1 Corinthians 12:17

1 Corinthians 12:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
• New International Version (NIV)If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
• English Standard Version (ESV)If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?
• New Living Translation (NLT)If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

Context of 1 Corinthians 12:17

15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

1 Corinthians 12:17 word by word

εἰ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα ὀφθαλμός, ποῦ ἡ ἀκοή; εἰ ὅλον ἀκοή, ποῦ ἡ ὄσφρησις;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• the wholeὅλοςholos · allG3650
• bodyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983
• an eyeὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
• whereποῦpou · where?G4226
• the hearingἀκοήakoē · hearingG189
• the smellingὄσφρησιςosphrēsis · sense of smellG3750

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 12:17

• 1 Corinthians 12:21And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
• 1 Samuel 9:9(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he spoke thus: “Come, let us go to the seer”; for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.)
• Psalms 94:9He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see?
• Psalms 139:13For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
• Proverbs 20:12The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made them both.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 12:17

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17If the whole body … - The idea in this verse is, that all the parts of the body are useful in their proper place, and that it would be as absurd to require or expect that all the members of the church should have the same endowments, as it would be to attempt to make the body “all eye.” If all were the same; if all had the same endowments, important offices which are now secured by the other members would be unknown. All, therefore, are to be satisfied…Read the comment
• 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. 1717. Superior as the eye is, it would not do if it were the sole member to the exclusion of the rest.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 12:17

• 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