1 Corinthians 12:21

1 Corinthians 12:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
• New International Version (NIV)The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And 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.”

Context of 1 Corinthians 12:21

19And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

1 Corinthians 12:21 word by word

οὐ δύναται δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς εἰπεῖν τῇ χειρί· χρείαν σου οὐκ ἔχω, ἢ πάλιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῖς ποσίν· χρείαν ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔχω·Read the interlinear

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• the eyeὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
• cannotδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• ·οὐou · noG3756
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto the handὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• unto the handχείρcheir · handG5495
• I haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• needχρείαchreia · needG5532
• of theeσύsu · youG4771
• norἤē · orG2228
• againπάλινpalin · againG3825
• the headκεφαλήkephalē · headG2776
• to the feetπούςpous · footG4228

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 12:21

• Numbers 10:31And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.
• 1 Samuel 25:32And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Yhwh God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me:
• Ezra 10:1Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
• Nehemiah 4:16And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the armour; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
• Job 29:11When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 12:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee - The apostle goes on, with his principal object in view, to show that the gifts and graces with which their different teachers were endowed were all necessary for their salvation, and should be collectively used; for not one of them was unnecessary, nor could they dispense with the least of them; the body of Christ needed the whole for its nourishment and support. The famous apologue of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21And the eye cannot say unto the hand … - The hand in its place is as needful as the eye; and the feet as the head. Nay, the eye and the head could not perform their appropriate functions, or would be in a great measure useless but for the aid of the hands and feet. Each is useful in its proper place. So in the church. Those that are most talented and most richly endowed with gifts, cannot say to those less so, that there is no need of their aid. All are…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. 2121. The higher cannot dispense with the lower members.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 12:21

• 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