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King James Version

1 Corinthians 12:15

If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Scofield Reference Index - Churches;   Faith;   The Topic Concordance - Body;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Feet, the;   Selfishness;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Church;   Gifts of the spirit;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Body;   Body of Christ;   Christians, Names of;   Church, the;   Worship;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Holy Ghost;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Body;   Body of Christ;   Church;   Humanity;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Brotherly Love;   Ephesians, Epistle to;   Inspiration;   Spiritual Gifts;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Character;   Dependence;   Feet;   Gifts;   Good;   Hand;   Unity (2);   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Fruit;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Foot;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Corinthians, First Epistle to the;   Member;   Redeemer;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
The foot might say, "I am not a hand, so I don't belong to the body." But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body.
Revised Standard Version
If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Yf the fote saye: I am not the honde therfore I am not of the body: is he therfore not of ye body:
Hebrew Names Version
If the foot would say, "Because I'm not the hand, I'm not part of the body," it is not therefore not part of the body.
International Standard Version
If the foot says, "Since I'm not a hand, I'm not part of the body," that does not make it any less a part of the body, does it?
New American Standard Bible
If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.
New Century Version
The foot might say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body." But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body.
Update Bible Version
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.
Webster's Bible Translation
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
English Standard Version
If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.
World English Bible
If the foot would say, "Because I'm not the hand, I'm not part of the body," it is not therefore not part of the body.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body?
Weymouth's New Testament
Were the foot to say, "Because I am not a hand I am not a part of the body," that would not make it any the less a part of the body.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
If the foot seith, For Y am not the hoond, Y am not of the bodi; not therfor it is not of the bodi.
English Revised Version
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.
Berean Standard Bible
If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.
Contemporary English Version
Suppose a foot says, "I'm not a hand, and so I'm not part of the body." Wouldn't the foot still belong to the body?
Amplified Bible
If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," is it not on the contrary still a part of the body?
American Standard Version
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.
Bible in Basic English
If the foot says, Because I am not the hand, I am not a part of the body; it is no less a part of the body.
Complete Jewish Bible
If the foot says, "I'm not a hand, so I'm not part of the body," that doesn't make it stop being part of the body.
Darby Translation
If the foot say, Because I am not a hand I am not of the body, is it on account of this not indeed of the body?
Etheridge Translation
For if the foot should say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body itself, would it therefore not be of the body itself ?
Murdock Translation
For if the foot should say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it, on that account, not of the body?
King James Version (1611)
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body: is it therefore not of the body?
New Living Translation
If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body.
New Life Bible
If the foot should say, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that would not stop it from being a part of the body.
New Revised Standard
If the foot would say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.
Geneva Bible (1587)
If the foote would say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body?
George Lamsa Translation
For if the foot should say, Because I am not the hand, I am not a part of the body; is it therefore not a member of the body?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Though the foot should say - Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, Is it, therefore, not, of the body?
Douay-Rheims Bible
If the foot should say: Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body: Is it therefore not of the Body?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
If the foote woulde say, because I am not the hande, I am not of the body: is it therfore not of the body?
Good News Translation
If the foot were to say, "Because I am not a hand, I don't belong to the body," that would not keep it from being a part of the body.
Christian Standard Bible®
If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body.
Lexham English Bible
If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," not because of this is it not a part of the body.
Literal Translation
If the foot says, Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body, on account of this, is it not of the body?
Young's Literal Translation
if the foot may say, `Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body;' it is not, because of this, not of the body;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yf the fote saye: I am not ye hande, therfore am I not a membre of the body,is he therfore not a membre of ye body?
Mace New Testament (1729)
if the foot should say, "because I am not the hand, I am not of the body;" is it therefore not of the body?
New English Translation
If the foot says, "Since I am not a hand, I am not part of the body," it does not lose its membership in the body because of that.
New King James Version
If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
Simplified Cowboy Version
Just because your foot can't swing a loop doesn't mean it's not part of your body.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
Legacy Standard Bible
If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

