1 Corinthians · Chapter 12

[ edit] Forſoþe of ſpiritual þingis, briþeren, I nyle ȝou for to vnknowe. Soþly ȝe witen, for whanne ȝe weren heþen men, as ȝe weren ledd goynge to doumbe ſymylacris. Þerfore I make knowun to ȝou, þat no man ſpekinge in þe ſpirit of God, ſeiþ departynge fro Jheſu; and no man may ſeye þe Lord Jheſu is, no but in þe Hooly Goſt. Soþli departingis of gracis ben, forſoþe þe ſame Spirit; and departyngis of ſeruyngis, forſoþe þe ſame Lord; and departingis of worchingis ben, forſoþ þe ſame God, þat worchiþ alle þingis in alle þingis. Forſoþ to ech man þe ſchewynge of ſpirit is ȝouun to profyt.

To anoþir forſoþ by ſpirit þe word of wyſdom is ȝouun; to anoþir ſoþli þe word of kunnynge, aftir þe ſame ſpirit; feiþ to anoþer, in þe ſame ſpirit; to anoþer, grace of heelþis, in o ſpirit; to anoþer, þe worchinge of vertues; to anoþer, propheſye; to anoþer, diſcreſcioun, or verrey knowynge, of ſpiritis; to anoþer, kyndis of tungis, or langagis; to anoþer, interpretynge, or expownyng, of wordis. Forſoþ alle þes þingis oon and þe ſame ſpirit worchiþ, departynge to ech by him ſilf as he wole. Soþli as þer is o body, and haþ many membris, forſoþ alle þe membris of þe body, whanne þei ben manye, ben o body, ſo and Criſt.

And ſoþeli in o ſpirit alle we ben baptiſid in to o body, eiþer Jewis, eiþer heþene, eiþer ſeruauntis, eiþer fre; and alle we han drunken in o ſpirit. Forwhi and þe body is not o membre, but manye. If þe foot ſchal ſeye, For I am not þe honde, I am not of þe body; not þerfore it is not of þe body. And if þe eere ſchal ſeye, For I am not þe yȝe, I am not of þe body; not þerfore it is not of þe body. If al þe body be yȝe, where is heringe? and if al þe body be heeringe, where is ſmellinge? Now forſoþ God haþ put membris, and ech of hem in þe body, as he wolde. Þat if alle weren o membre, where þe body? But now ſoþli many membris, ſoþli o body.

Forſoþ þe yȝe ſchal not mowe ſeye to þe hond, I haue no nede to þi werk; or eft þe heed to þe feet, Ȝe ben not neceſſarie to me. But moche more þo þat ben ſeyn for to be more ſyke, or lowere, membris of þe body, ben more nedeful; and to hem þat we geſſen for to be vnnoblere membris of þe body, we ȝyuen more honour in cumpas; and þo membris þat ben vnhoneſt, han more honeſte. Forſoþ oure honeſt membris of noon han nede; but God tempride þe body, ȝyuynge more worſchipe to it, to whom it failide, þat debaat be not in þe body, but þat þe membris ben biſy into þe ſame þing for ech oþir.

And if o membre ſuffriþ ony þing, alle membris ſuffren þerwiþ; eþir if o membre glorieþ, alle membris ioyen to gidere. Forſoþ ȝe ben þe body of Criſt, and membris of membre. And ſoþli God puttide ſumme in þe chirche, firſt apoſtlis, þe ſecunde tyme prophetis, þe þridde techeris, aftirward vertues, aftirward graces of heelingis, helpingis, gouernaylis, or gouernyngis, kyndis of langagis, interpretaciouns of wordis. Wher alle apoſtlis? wher alle prophetis? wher alle techeris? wher alle vertues? wher alle men han grace of heelingis? wher alle ſpeken wiþ langages? wher alle interpreten, or expownen? Forſoþ ſue ȝe þe bettere goſtli ȝyftis. And ȝit I ſchewe to ȝou a more excellent, or worþi, weye.