Bible in Basic English
For the body is not one part, but a number of parts.
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.
And if the ear says, Because I am not the eye, I am not a part of the body; it is a part of the body all the same.
If all the body was an eye, where would be the hearing? if all was hearing, where would be the smelling?
But now God has put every one of the parts in the body as it was pleasing to him.
And if they were all one part, where would the body be?
But now they are all different parts, but one body.
And the eye may not say to the hand, I have no need of you: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
No, those parts which seem to be feeble are the more necessary;
And 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;
But those parts of the body which are beautiful have no need of such care: and so the body has been joined together by God in such a way as to give more honour to those parts which had need of it;
So that there might be no division in the body; but all the parts might have the same care for one another.
And if there is pain in one part of the body, all the parts will be feeling it; or if one part is honoured, all the parts will be glad.
Now you are the body of Christ, and every one of you the separate parts of it.
And God has put some in the church, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then those with wonder-working powers, then those with the power of taking away disease, helpers, wise guides, users of strange tongues.
Are all Apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? have all the power of working wonders?
Are all able to take away disease? have all the power of tongues? are all able to give their sense?
But let your desires be turned to the more important things given by the Spirit. And now I am pointing out to you an even better way.
— 1 Corinthians 12:14-1964, Bible in Basic English
“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; it is not therefore not of the body. And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is not 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? But now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now they are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary: and 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; whereas our comely parts have no need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked; that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, divers kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? have all gifts of healings? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But desire earnestly the greater gifts. And moreover a most excellent way show I unto you. ”
“For the body is not one member, but many. 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. If the ear would say, "Because I'm not the eye, I'm not part of the body," it's not therefore not part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now they are many members, but one body. The eye can't tell the hand, "I have no need for you," or again the head to the feet, "I have no need for you." No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. Those 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 propriety; whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.”
But all these are the operations of the one and the same Spirit, giving to every man separately as his pleasure is.
For as the body is one, and has a number of parts, and all the parts make one body, so is Christ.
For through the baptism of the one Spirit we were all formed into one body, Jews or Greeks, servants or free men, and were all made full of the same Spirit.
For the body is not one part, but a number of parts.
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.
And if the ear says, Because I am not the eye, I am not a part of the body; it is a part of the body all the same.
If all the body was an eye, where would be the hearing? if all was hearing, where would be the smelling?
But now God has put every one of the parts in the body as it was pleasing to him.
And if they were all one part, where would the body be?
But now they are all different parts, but one body.
And the eye may not say to the hand, I have no need of you: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
No, those parts which seem to be feeble are the more necessary;
And 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;
But those parts of the body which are beautiful have no need of such care: and so the body has been joined together by God in such a way as to give more honour to those parts which had need of it;
So that there might be no division in the body; but all the parts might have the same care for one another.
And if there is pain in one part of the body, all the parts will be feeling it; or if one part is honoured, all the parts will be glad.
Now you are the body of Christ, and every one of you the separate parts of it.
And God has put some in the church, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then those with wonder-working powers, then those with the power of taking away disease, helpers, wise guides, users of strange tongues.
Are all Apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? have all the power of working wonders?
Are all able to take away disease? have all the power of tongues? are all able to give their sense?
But let your desires be turned to the more important things given by the Spirit. And now I am pointing out to you an even better way.