Johnansweredand said,"A mancanreceivenothingunlessit has beengivenhim from heaven.
Everygoodthing givenand everyperfectgiftis from above,coming downfrom the Fatherof lights,with whomthereis novariationorshiftingshadow.
For whoregards you as superior?Whatdo you havethat you did not receive?And ifyou did receiveit, whydo you boastas ifyou had not receivedit?
But by the graceof GodI amwhatI am,and His gracetowardme did not provevain;but I laboredeven morethan allof them, yetnot I, but the graceof Godwith me.
"But the LORDtookme from followingthe flockand the LORDsaidto me, 'Goprophesyto My peopleIsrael.'
"To onehe gavefivetalents,to another,two,and to another,one,eachaccordingto his ownability;and he went on his journey.
But as for me, I have not hurriedaway from [being] a shepherdafterYou, Norhave I longedfor the woefulday;You Yourselfknowthat the utteranceof my lipsWas in Your presence.
"BeforeI formedyou in the wombI knewyou, And beforeyou were bornI consecratedyou; I have appointedyou a prophetto the nations."
"It will comeabout that the rodof the manwhomI choosewill sprout.Thus I will lessenfrom upon Myself the grumblingsof the sonsof Israel,whoare grumblingagainstyou."
For thisI was appointeda preacherand an apostle(I am tellingthe truth,I am not lying)as a teacherof the Gentilesin faithand truth.
"The baptismof Johnwas from what[source], from heavenorfrom men?"And they [began] reasoningamongthemselves,saying,"Ifwe say,'From heaven,'He will sayto us, 'Thenwhydid you not believehim?'
Since we havegiftsthat differaccordingto the gracegivento us, [each of us is to exercise them accordingly]: ifprophecy,accordingto the proportionof his faith;
"[It is] likea manaway on a journey,[who] upon leavinghis houseand puttinghis slavesin charge,[assigning] to each onehis task,alsocommandedthe doorkeeperto stay on the alert.
Paul,an apostleof ChristJesusby the willof God,To the saintswho are at Ephesusand [who are] faithfulin ChristJesus:
Paul,an apostle(not [sent] from mennorthroughthe agencyof man,but throughJesusChristand Godthe Father,who raisedHim from the dead),
But oneand the sameSpiritworksallthese things,distributingto each oneindividuallyjustas He wills.
Whatthenis Apollos?And whatis Paul?Servantsthroughwhomyou believed,evenas the Lordgave[opportunity] to each one.
throughwhomwe have receivedgraceand apostleshipto bring about[the] obedienceof faithamongallthe Gentilesfor His name'ssake,
Paul,called[as] an apostleof JesusChristby the willof God,and Sosthenesour brother,
And He was saying,"For thisreasonI have saidto you, that no onecancometo Me unlessit has beengrantedhim from the Father."
Manycameto Him and were saying,"WhileJohnperformednosign,yeteverythingJohnsaidaboutthis manwas true."
