1 Corinthians 12:21–27
No member can say to another, I do not need you
Study it word by word21And 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.
22On the contrary, much more the members of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary,
23and those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have greater decorum,
24whereas our presentable parts have no need. But God has put together the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacks it,
25so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may care equally for one another.
26And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if a member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it.
27Now you are the body of the Messiah and members individually.
In its context
19And if all were one member, where would the body be?
20But now there are many members, but one body.
…
28And God has placed some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administration, kinds of tongues.
29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
Its words in the original
- δύναταιdynatai· can, be able
Can, be able.
- ὀφθαλμὸςophthalmos· eye
Eye.
- εἰπεῖνeipein· say
Say, speak; in the passive, "be called".
- χειρίcheiri· hand
Hand.
- ΧρείανChreian· need
Need; what is lacking.
- ἔχωechō· have
Have, possess, hold.
- πάλινpalin· again
Again, once more; also "in turn".
- κεφαλὴkephalē· head
Head.
- ποσίνposin· foot
Foot.
- πολλῷpollōi· much, many
Much, great; in the plural, many.
- μᾶλλονmallon· more, rather
More, rather.
- δοκοῦνταdokounta· think, seem
Think, suppose, seem; also be held in high regard.
- μέληmelē· member, part
Member, limb, a part of the body; figuratively, each person as a part of a whole.
- σώματοςsōmatos· body
Body.
- ἀσθενέστεραasthenestera· weak, sick
Weak; sick.
- ὑπάρχεινhyparchein· be, exist
Be, exist, be present; "what one has", one's possessions.
- ἀναγκαῖάanankaia· necessary, close
Necessary, needed; of friends, close, intimate.
- ἐστινestin· be
Be, exist.
- ἀτιμότεραatimotera· without honor
Without honor, despised.
- τιμὴνtimēn· honor, price
Price; also honor.
- περισσοτέρανperissoteran· more, greater
More, greater; all the more.
- περιτίθεμενperitithemen· put around
Put around, place on.
- ἀσχήμοναaschēmona· unpresentable
Unpresentable, less honorable, not shown in public.
- εὐσχημοσύνηνeuschēmosynēn· propriety, dignity
Propriety, dignity, a good appearance.
- εὐσχήμοναeuschēmona· respected, prominent
Respected, of good standing; also proper, fitting.
- θεὸςtheos· God, god
God. In the plural or in another sense, "gods".
- συνεκέρασενsynekerasen· combine, blend
Combine, blend: put different parts together into one whole.
- ὑστεροῦντιhysterounti· run short, lack
Run short, lack; fall behind.
- δοὺςdous· give
Give.
- σχίσμαschisma· division
A tear; also division.
- ἀλλήλωνallēlōn· one another
One another, each other.
- μεριμνῶσιmerimnōsi· be anxious, care for
Be anxious, worry, be troubled; also care for, be concerned about someone or something.
- εἴτεeite· whether, or
"Whether ... or", "if".
- πάσχειpaschei· suffer
Suffer, undergo.
- ἓνhen· one
One.
- συμπάσχειsympaschei· suffer with
Suffer with, suffer together with another.
- δοξάζεταιdoxazetai· glorify
Glorify: honor, give glory.
- συγχαίρειsynchairei· rejoice with
Rejoice with someone, share their joy.
- ΧριστοῦChristou· Messiah
Messiah: literally "anointed", the king or envoy God consecrates with oil. It is a title, not a surname; in Hebrew, mashiach.
- μέρουςmerous· part
Part; in the plural, region, district.