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?

1 Corinthians 12:15, King James Version

1 Corinthians 12:15 in other translations

BSB	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.
WEB	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.
ASV	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.
YLT	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;
DARBY	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?
BBE	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.
Webster	If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

What does 1 Corinthians 12:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

15. The humbler members ought not to disparage themselves, or to be disparaged by others more noble (1Co 12:21, 22). foot ... hand--The humble speaks of the more honorable member which most nearly resembles itself: so the "ear" of the "eye" (the nobler and more commanding member, Nu 10:31), (1Co 12:16). As in life each compares himself with those whom he approaches nearest in gifts, not those far superior. The foot and hand represent men of active life; the ear and eye, those of contemplative life.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 15. If the foot shall say, etc. The same figure and illustration which Paul here uses occurs also in heathen writers. It occurs in the apologue which was used by Menenius Agrippa, as related by Livy, (lib. ii. 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 labour, 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 want 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 honourable 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.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 15 If the foot shall say, etc. - 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Christ and his church form one body, as Head and members. Christians become members of this body by baptism. The outward rite is of Divine institution; it is a sign of the new birth, and is called therefore the washing of regeneration, Tit 3:5. But it is by the Spirit, only by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, that we are made members of Christ's body. And by communion with Christ at the Lord's supper, we are…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 →

1 Corinthians 12:15 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐὰνeanIfG1437

εἴπῃeipēshall sayG2036

ὁhotheG3588

πούς·pousfoot;G4228

ὅτιhotiBecauseG3754

οὐκouknotG3756

εἰμὶeimiI amG1510

χείρ,cheira hand,G5495

οὐκouknotG3756

εἰμὶeimiI amG1510

ἐκekofG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

σώματος,sōmatosbody,G4983

οὐounotG3756

παρὰparaon account ofG3844

τοῦτοtoutothisG3778

οὐκouknotG3756

ἔστινestinis itG1510

ἐκekofG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

σώματος;sōmatosbody?G4983

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 12:15

Judges 9:8-15
The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? …
2 Kings 14:9
And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jud 9:8-15; 2Ki 14:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

1 Corinthians 12:14
For the body is not one member, but many.
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?
1 Corinthians 12:16
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?

Read all of 1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12:15 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Si dijere el pie: Porque no soy mano, no soy del cuerpo: ¿por eso no será del cuerpo?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Si le pied disait: Parce que je ne suis pas main, je ne suis pas du corps, est-ce qu’à cause de cela il n’est pas du corps?
German Elberfelder 1871	Wenn der Fuß spräche: Weil ich nicht Hand bin, so bin ich nicht von dem Leibe; ist er deswegen nicht von dem Leibe?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Si dixerit pes: Quoniam non sum manus, non sum de corpore: num ideo non est de corpore?