1 Corinthians 12:12-31 - Unity In The Midst Of Diversity

¹² For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, many as they are, form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we have all??ews or Greeks, slaves or free men??een baptized in one spirit to form one body, and we have all been saturated with one Spirit. ¹⁴ For the body does not consist of one part but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, "As I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, "As I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If all the body were eye, how would we hear? If it were all ear, how could we have a sense of smell? ¹⁸ As it is, God has arranged the parts, every one of them in the body as he wished them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you," or the head to the feet, "I do not need you." ²² On the contrary, the parts of the body that are considered most delicate are indispensable, ²³ and the parts of it that we think common, we dress with especial care, and our unpresentable parts receive especial attention ²⁴ which our presentable parts do not need. God has so adjusted the body and given such especial distinction to its inferior parts ²⁵ that there is no clash in the body, but its parts all alike care for one another. ²⁶ If one part suffers, all the parts share its sufferings. If a part has honor done it, all the parts enjoy it too.

²⁷ Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it. ²⁸ And God has placed people in the church, first as apostles, second as inspired preachers, third as teachers, then wonder-workers; then come ability to cure the sick, helpfulness, administration, ecstatic speaking. ²⁹ Is everyone an apostle? Is everyone an inspired preacher? Is everyone a teacher? Is everyone a wonder-worker? ³⁰ Is everyone able to cure the sick? Can everyone speak ecstatically? Can everyone explain what it means?

³¹ But you must cultivate the higher endowments.