1 Corinthians 12:25

so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have mutual concern for one another.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Paul addresses the Corinthian church regarding the distribution of spiritual gifts. He speaks this after explaining how God deliberately assigns greater honor to the body's less presentable parts.

The words — The text employs σχίσμα (schisma), literally "division" or "split," alongside ἵνα (ina), meaning "so that." These terms establish the structural purpose of the body: preventing fragmentation while mandating shared concern among members.

The thread — The pursuit of unity and the rejection of division recur in 1 Corinthians 1:10 and 2 Corinthians 13:11, where believers are commanded to agree together and aim for perfect harmony. John 17:21 extends this pattern by linking communal oneness to the relational unity between the Father and the Son.

Why it lands — The verse requires readers to identify and dismantle factional attitudes that isolate individuals from the group. It demands that personal status or suffering be actively shared rather than experienced in isolation.

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

ἵναinaso that μὴmēnot ᾖēthere may be σχίσμαschismadivision ἐνenin τῷtōthe σώματι,sōmatibody,ἀλλὰallabut τὸtothe αὐτὸautosame ὑπὲρhuperfor ἀλλήλωνallēlōnone another μεριμνῶσινmerimnōsinmay have concern τὰtathe μέλη·melēmembers;

King James Version

That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

Cross-references

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction.
John 17:21 that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
2 Corinthians 8:16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same devotion I have for you.
1 Corinthians 3:3 for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
2 Corinthians 7:12 So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did wrong or the one who was harmed, but rather that your earnestness on our behalf would be made clear to you in the sight of God.