Romans 12:4 (DRB)

Passage

For as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office:

Nearby Context

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and the acceptable and the perfect will of God.

Romans 12:3 For I say, by the grace that is given me, to all that are among you, not to be more wise than it behoveth to be wise, but to be wise unto sobriety and according as God hath divided to every one the measure of faith.

Romans 12:4 For as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office:

Romans 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ; and every one members one of another:

Romans 12:6 And having different gifts, according to the grace that is given us, either prophecy, to be used according to the rule of faith;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "body", "members", "same", and "office". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "body" and "members", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "For I say by the grace that..." into verse 5's "So we being many are one body...", so "body" and "members" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "body" and "members" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.