1 Corinthians 12:24

24 For our seemly members have need of none; but God tempered the body, giving more honour to it, to whom it failed, [Forsooth our honest members of none have need; but God tempered the body, giving more worship to it, to whom it failed,]

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 more those that be seen to be the lower members of the body [But much more those that be seen to be more sick, or lower, members of the body], be more needful;
23 and those that we guess to be the unworthier members of the body, to them we give more honour; and those members that be unseemly, have more seemliness. [+and to them that we guess to be unnobler members of the body, we give more honour about; and those members that be unhonest, have more honesty.]
24 For our seemly members have need of none; but God tempered the body, giving more honour to it, to whom it failed, [Forsooth our honest members of none have need; but God tempered the body, giving more worship to it, to whom it failed,]
25 that debate be not in the body, but that the members be busy into the same thing each for other [but that the members be busy into the same thing for each other].
26 And if one member suffereth any thing [And if one member suffer any thing], all members suffer therewith; either if one member joyeth [either if one member glorieth], all members joy together.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.