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

19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20But now there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot tell the hand, “I don’t need you!” or in turn the head to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be less important are indispensable. 23Those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, we clothe with greater honor; and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty;

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• 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 10:31But he said, “Do not leave us now, because you know where we should camp in the wilderness. You can be like eyes to us.
• 1 Samuel 25:32Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be Adonai God of Israel, who sent you to meet me this day!
• Ezra 10:1While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and prostrating himself before the House of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. The people also wept very bitterly.
• Nehemiah 4:16Also at that time I said to the people, “Let every man and his helper lodge inside Jerusalem, so they can be guards for us by night and workers by day.”
• Job 29:11“When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw me, it commended 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