1 Corinthians 12:12-22

Disciples’ Literal New Testament

For The Body of Christ Is Like The Human Body

¹² For just as the [human] body is one [body]; and it has many body-parts; and all the body-parts of the [human] body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.^[a]

It Is One Body With One Spirit

¹³ For indeed with^[b] one Spirit, we all were baptized into one body^[c]— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free. And we all were given one Spirit to drink.

It Has Many Body Parts Placed By God

¹⁴ For indeed the body is not one body-part, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body”, it is not for this reason not a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body”, it is not for this reason not a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were an ear, where would the smelling be? ¹⁸ But now^[d], God placed the body-parts— each one of them— in the body, just as He wanted. ¹⁹ And if all were one body-part, where would the body be?

All Body Parts Are Needed For The Healthy Functioning of The One Body

²⁰ But now, there are many body-parts— but one body! ²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not have need of you”. Or again the head to the feet, “I do not have need of you”. ²² On the contrary, much rather the body-parts of the body seeming to be weaker are necessary.