Contextual Overview

12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Judges 9:8-15, 2 Kings 14:9

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Genesis 12:4
So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
Genesis 12:5
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
Genesis 12:16
And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
Genesis 20:2
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
Genesis 40:2
And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
Genesis 41:1
And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
Exodus 2:5
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
Exodus 2:15
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.
1 Kings 3:1
And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord , and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If the foot shall say,.... The lowest member of the body, which is nearest the earth, treads upon it, sustains the whole weight of the body, and performs the more drudging and fatiguing exercises of standing and walking; and may represent one that is in the lowest station in the church, a doorkeeper in the house of God; one that is really the least of saints, as well as thinks himself so; and has the smallest degree of heavenly affection, and knowledge of spiritual light and understanding;

because I am not the hand; the instrument of communication and of action; and may signify such an one, that liberally imparts to the necessities of others, who has it both in his hand and heart, and is ready to communicate; one that is full of good works, of charity towards men, and piety towards God; who does all things, Christ strengthening him, natural, civil, moral, and evangelical; yea, even miracles and mighty deeds are done by his hand:

I am not of the body; have no part in it, am no member of it, do not belong to it:

is it therefore not of the body? or "it is not therefore not of the body", as the Syriac version renders it; that is, it is not "for this word", as the Arabic, or so saying, as the Ethiopic, not of the body; it nevertheless belongs to it, and is a member of it, nor can it be otherwise: thus the meanest person in the mystical body, the church, though he should say, that because he is not so handy and useful as another, cannot give so largely, nor do so much as another, therefore he is no proper member of the church; it does not follow that so it is, for Christ, the head of the church, regards such as members; he admires the "beauty" of his church's "feet", and has provided for the covering, ornament, and security of them, being himself clothed with "a garment down to the feet", which equally covers and adorns that part of the body as the rest; he does not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, or despise the day of small things; he regards their prayers, and takes notice and accepts of their meanest services; and they are, and should be considered as members of the body, by the rest and by themselves, the mystical body, the church, though he should say, that because he is not so handy and useful as another, cannot give so largely, nor do so much as another, therefore he is no proper member of the church; it does not follow that so it is, for Christ, the head of the church, regards such as members; he admires the "beauty" of his church's "feet", and has provided for the covering, ornament, and security of them, being himself clothed with "a garment down to the feet", which equally covers and adorns that part of the body as the rest; he does not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, or despise the day of small things; he regards their prayers, and takes notice and accepts of their meanest services; and they are, and should be considered as members of the body, by the rest and by themselves.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If the foot shall say ... - The same figure and illustration which Paul here uses occurs also in pagan writers. It occurs in the apologue which was used by Menenius Agrippa, as related by Livy (lib. 2: cap. 32), in which he attempted to repress a rebellion which had been excited against the nobles and senators, as useless and cumbersome to the state. Menenius, in order to show the folly of this, represents the different members of the body as conspiring against the stomach, as being inactive, and as refusing to labor, and consuming everything. The consequence of the conspiracy which the feet, and hands, and mouth entered into, was a universal wasting away of the whole frame for lack of the nutriment which would have been supplied from the stomach. Thus, he argued it would be by the conspiracy against the nobles, as being inactive, and as consuming all things. The representation had the desired effect, and quelled the rebellion. The same figure is used also by Aesop. The idea here is, that as the foot and the ear could not pretend that they were not parts of the body, and even not important, because they were not the eye, etc.; that is, were not more honorable parts of the body; so no Christian, however humble his endowments, could pretend that he was useless because he was not more highly gifted and did not occupy a more elevated rank.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 12:15. If the foot shall say, c.] As all the members of the body are necessarily dependent on each other, and minister to the general support of the system, so is it in the Church. All the private members are intimately connected among themselves, and also with their pastors without which union no Church can subsist.


 
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