1 Corinthians 12 · Verse 27

1 Corinthians 12:27

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1 Corinthians 12:27, King James Version

1 Corinthians 12:27 in other translations

BSBNow you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it.
WEBNow you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
ASVNow ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof.
YLTand ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
DARBYNow ye are Christ's body, and members in particular.
BBENow you are the body of Christ, and every one of you the separate parts of it.
WebsterNow ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

What does 1 Corinthians 12:27 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
27. 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.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 27. Now ye. Ye Christians of Corinth, as a part of the whole church that has been redeemed.

Are the body of Christ. The allusion to the human body is here kept up. As all the members of the human body compose one body, having a common head, so it is with all the members and parts of the Christian church. The specific idea is, that Christ is the head of the whole church; that he presides over all; and that all its members sustain to each other the relation of fellow-members in the same body, and are subject to the same head. 1Cor 11:3. The church is often called the body of Christ, Eph 1:23, Col 1:18,24.

And members in particular. You are, as individuals, members of the body of Christ; or each individual is a member of that body.

(a) "members" Eph 5:30 (&) "particular" "in part"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 27 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. But this does not appear to be any part of the apostle's plan.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 12:27-31
Contempt, hatred, envy, and strife, are very unnatural in Christians. It is like the members of the same body being without concern for one another, or quarrelling with each other. The proud, contentious spirit that prevailed, as to spiritual gifts, was thus condemned. The offices and gifts, or favours, dispensed by the Holy Spirit, are noticed. Chief ministers; persons enabled to interpret Scripture; those who laboured in word and doctrine; those who had power to heal diseases; such as helped the sick and weak; such as disposed of the money given in charity by the church, and managed the affairs of the church; and such as could speak divers languages. What holds the last and lowest rank in this list, is the power to speak languages; how vain, if a man does so merely to amuse or to exalt himself! See the distribution of these gifts, not to every one alike, ver. #(29-30). This were to make the church all one, as if the body were all ear, or all eye. The Spirit distributes to every one as he will. We must be content though we are lower and less than others. We must not despise others, if we have greater gifts. How blessed the Christian church, if all the members did their duty! Instead of coveting the highest stations, or the most splendid gifts, let us leave the appointment of his instruments to God, and those in whom he works by his providence. Remember, those will not be approved hereafter who seek the chief places, but those who are most faithful to the trust placed in them, and most diligent in their Master's work.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Corinthians 12:27 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.

ὙμεῖςHumeisYou yourselvesG4771
δέdenowG1161
ἐστεesteareG1510
σῶμαsōma[the] bodyG4983
ΧριστοῦChristouof ChristG5547
καὶkaiandG2532
μέληmelēmembersG3196
ἐκekinG1537
μέρους.merousparticular.G3313

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

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 12:27

  • Ephesians 4:12

    For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

  • Ephesians 5:30

    For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

  • Romans 12:5

    So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

  • Colossians 1:24

    Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

  • 1 Corinthians 12:12

    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.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:14-20

    For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 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? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? …

  • Ephesians 1:23

    Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

  • Ephesians 5:23

    For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

  • Colossians 1:18

    And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
12,14-20; Ro 12:5; Eph 1:23; 4:12; 5:23,30; Col 1:24

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

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 12:26

    And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:27

    Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:28

    And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Read all of 1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12:27 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pues vosotros sois el cuerpo de Cristo, y miembros en parte.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Or vous êtes le corps de Christ, et ses membres chacun en particulier.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ihr aber seid der Leib Christi, und Glieder insonderheit.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Vos autem estis corpus Christi, et membra de membro.