1 Corinthians 12:24

24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,

1 Corinthians 12:24 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
English Standard Version (ESV)
24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,
New Living Translation (NLT)
24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.
The Message Bible (MSG)
24 If anything, you have more concern for the lower parts than the higher. If you had to choose, wouldn't you prefer good digestion to full-bodied hair?
American Standard Version (ASV)
24 whereas our comely [parts] have no need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that [part] which lacked;
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
24 However, 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.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
24 But our presentable parts have no need [of clothing]. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable,
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
24 The parts that can be shown don't need special care. But God has joined together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honor to the parts that didn't have any.

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 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,
24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
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