Book of Common Prayer

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. ²³ And the things of the body which we are thinking to be more-without-honor, on these we are putting-on^[e] more honor. Indeed our private^[f] parts have more^[g] presentability^[h], ²⁴ but our presentable parts have no need^[i]. But God blended-together the body, having given more honor to the body-part lacking, ²⁵ in order that there should not be division in the body, but that the body-parts should be having the same concern for one another. ²⁶ And if one body-part is suffering, all the body-parts are suffering-with it. If one body-part is being glorified, all the body-parts are rejoicing-with it.

Who Do You Disciples Say That I Am? Peter Says, You Are The Messiah

²⁷ And Jesus and His disciples went forth into the villages of Philip’s^[a] Caesarea. And on the way, He was questioning His disciples, saying to them “Who do people say that I am?” ²⁸ And the ones spoke to Him, saying “That You are John the Baptist. And others, Elijah. But others, that You are one of the prophets”. ²⁹ And He was questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Having responded, Peter says to Him “You are the Christ”. ³⁰ And He warned them that they should be telling no one about Him.

Jesus Began To Teach Them That He Must Die And Be Raised. Peter Rebukes Him

³¹ And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and rise-up after three days. ³² And He was stating the matter with openness. And Peter, having taken Him aside, began to rebuke Him. ³³ But the One, having turned around, and having looked-at^[b] His disciples, rebuked Peter. And He says “Get behind Me, Satan— because you are not thinking the things of God, but the things of humans”.

Deny Yourself, Take Up Your Cross, And Follow Me. Some Here Will See My Kingdom

³⁴ And having summoned the crowd with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be following after Me, let him deny himself ^[c] and take up his cross^[d], and be following Me. ³⁵ For whoever wants to save^[e] his life^[f] will lose it. But whoever will lose his life for the sake of Me and the good-news will save it. ³⁶ For what does it profit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit^[g] his life^[h]? ³⁷ For what might a person give in-exchange-for his life? ³⁸ For whoever is ashamed-of Me and My words in this adulterous^[i] and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels”. 9 ¹ And^[j] He was saying to them, “Truly I say to you that there are some of the ones standing here who will by-no-means taste death until^[k] they see the kingdom of God having come in power”.