1 Corinthians 12:27
in 1 Corinthians 12Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof.
KJV
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
⋯
This verse in 1 Corinthians 12
Commentary
12 notes on this verseNow ye are the body of Christ,.... Not his natural body, which his Father prepared for him, in which he bore our sins on the tree, and which was offered up once for all; nor his sacramental body, or the bread in the supper, which is a representation of his body; but his body mystical, the church; not that the Corinthians were the whole of the body, only a part of it, as every single congregational church is of the church universal.
This site's exposition
Now you are the body
on 1 Corinthians 12:27-28
The figure names its subject outright: you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it. Verse 28 lists in order what God has appointed, first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then the other gifts with no further number.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
And, accordingly, why excuse it on the ground of pristine precedent? It did not bear the names of "body of Christ," of "members of Christ," of "temple of God," at the time When it used to obtain pardon for adultery.
For lest any should say, "What is the example of the body to us? since the body is a slave to nature but our good deeds are of choice;" he applies it to our own concerns; and to signify that we ought to have the same concord of design as they have from nature, he saith, "Now ye are the body of Christ." But if our body ought not to be divided, much less the body of Christ, and so much less as grace is more powerful than nature. But what is the expression, "severally?" "So far at least as appertaineth to you; and so far as naturally a part should be built up from you." For because he had said, "the body," whereas the whole body was not the Corinthian Church, but the Church in every part of the world, therefore he said, "severally:" i.e., the Church amongst you is a part of the Church existing every where and of the body which is made up of all the Churches: so that not only with yourselves alone, but also with the whole Church throughout the world, ye ought to be at peace, if at least ye be members of the whole body.
In Christ's resurrection, all his members have necessarily risen with him. For while he passes from the depths to the heights, he has made us pass from death to life.
A commentator
Severian of GabalaPAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH · Written before 425.
proposed
We are not individual members who elect to join together to form a whole but rather organic members of a wider whole, which is the whole body.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Lest they should say: "how does the example of the body and members relate to us?", he says: and you are the body of Christ and members. If in the human body there should be no discord, then how much more so in the body …
5 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says: Now you are, he adapts the likeness to his proposition. First, in regard to the unity of the body, saying: Now you, who are assembled in the unity of faith, are the body of Christ, according to Eph (1:22): "He made …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Thus are the members of the natural body, thus should the members of the mystical body be, disposed. Note, Mutual indifference, and much more contempt, and hatred, and envy, and strife, are very unnatural in Christians. It is like the members of the same body being destitute of all concern for one another, or quarrelling with each other.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
members in particular--that is, severally members of it. Each church is in miniature what the whole aggregate of churches is collectively, "the body of Christ" (compare 1Co 3:16): and its individual components are members, every one in his assigned place.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Now ye are the body of Christ - The apostle, having finished his apologue, comes to his application. As the members in the human body, so the different members of the mystical body of Christ. All are intended by him to have the same relation to each other; to be mutually subservient to each other; to mourn for and rejoice with each other. He has also made each necessary to the beauty, proportion, strength, and perfection of the whole. Not one is useless; not one unnecessary. Paul, Apollos, Kephas, etc., with all their variety of gifts and graces, are for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Eph 4:12. Hence no teacher should be exalted above or opposed to an other. As the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee, so luminous Apollos cannot say to laborious Paul, I can build up and preserve the Church without thee. The foot planted on the ground to support the whole fabric, and the hands that swing at liberty, and the eye that is continually taking in near and distant prospects, are all equally serviceable to the whole, and mutually helpful to and dependent on each other. So also are the different ministers and members of the Church of Christ. From a general acquaintance with various ministers of Christ, and a knowledge of their different talents and endowments manifested either by their preaching or writings, and with the aid of a little fancy, we could here make out a sort of correspondency between their services and the uses of the different members of the human body. We could call one eye, because of his acute observation of men and things, and penetration into cases of conscience and Divine mysteries. Another hand, from his laborious exertions in the Church. Another foot, from his industrious travels to spread abroad the knowledge of Christ crucified: and so of others. […]
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Now ye - Ye Christians of Corinth, as a part of the whole church that has been redeemed.
The words behind it
9 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ὑμεῖς | humeis | You yourselves | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| δέ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐστε | este | are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| σῶμα | soma | [the] body | G4983 → | 142 times |
| Χριστοῦ | christou | of Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μέλη | mele | members | G3196 → | 34 times |
| ἐκ | ek | in | G1537 → | 911 times |
| μέρους. | merous | particular. | G3313 → | 42 times |
ὙμεῖςYou yourselves
humeisG4771 →2973 times
δέnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐστεare
esteG1510 →2333 times
σῶμα[the] body
somaG4983 →142 times
Χριστοῦof Christ
christouG5547 →523 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μέληmembers
meleG3196 →34 times
ἐκin
ekG1537 →911 times
μέρους.particular.
merousG3313 →42 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 12:12The 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.
it leads to
- Romans 12:4–5
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function,
- Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.
- Ephesians 5:30
For we are members of His body.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ephesians 4:15–16
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.
- Romans 12:4–5
Through
Ephesians 4:12to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11–14
Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11–14
Through
Colossians 1:24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.
it leads to
- Romans 5:3
Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
- 2 Timothy 1:8
So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me, His prisoner. Instead, join me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.
- 2 Corinthians 1:5–8
For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
- Romans 5:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 32; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Maximus of Turin, SERMON 54; Severian of Gabala, PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH; Tertullian, On Modesty; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.