 no shameless ways,
doesn’t force its rightful claim,
doesn’t rage or bear a grudge,
6 doesn’t cheer at others’ harm,
rejoices, rather, in the truth.
7 Love bears all things, believes all things,
love hopes all things, endures all things.
Love: the bridge to God’s future
8 Love never fails. But prophecies will be
abolished; tongues will stop; and knowledge, too,
be done away. 9 We know, you see, in part;
we prophesy in part; 10 but, with perfection,
the partial is abolished. 11 As a child
I spoke, and thought, and reasoned like a child;
when I grew up, I threw off childish ways.
12 For at the moment all that we can see
are puzzling reflections in a mirror;
then, face to face. I know in part, for now;
but then I’ll know completely, through and through,
even as I’m completely known. 13 So, now,
faith, hope, and love remain, these three; and, of them,
love is the greatest.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.