and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable,
Parallel translations
- WEB 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;
- KJV 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.
- BSB and the parts we consider less honorable, we treat with greater honor. And our unpresentable parts are treated with special modesty,
- NKJV And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,
- NLT And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
We give greater honor and care to the parts we deem less honorable. God's design moves us to clothe and protect the seemingly weaker members.
Overview
Paul observes how we instinctively cover and care for the less presentable parts of the body. This models how the church should treat her humbler members, bestowing special honor rather than neglect. The principle reflects God's own way of dignifying the lowly, consistent with the gospel's elevation of the humble.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 12:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.