²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

³ For by the grace given me^(A) I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,^{(B) 5} so in Christ we, though many, form one body,^(C) and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts,^(D) according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying,^(E) then prophesy in accordance with your^[a] faith;^{(F) 7} if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;^{(G) 8} if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;^(H) if it is giving, then give generously;^(I) if it is to lead,^[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.