Bible Strands
1 Corinthians 12:14
For the body does not consist of one part, but of many.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the divided Corinthian congregation while correcting their misunderstandings about spiritual gifts. He speaks at a moment when he must establish the church as a single organism despite its diverse functions.
The words — σῶμα (sōma) translates literally as "body," and ἓν (hen) means "one." The phrase οὐκ ἔστιν ἕν μέλος (ouk estin hen melos) directly states that the body is not composed of a single member.
The thread — Paul develops this metaphor in 1 Corinthians 12:12, which states the body is a unit composed of many parts, and in 12:19, which asks where the body would be if it contained only one part. He applies the concept directly to the readers in 1 Corinthians 12:27, identifying them as Christ's body and each person as a distinct member.
Why it lands — The text asserts that functional diversity is a structural requirement of the body rather than a defect. It demands that the reader accept their specific assignment within the collective without demanding uniformity or claiming independent status.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
For the body is not one member, but many.
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it.
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 The body is a unit, though it is composed of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 12:19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?
- Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.