1 Corinthians 12:16

1 Corinthians 12:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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?

Context of 1 Corinthians 12:16

14A person's body does not have only one part. It has many parts. 15If the foot could speak, it might say, ‘I am not a hand, so I do not belong to this body.’ But what it says makes no difference. It is still a part of the body. If the ear could speak, it might say, ‘I am not an eye, so I do not belong to this body.’ But what it says makes no difference. It still belongs to the body. 17If the whole body was an eye, the body would not hear anything. If the whole body was an ear, it would not recognize different smells. 18But God has decided where each different part of our body should be.

1 Corinthians 12:16 word by word

καὶ ἐὰν εἴπῃ τὸ οὖς· ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὀφθαλμός, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ σώματος, οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• the earὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the earοὖςous · earG3775
• shall sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• I amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the eyeὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• itοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• thereforeπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 12:16

• Romans 12:3God has been kind to me so that I can serve him. Because of that, I say this to every one of you: Do not think that you are better than you really are. Instead, think about yourself carefully. Decide how much God has helped you to trust him. Then you will know how to serve him well.
• Philippians 2:3In the way that you live, do not just try to help yourself. Do not be proud. Instead, respect other people. Think about other people as more important than yourself.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 12:16

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-26Verses 12-26 Christ and his church form one body, as Head and members. Christians become members of this body by baptism. The outward rite is of Divine institution; it is a sign of the new birth, and is called therefore the washing of regeneration, Tit 3:5. But it is by the Spirit, only by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, that we are made members of Christ's body. And by communion with Christ at the Lord's supper, we are strengthened, not by drinking the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-21These verses shift from the image of a physical body to the image of the church as a spiritual body. Every part of the body is important and essential for it to work well. Believers should not brag about their spiritual roles or think less of them compared to others. God, who created the body, has placed each part exactly where he wants it (12:18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311Co 12:1-31. The Use and the Abuse of Spiritual Gifts, Especially Prophesying and Tongues. This is the second subject for correction in the Corinthian assemblies: the "first" was discussed (1Co 11:18-34). 1. spiritual gifts--the signs of the Spirit's continued efficacious presence in the Church, which is Christ's body, the complement of His incarnation, as the body is the complement of the head. By the love which pervades the whole, the gifts of the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 12:16

• Church

In the dictionaries

• Administration
• Bond
• Covet
• Temper
• Tongues, Gift of
• Church Government
• Communion; (fellowship)
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Ephesians, Epistle to the
• Gift

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings