Log In/Sign Up
Font Size
Listen to 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
Unity and Diversity in the Body
12Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,(A) so it is with Christ.(B) 13For we were all baptized(C) by[a] one Spirit(D) so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free(E)—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.(F) 14Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.(G)
15Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has placed(H) the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.(I) 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.(J)
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27Now you are the body of Christ,(K) and each one of you is a part of it.(L)
Read full chapter
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 Or with; or in
Cross references
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 : S Ro 12:5
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 : ver 27
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 : S Mk 1:8
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 : Eph 2:18
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 : Gal 3:28; Col 3:11
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 : Jn 7:37-39
- 1 Corinthians 12:14 : ver 12, 20
- 1 Corinthians 12:18 : ver 28
- 1 Corinthians 12:18 : ver 11
- 1 Corinthians 12:20 : ver 12, 14; S Ro 12:5
- 1 Corinthians 12:27 : Eph 1:23; 4:12; Col 1:18, 24
- 1 Corinthians 12:27 : S Ro 12:5
Unity and Diversity in One Body(A)
12For (B)as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, (C)so also is Christ. 13For (D)by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—(E)whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and (F)have all been made to drink [a]into one Spirit. 14For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18But now (G)God has set the members, each one of them, in the body (H)just as He pleased. 19And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25that there should be no [b]schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27Now (I)you are the body of Christ, and (J)members individually.
Read full chapter
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 NU omits into
- 1 Corinthians 12:25 division
Cross references
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 : cf. Eph. 4:1–16
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 : Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 10:17; Eph. 4:4
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 : [Gal. 3:16]
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 : [Rom. 6:5]
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 : Rom. 3:22; Gal. 3:28; [Eph. 2:13–18]; Col. 3:11
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 : [John 7:37–39]
- 1 Corinthians 12:18 : 1 Cor. 12:28
- 1 Corinthians 12:18 : Rom. 12:3
- 1 Corinthians 12:27 : Rom. 12:5; Eph. 1:23; 4:12; 5:23, 30; Col. 1:24
- 1 Corinthians 12:27 : Eph. 5:30
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.