1 Corinthians 12:17
 1 Corinthians 12:17 
New International Version (©2011)
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

New Living Translation (©2007)
If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

English Standard Version (©2001)
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

International Standard Version (©2012)
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

NET Bible (©2006)
If the whole body were an eye, what part would do the hearing? If the whole were an ear, what part would exercise the sense of smell?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
For if all the body were an eye, where would the hearing be? And if it all were hearing, how would there be smell?

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell?

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?

American King James Version
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

American Standard Version
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

Douay-Rheims Bible
If the whole body were the eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?

Darby Bible Translation
If the whole body were an eye, where the hearing? if all hearing, where the smelling?

English Revised Version
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

Webster's Bible Translation
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

Weymouth New Testament
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the nostrils be?

World English Bible
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be?

Young's Literal Translation
If the whole body were an eye, where the hearing? if the whole hearing, where the smelling?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

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 strengthened, not by drinking the wine, but by drinking into one Spirit. Each member has its form, place, and use. The meanest makes a part of the body. There must be a distinction of members in the body. So Christ's members have different powers and different places. We should do the duties of our own place, and not murmur, or quarrel with others. All the members of the body are useful and necessary to each other. Nor is there a member of the body of Christ, but may and ought to be useful to fellow-members. As in the natural body of man, the members should be closely united by the strongest bonds of love; the good of the whole should be the object of all. All Christians are dependent one upon another; each is to expect and receive help from the rest. Let us then have more of the spirit of union in our religion.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - If the whole body were an eye, etc. In the body there is between the members an identity of common interest and a perfection of separate functions. All are not equal in strength and delicacy, but each is happy, and each is necessary to the well being of all. There could be no better image of the ideal relation of Christians to each other and to the Church.


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

If the whole body were an eye,.... And nothing else,

where were the hearing? there would be no ear, and so no sense of hearing: and if the whole were hearing: or only consisted of a member capable of the sense of hearing,

where were the smelling? there would be no nose, the organ of smelling, and that sense would be wanting: thus if the church only consisted of ministers of the Gospel, of men of eminent light and knowledge, qualified for the preaching of the word to others, there would be no hearers; and on the other hand, if it only consisted of hearers, of such who only could hear the word to their own advantage, there would be none of a quick understanding, or of a quick smell to discern perverse things, to distinguish truth from error, to discern spirits, and direct the rest of the members to wholesome and savoury food, and preserve them from what would be hurtful and pernicious to them.


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. Superior as the eye is, it would not do if it were the sole member to the exclusion of the rest.


1 Corinthians 12:17 Parallel Commentaries

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Many Members, One Body
16And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18But now has God set the members every one of them in the body, as it has pleased him. …

1 Corinthians 12:16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.
1 Corinthians 12:18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.