1 Corinthians 12:12–26

¹²For example, the body is one unit and yet has many parts. As all the parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether we are Jewish or Greek, slave or free, God gave all of us one Spirit to drink. 

¹⁴As you know, the human body is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. ¹⁵Suppose a foot says, “I’m not a hand, so I’m not part of the body!” Would that mean it’s no longer part of the body? ¹⁶Or suppose an ear says, “I’m not an eye, so I’m not a part of the body!” Would that mean it’s no longer part of the body? ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? ¹⁸So God put each and every part of the body together as he wanted it. ¹⁹How could it be a body if it only had one part? ²⁰So there are many parts but one body. 

²¹An eye can’t say to a hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²²The opposite is true. The parts of the body that we think are weaker are the ones we really need. ²³The parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we give special honor. So our unpresentable parts are made more presentable. ²⁴However, our presentable parts don’t need this kind of treatment. God has put the body together and given special honor to the part that doesn’t have it. ²⁵God’s purpose was that the body should not be divided but rather that all of its parts should feel the same concern for each other. ²⁶If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. If one part is praised, all the others share in its happiness.