Romans 12:5

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
So	οὕτως houtōs	G3779	in this way (referring to what precedes or follows) · adverb
we	ἐσμέν esmén	G2070	we are
many	πολλοὶ polloi	G4183	(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many · adjective — nominative plural masculine
are	ἐσμέν esmén	G2070	we are
one	ἓν hen	G1520	one · adjective — nominative singular neuter
body	σῶμά sōma	G4983	the body (as a sound whole) · noun — nominative singular neuter
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
Christ	Χριστῷ, Christō	G5547	anointed · noun — dative singular masculine, a title
and	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
every	καθ᾽ kath᾽	G2596	(prepositionally) down (in place or time) · preposition
one	εἷς heis	G1520	one · adjective — nominative singular masculine
members	μέλη.¶ melē	G3196	a limb or part of the body · noun — nominative plural neuter
another	ἀλλήλων allēlōn	G240	one another · reciprocal pronoun — genitive plural masculine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 12:20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
1 Corinthians 12:27-28 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1 Corinthians 10:17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
Ephesians 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Colossians 2:19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the…
1 Corinthians 10:33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Romans 12:1–end

We may observe here, according to the scheme mentioned in the contents, the apostle's exhortations, I. Concerning our duty to God, We see what is godliness. 1. It is to surrender ourselves to God, and so to lay a good foundation. We must first give our own selves unto the Lord, Co2 8:5. This is here pressed as the spring of all duty and obedience, Rom 12:1, Rom 12:2. Man consists of body and soul, Gen 2:7; Ecc 12:7. (1.) The body must be presented to him, Rom 12:1. The body is for the Lord, and the Lord for the body, Co1 6:13, Co1 6:14. The exhortation is here introduced very pathetically: I beseech you, brethren. Though he was a great apostle, yet he calls the meanest Christians brethren, a…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 12:4

For as we have many members, &c.--The same diversity and yet unity obtains in the body of Christ, whereof all believers are the several members, as in the natural body.

Adam Clarke on Romans 12:5

So we, being many - We who are members of the Church of Christ, which is considered the body of which he is the head, have various offices assigned to us, according to the measure of grace, faith and religious knowledge which we possess; and although each has a different office, and qualifications suitable to that office, yet all belong to the same body; and each has as much need of the help of another as that other has of his; therefore, let there be neither pride on the one hand, nor envy on the other. The same metaphor, in nearly the same words, is used in Synopsis Sohar, page 13. "As man is divided into various members and joints, united among themselves, and raised by gradations above e…

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John Gill on Romans 12:5

So we being many are one body in Christ,.... This is the application of the above simile. The chosen of God, the redeemed of Christ, and those that are justified by his righteousness, and sanctified by his Spirit; though they are but few in comparison of the men of the world, but considered in themselves are many, and yet make up but one body, the church, of which Christ is the head: and though this general assembly; or church universal, may be distinguished into several congregational churches, and distinct communities, yet each community, consisting of divers persons, is but one body "in Christ", united and knit together by joints and bands, under him their head, Lord, and King; in him, an…

The Church Fathers

This is what it means to love Christ, that we should encourage one another to live in a way which corresponds to the way in which the body is made perfect in Christ.
— Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES

Why do we divide and tear to pieces the members of Christ and raise up strife against our own body, and why have we reached such a height of madness as to forget that "we are members one of another?"
— Clement of Rome, THE FIRST EPISTLE OF CLEMENT 46

The bond of our unity cannot be firm unless the bond of charity has tied us together in indivisible solidarity.… It is the connection of the entire body which makes for one health, one beauty. And this connection requires the unanimity of the entire body, but especially it demands harmony among the bishops.
— Leo the Great, LETTER 14

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Fellowship — (1.) With God, consisting in the knowledge of his will (Job 22:21; John 17:3); agreement with his designs (Amos 3:2); mutual affection (Rom. 8: 38, 39); enjoyment of his presence (Ps. 4:6);…
Church, The · Unity of — Unity of
Fellowship · WITH CHRIST — WITH CHRIST
Religion · TRUE — TRUE
Selfishness · Inconsistent with communion of saints — Inconsistent with communion of saints

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Romans 12:5

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Romans 12:1–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 12:4

Adam Clarke on Romans 12:5

John Gill on Romans 12:5

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Romans 12:5

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Romans 12:1–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 12:4

Adam Clarke on Romans 12:5

John Gill on Romans 12:5

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Romans 12:4-8

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Romans 12:4-5