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1 Corinthians 12:12-31
New International Version
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
New International Version
Unity and Diversity in the Body
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,(A) so it is with Christ.(B) 13 For 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) 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.(G)
15 Now 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. 16 And 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. 17 If 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? 18 But in fact God has placed(H) the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.(I) 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.(J)
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.
27 Now you are the body of Christ,(K) and each one of you is a part of it.(L) 28 And God has placed in the church(M) first of all apostles,(N) second prophets,(O) third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,(P) of helping, of guidance,(Q) and of different kinds of tongues.(R) 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[b]?(S) Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire(T) the greater gifts.
Love Is Indispensable
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 Or with; or in
- 1 Corinthians 12:30 Or other languages
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
New King James Version
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
New King James Version
Unity and Diversity in One Body(A)
12 For (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. 13 For (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. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now (G)God has set the members, each one of them, in the body (H)just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And 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.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And 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, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no [b]schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now (I)you are the body of Christ, and (J)members individually. 28 And (K)God has appointed these in the church: first (L)apostles, second (M)prophets, third teachers, after that (N)miracles, then (O)gifts of healings, (P)helps, (Q)administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But (R)earnestly desire the [c]best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 NU omits into
- 1 Corinthians 12:25 division
- 1 Corinthians 12:31 NU greater
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
New English Translation
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
New English Translation
Different Members in One Body
12 For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body—though many—are one body, so too is Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves[a] or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not a single member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Since I am not a hand, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. 16 And if the ear says, “Since I am not an eye, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. 17 If the whole body were an eye, what part would do the hearing? If the whole were an ear, what part would exercise the sense of smell? 18 But as a matter of fact, God has placed each of the members in the body just as he decided. 19 If they were all the same member, where would the body be? 20 So now there are many members, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” nor in turn can the head say to the foot, “I do not need you.” 22 On the contrary, those members that seem to be weaker are essential, 23 and those members we consider less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our unpresentable members are clothed with dignity,[b] 24 but our presentable members do not need this. Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honor to the lesser member, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but the members may have mutual concern for one another. 26 If one member suffers, everyone suffers with it. If a[c] member is honored, all rejoice with it.
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and each of you is a member of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, gifts of healing, helps, gifts of leadership, different kinds of tongues. 29 Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform miracles, do they? 30 Not all have gifts of healing, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all interpret, do they?[d] 31 But you should be eager for the greater gifts.
And now I will show you a way that is beyond comparison.[e]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 12:13 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:21.
- 1 Corinthians 12:23 tn Grk “have greater propriety (or decorum, presentability).”
- 1 Corinthians 12:26 tc ‡ Before μέλος (melos, “member”) the great majority of witnesses read ἕν (hen, “one”; א2 C D F G Ψ 0285 33 1881 M latt sy), while the most significant of the Alexandrian mss omit it (P46 א* A B 1739). The addition of ἕν appears to be motivated by its presence earlier in the verse with μέλος and the parallel structure of the two conditional clauses in this verse, while little reason can be given for its absence (although accidental oversight is of course possible, it is not likely that all these witnesses should have overlooked it). NA28 has the word in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
- 1 Corinthians 12:30 sn The questions in vv. 29-30 all expect a negative response.
- 1 Corinthians 12:31 tn Grk “a still more excellent way.” In this context the phrase has an elative rather than a comparative sense, however.
New International Version (NIV) 
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New English Translation (NET)
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