1 Corinthians 12:12-30

Expanded Bible

The Body of Christ Works Together

¹² A person’s body is ·one thing [a unity; ^Lone], but it has many parts. Though there are many parts to a body, all those parts make only one body. Christ is like that also. ¹³ Some of us are Jews, and some are Greeks. Some of us are slaves, and some are free. But we were all baptized into one body ·through [by; in] one Spirit. And we were all made to ·share in [^Ldrink of] the one Spirit.

¹⁴ [^LFor] The ·human body [^Lbody] is not made up of one part, but of many. ¹⁵ The foot might say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body.” But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body. ¹⁶ The ear might say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body.” But saying this would not stop the ear from being a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, ·it would not be able to [^Lhow would it…?] hear. If the whole body were an ear, ·it would not be able to [^Lhow would it…?] smell. If each part of the body were the same part, ·there would be no body [^Lwhere would the body be?]. But truly God put all the parts, each one of them, in the body as he wanted them. ²⁰ So then there are many parts, but only one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the foot, “I don’t need you!” ²² ·No! [^LOn the contrary,] Those parts of the body that seem to be the weaker are ·really necessary [essential; indispensable]. ²³ And the parts of the body we think are less ·deserving [honorable] are the parts to which we give ·the most [special; greater] honor. We ·give special respect to [or treat with special modesty] the parts ·we want to hide [that are shameful/unpresentable]. ²⁴ The more ·respectable [presentable] parts of our body need no special care. But God put the body together and gave ·more [special] honor to the parts that need it ²⁵ so ·our body would not be divided [or there would be no division in the body]. God wanted the different parts to care the same for each other. ²⁶ If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is ·honored [glorified], all the other parts ·share its honor [^Lrejoice with it].

²⁷ ·Together you [^LYou; ^Cthe Greek is plural] are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body. ²⁸ In the church God has ·given a place first to [appointed/placed first] apostles, second to prophets, and third to teachers, then those who do ·miracles [acts of powers], those who have gifts of healing, those who can help others, those who are able to ·govern [lead], and those who can speak ·in different languages [or with ecstatic utterance; ^Ldifferent kinds of tongues; v. 10]. ²⁹ ·Not all are apostles [^LNot all are apostles, are they? ^Cvv. 29–30 are all rhetorical questions assuming a negative answer]. Not all are prophets. Not all are teachers. Not all do miracles. ³⁰ Not all have gifts of healing. Not all speak ·in different languages [or with ecstatic utterance; ^Lin tongues]. Not all interpret those ·languages [^Ltongues].