1 Corinthians 12:24

24 but our comely [parts] have not need. But God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to [the part] that lacked;

1 Corinthians 12:24 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 12:24

For our comely parts have no need
As the face, eyes, nose, lips, cheeks which stand in no need of an external covering, of any outward ornament: so such as are blessed with the bounties of nature and providence, with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and are eminent for grace and holiness, and are enabled to walk worthy of their calling, and to have their conversations as become the Gospel of Christ, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, these have no need of such a covering, as the former have, to hide and conceal them from the world: but God hath tempered the body together;
he hath composed it in such a forth, constituted it in such an order, mixed and united all its parts in such a manner, as that they are all beneficial to each other; and such is the harmonious contexture of the whole, that it is a most beautiful structure: having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked;
or, as the Syriac version renders it, "which is the least"; and such is the temperament and constitution of the church, having mixed rich and poor persons, of greater and lesser gifts, together, for mutual good.

1 Corinthians 12:24 In-Context

22 But much rather, the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
23 and those [parts] of the body which we esteem to be the more void of honour, these we clothe with more abundant honour; and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant comeliness;
24 but our comely [parts] have not need. But God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to [the part] that lacked;
25 that there might be no division in the body, but that the members might have the same concern one for another.
26 And if one member suffer, all the members suffer with [it]; and if one member be glorified, all the members rejoice with [it].
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.