1 Corinthians 12 · Verse 23

1 Corinthians 12:23

And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
1 Corinthians 12:23, King James Version

1 Corinthians 12:23 in other translations

BSBand the parts we consider less honorable, we treat with greater honor. And our unpresentable parts are treated with special modesty,
WEBThose parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant modesty,
ASVand those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness;
YLTand those that we think to be less honourable of the body, around these we put more abundant honour, and our unseemly things have seemliness more abundant,
DARBYand those parts of the body which we esteem to be the more void of honour, these we clothe with more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness;
BBEAnd to those parts of the body which seem to have less honour we give all the more honour; and to those parts of the body which are a cause of shame to us we give the greater respect;
WebsterAnd those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

What does 1 Corinthians 12:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
23. less honourable--"We think" the feet and the belly "less honorable," though not really so in the nature of things. bestow ... honour--putting shoes on (Margin) the feet, and clothes to cover the belly. uncomely parts--the secret parts: the poorest, though unclad in the rest of the body, cover these.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 23. We bestow more abundant honour. Marg., "Put on." The words rendered "abundant honour" here refer to clothing. We bestow upon them more attention and honour than we do on the face that is deemed comely, and that is not covered and adorned as the other parts of the body are.

More abundant comeliness. We adorn and decorate the body with gay apparel. Those parts which decency requires us to conceal we not only cover, but we endeavour as far as we can to adorn them. The face in the mean time we leave uncovered. The idea is, that in like manner we should not despise or disregard those members of the church who are of lower rank, or who are less favoured than others with spiritual endowments.

(1) "bestow" "put on" (*) "parts" "members"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · 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 12:23 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.

καὶkaiandG2532
ἃhathose whichG3739
δοκοῦμενdokoumenwe thinkG1380
ἀτιμότεραatimoteraless honorableG820
εἶναιeinaito beG1511
τοῦtouof theG3588
σώματος,sōmatosbody,G4983
τούτοιςtoutoistheseG3778
τιμὴνtimēnhonorG5092
περισσοτέρανperissoteranmore excessiveG4055
περιτίθεμεν,peritithemenwe bestow,G4060
καὶkaiandG2532
τὰtatheG3588
ἀσχήμοναaschēmonaunpresentable [parts]G809
ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165
εὐσχημοσύνηνeuschēmosunēndecorumG2157
περισσοτέρανperissoteranmore excessiveG4055
ἔχει·echeihave;G2192

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

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 12:23

  • Genesis 3:21

    Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
bestow. or, put on.
Ge 3:7,21

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

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 12:22

    Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

  • 1 Corinthians 12:23

    And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:24

    For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

Read all of 1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y á aquellos del cuerpo que estimamos ser más viles, á éstos vestimos más honrosamente; y los que en nosotros son menos honestos, tienen más compostura.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et les membres du corps que nous estimons être les moins honorables, nous les environnons d’un honneur plus grand; et nos membres qui ne sont pas décents sont les plus parés,
German
Elberfelder 1871		und die uns die unehrbareren des Leibes zu sein dünken, diese umgeben wir mit reichlicherer Ehre; und unsere nichtanständigen haben desto reichlichere Wohlanständigkeit;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et quæ putamus ignobiliora membra esse corporis, his honorem abundantiorem circumdamus: et quæ inhonesta sunt nostra, abundantiorem honestatem habent.