1 Corinthians 12:24

24 honesta autem nostra nullius egent sed Deus temperavit corpus ei cui deerat abundantiorem tribuendo honorem

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 sed multo magis quae videntur membra corporis infirmiora esse necessariora sunt
23 et quae putamus ignobiliora membra esse corporis his honorem abundantiorem circumdamus et quae inhonesta sunt nostra abundantiorem honestatem habent
24 honesta autem nostra nullius egent sed Deus temperavit corpus ei cui deerat abundantiorem tribuendo honorem
25 ut non sit scisma in corpore sed id ipsum pro invicem sollicita sint membra
26 et si quid patitur unum membrum conpatiuntur omnia membra sive gloriatur unum membrum congaudent omnia membra
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.