The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smellling?

But nowe hath God disposed the members euery one of them in the bodie at his owne pleasure.

For if they were all one member, where were the body?

But now are there many members, yet but one body.

And the eye cannot say vnto the hand, I haue no neede of thee: nor the head againe to the feete, I haue no neede of you.

Yea, much rather those members of the body, which seeme to be more feeble, are necessarie.

And vpon those members of the body, which wee thinke most vnhonest, put wee more honestie on: and our vncomely parts haue more comelinesse on.

For our comely partes neede it not: but God hath tempered the body together, and hath giuen the more honour to that part which lacked,

Lest there should be any diuision in the body: but that the members shoulde haue the same care one for another.

Therefore if one member suffer, all suffer with it: if one member be had in honour, all the members reioyce with it.

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members for your part.

And God hath ordained some in the Church: as first Apostles, secondly Prophetes, thirdly teachers, then them that doe miracles: after that, the giftes of healing, helpers, gouernours, diuersitie of tongues.

Are all Apostles? are all Prophetes? are all teachers?

Are all doers of miracles? haue all the gifts of healing? doe all speake with tongues? doe all interprete?

But desire you the best giftes, and I will yet shewe you a more excellent way.

Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels, and haue not loue, I am as sounding brasse, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I had the gift of prophecie, and knewe all secrets and all knowledge, yea, if I had all faith, so that I could remooue mountaines and had not loue, I were nothing.

And though I feede the poore with all my goods, and though I giue my body, that I be burned, and haue not loue, it profiteth me nothing.

Loue suffreth long: it is bountifull: loue enuieth not: loue doeth not boast it selfe: it is not puffed vp:

It doeth no vncomely thing: it seeketh not her owne things: it is not prouoked to anger: it thinketh not euill:

It reioyceth not in iniquitie, but reioyceth in the trueth:

It suffreth all things: it beleeueth all things: it hopeth all things: it endureth all things.

Loue doeth neuer fall away, though that prophecyings be abolished, or the tongues cease, or knowledge vanish away.

For we knowe in part, and we prophecie in part.

But when that which is perfect, is come, then that which is in part, shalbe abolished.

When I was a childe, I spake as a childe, I vnderstoode as a childe, I thought as a childe: but when I became a man, I put away childish thinges.

For nowe we see through a glasse darkely: but then shall wee see face to face. Nowe I know in part: but then shall I know euen as I am knowen.

And nowe abideth faith, hope and loue, euen these three: but the chiefest of these is loue.

Followe after loue, and couet spirituall giftes, and rather that ye may prophecie.

For hee that speaketh a strange tongue, speaketh not vnto men, but vnto God: for no man heareth him: howbeit in the spirit he speaketh secret things.

But he that prophecieth, speaketh vnto me to edifying, and to exhortation, and to comfort.

He that speaketh strange language, edifieth himselfe: but hee that prophecieth, edifieth the Church.

I would that ye all spake strange languages, but rather that ye prophecied: for greater is hee that prophecieth, then hee that speaketh diuers tongues, except hee expound it, that the Church may receiue edification.

And nowe, brethren, if I come vnto you speaking diuers tongues, what shall I profite you, except I speake to you, either by reuelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecying, or by doctrine?

Moreouer things without life which giue a sounde, whether it be a pipe or an harpe, except they make a distinction in the soundes, how shall it be knowen what is piped or harped?

And also if the trumpet giue an vncertaine sound, who shall prepare himselfe to battell?

So likewise you, by the tongue, except yee vtter wordes that haue signification, howe shall it be vnderstand what is spoken? for ye shall speake in the ayre.

There are so many kindes of voyces (as it commeth to passe) in the world, and none of them is dumme.

Except I know then the power of ye voyce, I shall be vnto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh, shalbe a barbarian vnto me.

Euen so, forasmuch as ye couet spirituall giftes, seeke that ye may excell vnto the edifying of the Church.

Wherefore, let him that speaketh a strange tongue, pray, that he may interprete.

For if I pray in a strange togue, my spirit prayeth: but mine vnderstading is without fruite.

What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, but I wil pray with the vnderstanding also: I wil sing with the spirite, but I will sing with the vnderstanding also.

Else, when thou blessest with the spirit, howe shall hee that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned, say Amen, at thy giuing of thankes, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest?

For thou verely giuest thankes well, but the other is not edified.

I thanke my God, I speake languages more then ye all.

Yet had I rather in the Church to speake fiue wordes with mine vnderstanding, that I might also instruct others, then ten thousande wordes in a strange tongue.

