1 NOW concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. [ I will teach you why you are given them and their purpose.]

2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, [ before you became a member of the church. ] carried away unto these dumb idols, [ These idols who cannot and do not speak. Jewish tradition states that when Abraham was young he tried to convince his father, (Terah or Térach (Hebrew: תֶּרַח – Téraḥ, in pausa תָּרַח – Tā́raḥ, "ibex, wild goat" or "wanderer; loiterer"), of the folly of idol worship. One day, when Abram was left alone to mind the store, he took a hammer and smashed all of the idols except the largest one. He placed the hammer in the hand of the largest idol. When his father returned and asked what happened, Abram said, "The idols got into a fight, and the big one smashed all the other ones." His father said, "Don't be ridiculous. These idols have no life or power. They can't do anything." Abram replied, "Then why do you worship them?" source: Judaism 101] even as ye were led.

3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God [ HE has set this up perfectly - he first compares the false religions to dumb idols - ones that cannot speak. Now he suggests that the spirit will speak to you and tell you what to bear witnes of and what you cannot bear witness to. ] calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. [ What is Paul implying is the element that we must have if we to testify of Jesus Christ? We must each gain our own personal witness - our personal testimony that Jesus is the Christ. ]

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, [ "carismatwn?" or Gracious endowments, leading to miraculous results. Or there are many wonderful gifts of the spirit that God has granted unto man for his use. Moroni 10 for a similar discussion on spiritual gifts. ] but the same Spirit. [ the Holy Ghost is responsible to oversee the gifts of the spirit. So while there are many gifts - they all come from one source. So what correalation is Pauls using between our ability to testify of Jesus Chraist and spiritual gifts? That they are both results of the Holy Spirit. ]

5 And there are differences of administrations, [ "diakoniwn?" Various offices in the Church, such as apostle, prophet, and teacher;] but the same Lord. [ Jesus Christ is responsible to organize the church on the earth that was one of his missions when he was sent here. ]

6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. [ These last 3 versus kind of out line the various roles of each of the members of the Godhead. Heavenly Father is over everything. He has set the church up through the administration of his son, and the Holy Ghost is responsible to oversee the gifts of the spirit. ]

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit [ fanerwsiv tou pneumatov - This is variably understood by the fathers; some of them rendering fanerwsiv by illumination, others demonstration, and others operation.] is given to every man to profit withal. [ So what does he say is the purpose of these spiritual gifts? Or whatever gifts God has bestowed, or in what various ways whatsoever the Spirit of God may manifest itself, it is for the common benefit of the Church. God has given no gift to any man for his own private advantage, or exclusive profit. He has it for the benefit of others as well as for his own salvation. So going forward here I would like to address each of the gifts, identify what the gift is and how it benefits others? ]

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; [ What does that mean? To have the same wisdom as God has, to understand the working of men and how to effect change - real change in the lives of people. Real wisdom is the proper application of knowledge. So how does this gift of the one help everyone? ]] to another the word of knowledge [ Knowledge of what? The mysteries of God; or the understanding of how God works, the gospel, the plan of salvation, the saving ordinances of the gospel. In other wirds the same knowledge acquired by Abraham, Issac, Enoch, Jacob... So how does this gift of the one help everyone? ] by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith [ What are the benefits of having faith? 1) For yourself if we have faith on the Savior then we can recieve the blessings that he has promised through the atonement, we can change, we can gain forgiviness, with faith the power of Christ become limitless in our lives. 2) Now as to faith in working miracles - the Lord has told us that the world was created by faith - so then with proper faith all things are possible. So how does this gift of the one help everyone? ] by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing [ Specifically the ablity to work the miracles or restoring proper health both physical and mental to those who are mamed. So how does this gift of the one help everyone? ] by the same Spirit;

10 To another the working of miracles; [ How does one work miracles? It can be done both with the priesthood as well as without the Priesthood. How does one work miracles without the preisthood? When one puts their life in tune with the commands of God they will act in the exact manner that God would act if he were in that situtation. This leads one to do things that otherwise might not be possible - hence they are called miracles. How do we see them? Genealogy work, showing up and offerring a helpping hand at the right time. While these kind of miracles do not seem like a miracle often to those who gave the service - they very much are miracles to those who were in need and asked the Lord for help. How does one work miracles with the priesthood? Acting as the mortal mouthpiece for God the earthly elements are influenced to behave as directed under the direction of the mouthpiece who is speaking for God.The point is also that no one gift is above another gift. All have equal merit, all are needed equally, and we all do not have the same gifts as will be further discussed in verse 12 - 27; we need each of them.. D&C 82:20-21 Power of God is manifest in the ordinances of the priesthood. Why do some people just seem to have more miracles in their life? ] to another prophecy; [ What is the gift of prophecy? The ability to make decisions based on a knowledge of how things will be at sometime in the future. declaration of future events. How does the gift of prophecy help others? ] to another discerning of spirits; [ What is the gift of discerning spirits? A gift by which the person so privileged could discern a false miracle from a true one, knowledge that someone is teaching things which are not true, pretenders of righteousiness, How does one use the gift of discerning spirits to profith all? ] to another divers kinds of tongues; [ "genh glwsswn", Different languages, which they had never learned What is the gift of diverse tongues? How does one use the gift of diverse tongues to help others? ] to another the interpretation of tongues: [ To understand a language to whihc you have had no learning or experience with. so we might ask ourselves which of those gifts is the most important? None they all have there purpose. What are some Spiritual gifts you may not have thought of? Elder Marvin J. Ashton shared these examples of what he called “less-conspicuous gifts” of the Spirit: “The gift of asking; the gift of listening;; the gift of hearing aand using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention;; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous;; the gift of not passing judgment;; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple;; the gift of caring for others;; the gift of being able to ponder;; the gift of offering prayer;; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony;; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost” (“There Are Many Gifts,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 20). ]

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, [ Each of these are gifts of the spirit. ] dividing to every man severally as he will. [ The Holy Ghost is responsible to determine who gets what gifts of the spirit - I would ad the caveat that this is under the direction of Heavenly Father who gave us our personal plan for salvation and the gifts that we would need to rely on in order to succeed here on earth. ]

Read 12 - 21 together. As Paul trys to teach further the purpose of gifts. 12 For as the body is one, [ Paul will use our body as a proof of what he wants to say. ] and hath many members, [ The foot and hand vs15, the ear and eye vs16 ] and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, [ Now Paul begins to bring his message forward that he is not talking literally about the body and it functions but rather the church and its members. So now we know the intent. ] whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

14 For the body is not one member, but many.

15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? [ What do you think Paul is trying to say here in these past 2 verses? ]

17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? [ The answer is obvious - there would be none. So we need both in order to function properly. ] If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, [ As to the body of the church we are all members and each of us brings our individual talents. Wirhout one we are missing we need everyone in oorder to bring the good for everyone. ] as it hath pleased him.

19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. [ We bring all of our talents together and act as one for the betterment of everyone. ]

21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. [ No ones talents are needed more than another and none are needed less than another. We can’t say that one gift is greater than another—they are all needed, all important, all a part of the Plan. The danger lies in discounting and neglecting our own gifts if we never think they are enough and spend our time worrying that we should also have the gifts someone else has been given. 1 Timothy 3:14 warns us “Neglect not the gift that is in thee.” That gift is enough.]

22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

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

28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

31  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. [ The Concordant Literal NT renders this verse a little clearer as: Yet be zealous for the greater graces. And still I am showing you a path suited to transcendence. Where Paul is referring to the subsequent ch. 13 and its discourse on love. ]