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.
YLT: and those that we think to be less honourable of the body, around these we put more abundant honour, and our unseemly things have seemliness more abundant,
Darby: and those parts of the body which we esteem to be the more void of honour, these we clothe with more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness;
ASV: 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;
ἃ | those which |
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural Root: ὅς Sense: who, which, what, that. |
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δοκοῦμεν | we think |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural Root: δοκέω Sense: to be of opinion, think, suppose. |
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ἀτιμότερα | less honorable |
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural, Comparative Root: ἄτιμος Sense: without honour, unhonoured, dishonoured. |
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εἶναι | to be |
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active Root: εἰμί Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. |
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τοῦ | of the |
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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σώματος | body |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular Root: σῶμα Sense: the body both of men or animals. |
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τούτοις | these |
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Neuter Plural Root: οὗτος Sense: this. |
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τιμὴν | honor |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: τιμή Sense: a valuing by which the price is fixed. |
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περισσοτέραν | more abundant |
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular, Comparative Root: περισσός Sense: exceeding some number or measure or rank or need. |
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περιτίθεμεν | we bestow |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural Root: περιτίθημι Sense: to place around, set about. |
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ἀσχήμονα | unpresentable [parts] |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural Root: ἀσχήμων Sense: deformed. |
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ἡμῶν | of us |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural Root: ἐγώ Sense: I, me, my. |
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εὐσχημοσύνην | decorum |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: εὐσχημοσύνη Sense: charm or elegance of figure, external beauty, decorum, modesty, seemliness. |
Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 12:23
Literally, We place around as if a garland (Mark 15:17) or a garment (Matthew 27:28). [source]
One need only mention the mother‘s womb and the mother‘s breast to see the force of Paul‘s argument here. The word, common in old Greek, from ευσχημων euschēmōn (ευ eu well, σχημα schēma figure), here only in N.T. One may think of the coal-miner who digs under the earth for the coal to keep us warm in winter. So ασχημων aschēmōn (deformed, uncomely), old word, here only in N.T., but see note on 1 Corinthians 7:36 for ασχημονεω aschēmoneō f0). [source]
Elsewhere in the New Testament the word is used, without exception, of encircling with something; either putting on clothing, as Matthew 27:28; or surrounding with a fence, as Matthew 21:33; or of the sponge placed round the reed, as Mark 15:36; John 19:29. So evidently here. Rev., in margin, put on. The more abundant honor is shown by the care in clothing. [source]
See on honorable, Mark 15:43; see on shame, Revelation 16:15. Compare ἀσχημονεῖν behavethuncomely, 1 Corinthians 7:36. The comeliness is outward, as is shown by the verb we put on, and by the compounds of οχῆμα fashionSee on transfigured, Matthew 17:2. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 12:23
Honest is originally honorable, and so here. Compare Wyclif's version of 1 Corinthians 12:23: “And the members that be unhonest have more honesty; for our honest members have need of none.” From εὐ well σχῆμα fashionSee on Matthew 17:2. Hence becomingly. Compare 1 Corinthians 14:40; 1 Thessalonians 4:12. The word refers more particularly to the outward life, and thus accords with walk, and in the day the time of observation. [source]
Paul is fond of the metaphor “walk” (περιπατεω peripateō), 33 times though not in the Pastoral Epistles. This old adverb (from ευσχημων euschēmōn graceful) occurs also in 1 Thessalonians 4:12; 1 Corinthians 14:40. The English word “honest” means honourable (Latin honor) and so decent. Wycliffe translates 1 Corinthians 12:23 by “unhonest,” “honesty,” “honest” for “less honourable, honour, honourable.” [source]
The allusion is probably to those which seem to be weaker in their original structure, naturally. This may be indicated by the use of ὑπάρχειν tobe (see on James 2:15); compare εἶναι tobe, in 1 Corinthians 12:23. Others explain of those which on occasion seem to be weaker, as when a member is diseased. [source]
Old verb from ασχημων aschēmōn (1 Corinthians 12:23). In N.T. only here and 1 Corinthians 7:36. Not indecent. [source]
Old verb, here only in N.T., from ασχημων aschēmōn (1 Corinthians 12:23), from α a privative and σχημα schēma Occurs in the papyri. Infinitive in indirect discourse after νομιζει nomizei (thinks) with ει ei (condition of first class, assumed as true). [source]
Negative purpose clause with ινα μη hina mē and the present active subjunctive of περιπατεω peripateō and note predicate nominative γυμνος gumnos (naked).And they see his shame (και βλεπωσιν την ασχημοσυνην αυτου kai blepōsin tēn aschēmosunēn autou). Continuation of the final clause with present active subjunctive of βλεπω blepō Ασχημοσυνην Aschēmosunēn is old word (from ασχημων aschēmōn indecent, 1 Corinthians 12:23), in N.T. only here and Romans 1:27, a euphemism for την αισχυνην tēn aischunēn (Revelation 3:18). [source]
Continuation of the final clause with present active subjunctive of βλεπω blepō Ασχημοσυνην Aschēmosunēn is old word (from ασχημων aschēmōn indecent, 1 Corinthians 12:23), in N.T. only here and Romans 1:27, a euphemism for την αισχυνην tēn aischunēn (Revelation 3:18). [source]