Brethren, be not children in vnderstanding, but as concerning maliciousnes be children, but in vnderstanding be of a ripe age.

In the Lawe it is written, By men of other tongues, and by other languages will I speake vnto this people: yet so shall they not heare me, sayth the Lord.

Wherefore strange tongues are for a signe, not to them that beleeue, but to them that beleeue not: but prophecying serueth not for them that beleeue not, but for them which beleeue.

If therefore when the whole Church is come together in one, and all speake strange tongues, there come in they that are vnlearned, or they which beleeue not, will they not say, that ye are out of your wittes?

But if all prophecie, and there come in one that beleeueth not, or one vnlearned, hee is rebuked of all men, and is iudged of all,

And so are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and so he will fall downe on his face and worship God, and say plainely that God is in you in deede.

What is to be done then, brethren? when ye come together, according as euery one of you hath a Psalme, or hath doctrine, or hath a tongue, or hath reuelation, or hath interpretation, let all things be done vnto edifying.

If any man speake a strange tongue, let it be by two, or at the most, by three, and that by course, and let one interprete.

But if there be no interpreter, let him keepe silence in the Church, which speaketh languages, and let him speake to himselfe, and to God.

Let the Prophets speake two, or three, and let the other iudge.

And if any thing be reueiled to another that sitteth by, let the first holde his peace.

For ye may all prophecie one by one, that all may learne, and all may haue comfort.

And the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets.

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as we see in all ye Churches of the Saints.

Let your women keepe silence in the Churches: for it is not permitted vnto them to speake: but they ought to be subiect, as also the Lawe sayth.

And if they will learne any thing, let them aske their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speake in the Church.

Came the worde of God out from you? either came it vnto you onely?

If any man thinke him selfe to be a Prophet, or spirituall, let him acknowledge, that the things, that I write vnto you, are the commandements of the Lord.

And if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

Wherefore, brethren, couet to prophecie, and forbid not to speake languages.

Let all things be done honestly, and by order.

Moreouer brethren, I declare vnto you the Gospel, which I preached vnto you, which ye haue also receiued, and wherein ye continue,

And whereby ye are saued, if ye keepe in memorie, after what maner I preached it vnto you, except ye haue beleeued in vaine.

For first of all, I deliuered vnto you that which I receiued, how that Christ died for our sinnes, according to the Scriptures,

And that he was buried, and that he arose the third day, according to the Scriptures,

And that he was seene of Cephas, then of the twelue.

After that, he was seene of more then fiue hudreth brethren at once: whereof many remaine vnto this present, and some also are asleepe.

After that, he was seene of Iames: then of all the Apostles.

And last of all he was seene also of me, as of one borne out of due time.

For I am the least of the Apostles, which am not meete to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.

But by the grace of God, I am that I am: and his grace which is in me, was not in vaine: but I laboured more aboundantly then they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which is with me.

Wherefore, whether it were I, or they, so we preach, and so haue ye beleeued.

Now if it be preached, that Christ is risen from the dead, how say some among you, that there is no resurrection of the dead?

For if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vaine, and your faith is also vaine.

And we are found also false witnesses of God: for we haue testified of God, that he hath raised vp Christ: whome he hath not raised vp, if so be the dead be not raised.

For if the dead be not raised, then is Christ not raised.

And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vaine: ye are yet in your sinnes.

And so they which are a sleepe in Christ, are perished.

If in this life onely wee haue hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable.

But nowe is Christ risen from the dead, and was made the first fruites of them that slept.

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, euen so in Christ shall all be made aliue,

But euery man in his owne order: the first fruites is Christ, afterward, they that are of Christ, at his comming shall rise againe.

Then shalbe the end, when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God, euen the Father, when he hath put downe all rule, and all authoritie and power.

For he must reigne till hee hath put all his enemies vnder his feete.

The last enemie that shalbe destroyed, is death.

For he hath put downe all things vnder his feete. (And when he saith that all things are subdued to him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put downe all things vnder him.)

And when all things shalbe subdued vnto him, then shall the Sonne also himselfe be subiect vnto him, that did subdue all things vnder him, that God may be all in all.

Els what shall they doe which are baptized for dead? if the dead rise not at all, why are they then baptized for dead?

Why are wee also in ieopardie euery houre?

By your reioycing which I haue in Christ Iesus our Lord, I die dayly.

If I haue fought with beastes at Ephesus after ye maner of men, what aduantageth it me, if the dead be not raised vp? let vs eate and drinke: for to morowe we shall die.