²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, ^[a]it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³ and those parts of the body which we ^[b]consider less honorable, ^[c]on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable, ²⁴ whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked, ²⁵ so that there may be no ^[d]division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is ^[e]honored, all the parts rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are ^(A)Christ’s body, and ^(B)individually parts of it. ²⁸ And God has ^[f](C)appointed in ^(D)the church, first ^(E)apostles, second ^(F)prophets, third ^(G)teachers, then ^[g](H)miracles, then ^(I)gifts of healings, helps, ^(J)administrations, and various ^(K)kinds of tongues. ²⁹ All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of ^[h]miracles, are they? ³⁰ All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not ^(L)interpret, do they? ³¹ But ^(M)earnestly desire the greater gifts.

And yet, I am going to show you a far better way.