Study Desk

For ^(ab)the body is not one member, but many.

If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason ^[k]any the less a part of the body.

And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason ^[l]any the less a part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

But now God has ^(ac)placed the members, each one of them, in the body, ^(ad)just as He desired.

If they were all one member, where would the body be?

But now ^(ae)there are many members, but one body.

And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

On the contrary, ^[m]it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;

and those members of the body which we ^[n]deem less honorable, ^[o]on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,

whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,

so that there may be no ^[p]division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is ^[q]honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Now you are ^(af)Christ's body, and ^(ag)individually members of it.