1 Corinthians 12:17
New International Version
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
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
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?

Berean Standard Bible
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?

Berean Literal Bible
If all the body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If all were hearing, where would be the sense of smell?

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

New King James Version
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?

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

NASB 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?

NASB 1977
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

Legacy Standard Bible
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

Amplified Bible
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?

Christian Standard Bible
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?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
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?

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

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

Contemporary English Version
If our bodies were only an eye, we couldn't hear a thing. And if they were only an ear, we couldn't smell a thing.

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?

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

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

Good News Translation
If the whole body were just an eye, how could it hear? And if it were only an ear, how could it smell?

International Standard Version
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?

Literal Standard Version
If the whole body [were] an eye, where the hearing? If the whole hearing, where the smelling?

Majority Standard Bible
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 American Bible
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

NET Bible
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?

New Revised Standard Version
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

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

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?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Body of Christ
16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17If 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? 18But in fact, God has arranged the members of the body, every one of them, according to His design.…

Cross References
1 Corinthians 12:16
And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.

1 Corinthians 12:18
But in fact, God has arranged the members of the body, every one of them, according to His design.


Treasury of Scripture

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

1 Corinthians 12:21,29
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you…

1 Samuel 9:9
(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

Psalm 94:9
He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

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1 Corinthians 12
1. Spiritual gifts,
4. are diverse,
7. yet to profit all.
8. And to that end are diversely bestowed;
12. as the members of a natural body tend all to the mutual decency,
22. service,
26. and helpfulness of the same body;
27. so we should do for one another, to make up the body of Christ.














(17) If the whole body were an eye.--Here is shown how absurd it would be for the body to be merely one member, and in 1Corinthians 12:19 is shown the converse absurdity of the members losing their individuality. There is a corporate body composed of divers members. That is the difference between a dead machine and a living organism.

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.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
If
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

the
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

whole
ὅλον (holon)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3650: All, the whole, entire, complete. A primary word; 'whole' or 'all', i.e. Complete, especially as noun or adverb.

body [were]
σῶμα (sōma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4983: Body, flesh; the body of the Church. From sozo; the body, used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively.

an eye,
ὀφθαλμός (ophthalmos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3788: The eye; fig: the mind's eye. From optanomai; the eye; by implication, vision; figuratively, envy.

where
ποῦ (pou)
Adverb
Strong's 4226: Genitive case of an interrogative pronoun pos otherwise obsolete; as adverb of place; at what locality.

[would] the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

sense of hearing [be]?
ἀκοή (akoē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 189: Hearing, faculty of hearing, ear; report, rumor. From akouo; hearing.

If
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

[the] whole [body]
ὅλον (holon)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3650: All, the whole, entire, complete. A primary word; 'whole' or 'all', i.e. Complete, especially as noun or adverb.

[were] an ear,
ἀκοή (akoē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 189: Hearing, faculty of hearing, ear; report, rumor. From akouo; hearing.

where
ποῦ (pou)
Adverb
Strong's 4226: Genitive case of an interrogative pronoun pos otherwise obsolete; as adverb of place; at what locality.

[would] the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

sense of smell [be]?
ὄσφρησις (osphrēsis)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3750: The sense of smell, smelling. From a derivative of ozo; smell.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 12:17 If the whole body were an eye (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 12:16
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