One Body with Many Members

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members constitute one body even though they are many, so it is with Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we have all been given [fn]to drink into one Spirit.

14 Even so the body does not consist of one member, but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” is it for that reason not a part of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” is it for that reason not a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God has placed each one of the members in the body just as he desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of yoʋ,” nor in turn can the head say to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are essential, 23 and the members of the body that we consider to be less honorable are clothed with more abundant honor. And our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need of it. Instead, God has put the body together, giving more abundant honor to the part that lacked it, 25 so that there would be no [fn]divisions in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all the other members [fn]suffer with it; if [fn]one member is honored, all the other members [fn]rejoice with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it. 28 And those whom God has appointed in the church are as follows: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, leading, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 No, but earnestly desire the [fn]better gifts.

And now I will show you a far more excellent way.